Gear Up For Game Day: SJSU Spartans

LARAMIE -- For those of you who have been following my coverage over the previous six-plus seasons, you know this weekly space is reserved for story time, complete randomness and the occasional memory.

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We also hook you up with all the pertinent links to aspects of Wyoming's upcoming game, like television station, streaming, gambling odds, rosters, etc.

None of that will change this week, either.

* San Jose State, Wyoming's Week-6 opponent, has claimed 10 national championships in school history: men's golf, women's golf (X3), cross country (x2), track and field, boxing, fencing and tennis. The water polo team also claimed a title in 1968, the year before that sport became sanctioned by the NCAA. This school is also known for its judo program, winning 52 men's and 26 women's championships.

* Remember the names Tommie Smith and John Carlos? After the 200-meter race in the '68 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, the two SJSU grads raised their black-gloved fists on the medal podium in protest of racial injustice.

* You might also recall, the Spartans were the next team on the docket after a 40-7 victory over BYU back in 1969. Fourteen black players on the Wyoming football team were expelled from the program for asking to wear black armbands in a silent protest aimed at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which at that time didn't allow African-Americans to enter the priesthood. The Cowboys took on the Spartans a week later, scratching out a 16-7 win inside War Memorial Stadium. The visitors that day did don black armbands, this time in support of what would be forever known as the "Black 14." Wyoming didn't win again that season, dropping four straight. Lloyd Eaton's team finished 1-9 the following season and Eaton was reassigned, named the school's assistant athletics director.

MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:

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* UW Athletics, Wyoming Mining Association Partner for Border War

* Cowboys Host San Jose State, Look to Snap 3-Game Skid

* Know Wyoming's Foe: San Jose State Spartans

* Tuck's Take: It's Past Time to Feature Sam Scott in Backfield

* PODCAST: Answering Your Wyoming Football Questions

* Q&A With Wyoming Offensive Coordinator Jay Johnson

* Behind the Numbers: 'Keep Having Faith in Me, Man'

* Turning Point, Unsung Hero, What's Next For UW Football

* What on Earth Happened to Wyoming's Punt Protection?

*  The Spartans weren't always known as the Spartans. Prior to 1922, SJSU featured nicknames like "Daniels," "Teachers," "Pedagogues," "Normals" and the "Normalites."

* This public school is the oldest in the California State University system and in the western United State.

* San Jose is the 12th-largest city in the country, just a tick under Jacksonville, Fla. It's also the third-most populous city in the state of California, behind San Diego and Los Angeles.

* The "Capital of Silicon Valley," San Jose is the epicenter of innovation and technology. This city was also the first capital of California.

Notable SJSU Alums, Ties:

San Jose State alums could put on one hell of a concert.

Doug Clifford (drummer - Creedence Clearwater Revival), Stu Cook (base - CCR), Lindsey Buckingham (guitar/ co-vocalist - Fleetwood Mac), Stevie Nicks (vocalist - Fleetwood Mac), Tom Johnston (guitar/ vocalist - The Doobie Brothers), Patrick Simmons (guitar/ vocalist - The Doobie Brothers), Paul Kantner (guitar - Jefferson Airplane) and Bryan Mantia (drums - Primus, Guns N' Roses) all went to school in San Jose.

So did Kurtwood Smith, better known as Red Foreman, on That 70's Show, along with OJ Simpson prosecutor Christopher Darden and competitive eater Joey Chestnut.

There have been some impressive Spartan quarterbacks: Steve DeBerg, Jeff Garcia, David Fales and Roy Zimmerman. How about those coaches: Dick Vermeil, Bill Walsh, Jack Elway and Terry Donahue.

Injury Report:

Here is all you need to know -- and the links -- for Saturday Night's tilt vs. SJSU:

WHO: SJSU (2-3, 1-0) at Wyoming (2-3, 0-1)
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. MST
WEATHER: High of 63, Low 40, Cloudy, Wind 15 mph
WHERE: War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, Wyo. (25,000-plus capacity)
TRAVEL: WyoRoad.info
STREAMING: CBS
TV: CBS Sports Network
RADIO: Cowboy Sports Network
TICKETS: Wyoming Ticket office
BOX SCORE: ESPN
ROSTERS: Wyoming / SJSU
HISTORY: All-time series tied, 7-7
BETTING ODDS: SJSU -1.5, O/U: 49.5
HEAD COACHES: Jay Sawvel / Ken Niumatalolo