San Jose State leaves a painful homecoming loss behind and heads to UTEP with more questions than it wants. The Spartans lost 16-13 in overtime to Wyoming last Friday at CEFCU Stadium after leading almost all the way, and now they are scheduled to play at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday at 6 p.m.
That makes this matchup the immediate test for a team sitting at 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the Mountain West. Ken Niumatalolo said the Spartans have to turn the page after the Wyoming game, and that is easier said than done for a group searching for rhythm on offense while trying to keep its season moving in the right direction.
The numbers show why the game has drawn attention. San Jose State has held Hawaii and Wyoming to 16 points in each of its past two games, but it has scored only 43 points over its past three. It has also failed to top 13 points in two of those games, even though Luke Weaver threw for 251 yards against Wyoming. He did not throw a touchdown for the first time as a Spartan, was intercepted once and has six picks this season, including five in the past three games.
Weaver was banged up after taking hits against Wyoming, and his status for UTEP is uncertain. That puts Robert McDaniel and Daniel Rolovich next in line if he cannot play. McDaniel has game experience from last season, when he completed 3 of 11 passes for 19 yards and an interception in three appearances. Rolovich has not yet attempted a collegiate pass. The uncertainty extends to the backfield as well, because Jabari Bates was listed as out on the injury report Thursday night after leading the Mountain West with 556 rushing yards and averaging 4.6 yards per carry. If he sits, Viliami Teu and Isaiah Carlson are expected to take carries.
That is a real concern for a San Jose State offense that has rushed for 244 yards over its past three games after producing nearly 500 yards on the ground in its first three. The defense has at least given the Spartans a chance, but the offense has slowed just as the schedule turns to another conference road game. UTEP brings a different kind of pressure into the matchup after a 1-5 start and a 0-2 mark in the Mountain West, with losses of 51-0 at Oklahoma, 52-17 at Michigan, 61-7 at New Mexico, 33-7 at home against Oregon State and 30-13 to Nevada last week.
San Jose State has the better record, the steadier defense and the more dangerous offense when Weaver and Bates are available. The problem now is whether either of them will be on the field when the Spartans try to salvage momentum in El Paso. If they are not, the next stretch will tell a lot about how much the season can withstand.
