The still-undefeated San Jose State football team was supposed to finish its regular season at home next Friday against Nevada. Instead the Spartans will play the Wolf Pack in Las Vegas.
This team, which beat Hawaii, 35-24, Saturday in a game at Aloha Stadium that was also supposed to be played in San Jose, is getting used to craziness.
It went straight to Las Vegas from Hawaii on Saturday. Santa Clara County, where San Jose State is located, is starting even stricter stay-at-home guidelines this week. The rules had already included no team sports events, which is why Saturday’s game was in Hawaii. Also, the team could be subject to a 14-day quarantine because it was returning from out of state.
The Spartans were just happy to play a game, anywhere. Their games at Fresno State and Boise State were canceled on short notice because of virus issues at those locations. Their last game was Nov. 14, when they beat UNLV. That was their fourth game; Saturday’s win makes them 5-0.
“It’s been a rough 10 days, two weeks. Thanksgiving away from family, game at Boise canceled, come back (from Boise) and it’s COVID to the 10th degree. Everything shutting down. Armageddon,” San Jose State coach Brent Brennan said. “Their world is being turned upside down.”
>> PHOTOS: San Jose State beats Hawaii
The bizarre situation created a four-game season-ending homestand for Hawaii (3-4), as it hosted Boise State and Nevada the two Saturdays prior to the San Jose State game and is slated host UNLV this Saturday.
On Friday, UH athletic director David Matlin announced that for the first time during the season a Warriors football player (unnamed) had tested positive for COVID-19. But Matlin also said proper quarantining and contact-tracing measures were being taken, and it would not affect Saturday’s game.
Before that, Hawaii and San Jose State had reported zero positive test results since the start of the season.
“We had eight positive cases in July but nothing since,” a San Jose State spokesman said. “When we met with county officials (to get permission to play at Hawaii), they said our protocols must be excellent. We’ve had thousands of tests in four months since and nothing.”
Similarly, at UH, Matlin said there have been “3,681 tests among the (football) team, coaching staff, and support staff. This week alone, 454 tests were administered.”
“We’ve been good at COVID protocol and Hawaii has been good at COVID protocol. We were going to play this game,” Brennan said. “We’re thankful the University of Hawaii worked to allow us to play here.”
Finals week starts Monday for both schools. The Spartans will be studying and taking exams in a Las Vegas hotel, while also preparing for a game that if they win would give them an undefeated regular season … it would be just six games, but still a stunning accomplishment given the circumstances.
“The beauty of it is we get to do this together,” Brennan said. “We’re ecstatic.”
