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1979 San Jose State Spartans football
1979 San Jose State Spartans football
Conference	Pacific Coast Athletic Association
Record	3–8, 3 wins forfeited, 1 tie forfeited (2–3 PCAA, 2 wins forfeited)
Head coach	Jack Elway (1st season);
Offensive coordinator	Dennis Erickson (1st season)
Home stadium	Spartan Stadium
	Seasons ← 1978 1980 →

1979 Pacific Coast Athletic Association football standings
v t e	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
Utah State $	5	–	0	–	0	8	–	3	–	0
Long Beach State	3	–	2	–	0	7	–	4	–	0
Fresno State	3	–	2	–	0	5	–	6	–	0
Cal State Fullerton	2	–	3	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
San Jose State	2	–	3	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Pacific (CA)	0	–	5	–	0	3	–	7	–	0

$ – Conference champion Records adjusted for San Jose State forfeits

The 1979 San Jose State Spartans football team represented San Jose State University during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season as a member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association.^{[note 1]} The team was led by first year head coach Jack Elway. They played home games at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California.

The Spartans finished the 1979 season as co-champions of the PCAA, with a record of six wins, four losses and one tie (6–4–1, 4–0–1 PCAA). However, in December 1979 the PCAA ruled that the Spartans had used an ineligible player in seven of their games. As a result, the team's co-championship of the conference was vacated, and the record was adjusted to 3–8 (2–3 PCAA).^[1]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 8	Utah State	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		L 48–48 (forfeit)	10,782	^[2]^[3]
September 15	at Stanford*	Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA (rivalry)		L 29–45	46,789	^[4]
September 22	at California*	California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA	ABC	L 10–13	35,000	^[5]
September 29	at Arizona*	Arizona Stadium Tucson, AZ		L 18–38	48,061	^[6]
October 6	Cal State Fullerton	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		L 23–0 (forfeit)	10,900	^[7]^[8]
October 13	at Fresno State	Ratcliffe Stadium Fresno, CA (rivalry)		L 35–22 (forfeit)	11,789	^[9]
October 20	at Oregon State*	Parker Stadium Corvallis, OR		L 24–14 (forfeit)	11,000	^[10]
October 27	at Long Beach State	Anaheim Stadium Anaheim, CA		W 53–42	6,428	^[11]
November 10	Pacific (CA)	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		W 32–31	11,700	^[12]
November 16	Santa Clara*	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		W 23–14		^[13]
November 24	Central Michigan*	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		L 32–34	10,424	^[14]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

^[15]^[16]

Team players in the NFL

The following were selected in the 1980 NFL draft.^[17]

Player	Position	Round	Overall	NFL team
Jewerl Thomas	Running back	3	58	Los Angeles Rams
Ed Luther	Quarterback	4	101	San Diego Chargers

The following finished their San Jose State career in 1979, were not drafted, but played in the NFL.^[18]

Player	Position	First NFL team
Derrick Martin	Defensive back	1987 San Francisco 49ers
Eric Hurt	Defensive back	1980 Dallas Cowboys
Jim Walsh	Running back	1980 Seattle Seahawks

Notes

^ The Big West Conference was known as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association from its founding in 1969 through 1987.

References

^ "San Jose State must forfeit seven games". Retrieved December 21, 2016.
^ "Utah State ties San Jose at 48-all". The Daily Herald. September 9, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Utah State Football Guide 2016" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2007.
^ "Stanford outlasts San Jose". The San Francisco Examiner. September 16, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Golden Bears relieved to escape with victory". The Sunday Oregonian. September 23, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "UA defense grounds Spartan aerial show". The Arizona Daily Star. September 30, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ John Weyler (October 7, 1979). "Titans Lose". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. III-10. Retrieved February 10, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ John Weyler (October 7, 1979). "Fullerton Bounced Out of First". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. III-1. Retrieved February 10, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "San Jose outlasts Fresno in thriller". Santa Cruz Sentinel. October 14, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Four-year drought ends, SJS tops a Pac-10 foe". Santa Cruz Sentinel. October 21, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "San Jose State survives in 'wide-open' grid game". Santa Cruz Sentinel. October 28, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Luther Rallies San Jose State". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. November 11, 1979. p. III-16. Retrieved February 14, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "San Jose wins South Bay clash". The Napa Valley Register. November 17, 1979. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "CMU puts finishing touch on undefeated season, 34–32". Detroit Free Press. November 25, 1979. p. 7F – via Newspapers.com.
^ "San Jose State 1979 Schedule". Retrieved December 16, 2016.
^ "San Jose State 2016 Football Media Guide". Retrieved December 16, 2016.
^ "1980 NFL Draft". Archived from the original on December 22, 2007. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
^ "San Jose St. Players/Alumni". Retrieved December 16, 2016.