SAN JOSE STATE VS. KENNESAW STATE
Records: San Jose State (2-0, 1-0 Mountain West); Kennesaw State (0-2, 0-0 Conference USA)
Kickoff: 4 p.m., CEFCU Stadium, San Jose
TV: TruTV/Max
Radio: 860 AM The Answer
Series history: This is the first time the two schools have played each other. This is the first season Kennesaw State is playing at the FBS level and 10th season as a football program.
Storylines: San Jose State is seeking its first 3-0 start since the 2020 season when it went undefeated in the regular season and won the Mountain West Championship. … Head coaches Ken Niumatalolo and Brian Bohannon are familiar with each other after coaching at Navy together for five seasons. … Kennesaw State will be looking for its first win against an FBS opponent in its program’s history. … Guard Marist Talavou will be held out for the first half due to a targeting penalty incurred in the second half of the Air Force game. … Wide receiver Nick Nash leads the Spartans’ offense with 260 receiving yards and three touchdowns in its two games. … Niumatalolo could become the first San Jose State head coach to win his first three games since Lynn Styles in 1976.
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Matchup to watch: Kennesaw State quarterback Davis Bryson vs. San Jose State linebacker Jordan Pollard. The Spartans face another run-heavy offense this week. In six career games, Bryson has 51 rushing attempts. The dual-threat ability will be something to monitor for the linebacking core. Pollard, the head of that group, won the Mountain West defensive player of the week in a 17-tackle performance against Air Force. His 25 tackles in two games is the fifth-best in the nation.
Injuries: Wide receiver Malikhi Miller will be out for what “looks like a while” Niumatalolo said in last week’s news conference. Miller, a sophomore from El Cerrito High, was one of two returners from last year’s team that scored an offensive touchdown.
Stats that matter: San Jose State has scored on all five red zone possessions including four touchdowns. … Kennesaw State averages 13 points a game. … First-time starter Emmett Brown is top-25 in the nation averaging 280 passing yards per game. … The Spartans are top-five in the nation in forcing turnovers with seven. … The Owls have proven they can pressure the quarterback with five sacks this season. … Brown has endured four sacks and seven quarterback hits in this two week stretch.