One of the winningest teams in the nation since 2015 will look to continue that dominance when the San Diego State Aztecs face the visiting San Jose State Spartans in Mountain West Conference action on Friday. San Diego State (2-0) has posted a 51-18 (.739) record over the past five-plus seasons, 11th-best in the nation. Clemson has the best mark in that span at 76-5 (.938). The Aztecs also have the best mark among the seven California FBS schools since the start of 2015 as well, with Stanford second at 44-22 (.667). San Jose State (2-0) is 20-44 (.313) during that same stretch.
The game is slated to begin on CBS Sports Network at 9 p.m. ET from SDCCU Stadium in San Diego. The Aztecs are favored by 10.5 points in the latest San Diego State vs. San Jose State odds from William Hill, while the over-under for total points scored is 50.5. Before making any San Jose State vs. San Diego State picks, check out the college football predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of over $4,100 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is a sizzling 31-19 on top-rated picks through nine weeks of the 2020 college football season, returning over $600 in profit already. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on San Diego State vs. San Jose State. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college football odds from William Hill and trends for San Jose State vs. San Diego State.
- San Jose State vs. San Diego State spread: San Diego State -10.5
- San Jose State vs. San Diego State over-under: 50.5 points
- San Jose State vs. San Diego State money line: San Jose State +285, San Diego State -345
- SJSU: The Spartans are 13 of 29 (44.8 percent) on third-down conversions, 35th nationally
- SDSU: Leads the nation in scoring defense at 6.5 points per game
Why San Diego State can cover
The Aztecs' defense has been solid and is led by senior safety Dwayne Johnson Jr., who has registered 13 tackles, including nine solo, and one pass breakup. In 2019, he started each of the team's 13 games, recording 92 tackles, including 54 solo, with 1.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, an interception and five pass breakups. He had a monster game in the season opener against Weber State, registering a career-high 12 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. He has played in 40 of 41 games since the start of 2017.
Also powering the defense is junior linebacker Caden McDonald, who is third on the team in tackles and first in sacks. McDonald has registered 11 stops, including three solo, while recording 2.5 sacks for 16 yards. Last season, he played in 13 games with 10 starts. He recorded 34 tackles, including 15 solo, with 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, an interception, two pass breakups, a fumble recovery and seven quarterback hurries. He also scored a touchdown on special teams.
Why San Jose State can cover
Despite that, the Aztecs are not a lock to cover the San Jose State vs. San Diego State spread. That's because the Spartans have been dominant in their first two games, outscoring their opponents 55-27. Senior quarterback Nick Starkel, a graduate transfer from Arkansas, is a big reason for that success. He has completed 56 of 76 passes (73.7 percent) for 693 yards and seven touchdowns with a 178.0 rating. At Arkansas in 2019, Starkel played in eight games with five starts. He was the Razorbacks' leading passer, completing 96 of 179 passes for 1,152 yards and seven TDs.
Senior wide receiver Bailey Gaither has been Starkel's top target. He leads the Spartans with 18 catches for 318 yards (17.7 average) and one TD. He is in his sixth season at San Jose State and has played in 37 games with 20 starts. Twenty-two of his 42 receptions have been for 20 yards or more, and has five games with 100 or more receiving yards. He also has two blocked punts to his credit.
How to make San Diego State vs. San Jose State picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total. In fact, it says San Diego State running backs will combine for fewer than 140 yards rushing and one touchdown, while San Jose State's offense will be held to fewer than 300 total yards and two touchdowns. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in over 50 percent of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins San Jose State vs. San Diego State? And which side of the spread cashes in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the San Diego State vs. San Jose State spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up over $4,100 on its top-rated college football picks over the past four-plus seasons, and find out.
