BOISE, Idaho — After their game was canceled because of COVID-19 earlier this season, the Boise State Broncos and San Jose State Spartans will finally get the chance to face off, but this time for the Mountain West Championship.
Coach Harsin and Spartans coach Brent Brennan spoke with the media, and their main message was how grateful they are to compete one more time.
“It’s just been this incredible journey of ups and downs, and finding ways to overcome," said Brennan. "It’s just been fun and incredibly special.”
“2020 is like no other, and I think everybody that sits in this room and is a part of this program understands that we have overcome a lot to be here and we still have a long ways to go, but that's what I am most proud of," said Harsin. "It's about the journey, and we are certainly excited to play this game.”
NEWS: San José State will host the 2020 #MWFB Championship game at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) December 13, 2020
Kickoff is set for 1:15 p.m. PT on FOX with @TimBrando and @SpenceTillman on the call.#AtThePeak | #SpartanUp | #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/6MpgkjDndB
As the teams prepare to play each other, Harsin said that his team has to stay consistent and execute on every down against what he called a very well-coached and disciplined Spartans.
“I don’t see a lot of flaws in their game," he said. "They have played well in all three phases. They are explosive on offense. They are physical on defense, and their special teams have been solid in a lot of areas.”
Brennan said that this might be the biggest game in the history of San Jose State, and out of eight seasons in the MW, this will be their first appearance in the championship game.
This big of stage is nothing new for the Broncos. This will be their fourth MW Championship appearance.
“That’s the biggest thing about moments like this is don’t look at the whole thing. You don’t climb the mountain in one single bound. You do it one step at a time, so let's trust our process and lean into it and move forward one step at a time, and we will play good," said Brennan.
“We’ve had some guys that have been there, but that’s not the focus," said Harsin. "The focus is on how do we get our guys best prepared this week and in practice to play our very best this season. That’s always the goal each week, and I don’t see it any differently this week.”
Both teams head into the matchup undefeated in conference play.
The game kicks off at 2:15 MT on Fox inside Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
