SAN JOSE — San Jose State heads into Saturday’s game against Northern Illinois with no shortage of storylines.
The Spartans host winless Northern Illinois in what might play out as a make-or-break moment of an up-and-down season.
SJSU (4-5, 2-3 in Mountain West) can become bowl-eligible for the first time in three years by winning two of its final four games. The Spartans enter Week 10 against the Huskies (0-8, 0-4 MW) having lost two straight and four of their past six games, and they figure to be underdogs in their final three games.
The Spartans have scored more than 20 points just once since their win over Cal Poly on Sept. 12, and the fan base is becoming restless for results. That includes San Jose State Hall of Fame quarterback and former 49ers pro bowler Jeff Garcia, who commented this week on the program’s direction, which sparked conversation online and off.
San Jose State Spartans’ Luke Weaver (3) is tackled by Fresno State Bulldogs’ Maverick Noonan (95) in the first quarter at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Expectations were high for the Spartans, as they fell short of a bowl game last season after playing in a school-record three straight from 2022-24. SJSU fired four coaches last season, including former longtime defensive coordinator Derrick Odum, once the team was out of contention.
Another year without a postseason appearance could likely trigger more personnel moves if the Spartans become ineligible for a bowl game; all options are on the table.
“I think those decisions are made when you, as a program or as an athletic department, have no practical way at that point to meet what your baseline objective was for the season,” SJSU athletic director Jeff Konya said during an Oct. 14 appearance on The HQ Sportscast. “Our baseline objective in each and every football season is to make a bowl game; that’s the minimum.”
The Spartans will need at least six wins to have a chance at a bowl game, with seven securing it.
Konya later expressed his belief in the current coaching staff, but the goal is to meet expectations.
Garcia, however, has a different view. The Gilroy native was the Spartans’ starting quarterback for three seasons and left after the 1993 season as the career leader in offensive yards before starring in the NFL.
Former San Francisco 49ers and San Jose State quarterback Jeff Garcia chats with fans during “Legends After Dark,” an NFL Alumni event at Sushi Confidential in downtown San Jose on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)
This week, he used a social media platform to express the growing frustration shared by an increasing number of Spartans fans. Garcia, 56, even offered to help guide the program, concluding his post by asking, WHO’s WITH ME?
“The ultimate goal is to win the league against teams who are your equal,” Garcia said. “There’s no reason why we can’t get there, and I’m here to help the Spartans redefine their mentality.”
Garcia alluded to SJSU’s struggles in the last 30 years, having just seven winning seasons, two top-25 appearances, and seven bowl appearances with only three wins. The Spartans haven’t been ranked in the AP Top 25 since they ended the 2020 season at No. 24.
“We sit here as former Spartans constantly waiting for that certain someone to bring us that competitive mindset to achieve greatness on and off the field,” Garcia said via Instagram on Nov. 2. “We bring outsiders in, but never look at those who wore and bled for the blue and gold as our potential leader.”
The Spartans’ biggest issue has been offensive inconsistencies, ranking 123rd in the country, scoring 19.9 points per game.
“For almost two years, this offense has been pretty prolific. I know what it looks like when it works, and so does Craig (Stutzmann, SJSU offensive coordinator),” head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “But we’re not there, and we got to look at everything and anything … hopefully the adjustments we continue to do will be better this week.”
SJSU is in its fourth week of quarterback uncertainty, with Luke Weaver, who has started seven games for SJSU with a 3-4 record, and freshman Daniel Rolovich, who started one game against UTEP but has dealt with an injury since.
SJSU may be without two of its top offensive linemen after starting center Joseph Harbert was ruled out with a season-ending injury and right guard Tyler Chen’s availability is in question after suffering an injury last week.
NIU will be the perfect opportunity for the offense to get back on track; the Huskies rank second-to-last in the Mountain West in passing yards allowed per game (215) and last in rushing yards allowed (218).