Stanford and San Jose State will renew their rivalry (Bill Walsh Legacy Game) next year in 2024 with a game at Spartan Stadium. Stanford and San Jose State made the announcement this past fall.
Below is the release put out by Stanford Athletics:
STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford and San Jose State announced on Tuesday a series of games beginning in 2024. The first matchup between the Cardinal and Spartans takes place on November 30, 2024 in San Jose, with a return date set for September 13, 2025 inside Stanford Stadium. The next pair of games takes place in 2026 and 2028, with the Cardinal going to San Jose in 2026 and hosting SJSU in 2028. The series concludes in Week 1 of the 2034 and 2035 seasons, with Stanford hosting the first matchup.
This marks a renewal of a rivalry that dates to 1933, when Stanford beat San Jose State 27-0 in the first-ever meeting between the Card and Spartans. They played each other 64 times from 1933-2013, with Stanford owning 50 all-time wins over San Jose State.
By adding a 2024 date against San Jose State, the Cardinal now have eight ACC games and four non-conference games (TCU, Cal Poly, Notre Dame, San Jose State) on the schedule for 2024.
As the team release indicates, Stanford’s move to the ACC seems to have resulted in the extra games being added in 2024 and 2025. With the ACC playing an eight game schedule, Stanford was in need of an extra out of conference game, making San Jose State a logical program to add to their slate. Especially since they had already agreed to renew the rivalry.
Personally, I think it’s great that Stanford and San Jose State have made this agreement. There’s a lot of history between the two universities both on and off the field. They both represent Silicon Valley and also frequently face off in other sports. They might as well get things going again on the gridiron. And then on top of that, you have the fact that the game honors the late Bill Walsh. That part makes it extra special.
Walsh was a head coach at Stanford from 1977-78 and then later 1992-94. He was also a defensive backs coach at Stanford from 1963-65. Before getting into coaching, he played college football at San Jose State, graduating with a degree in physical education. An educator at heart, Walsh is considered one of the greatest coaches in football history, coaching the 49ers to three Super Bowl titles and creating the West Coast offense.
Considering all that Walsh has meant to both programs and the sport of football at large, especially in the Bay Area, it’s neat that there is a game that honors his legacy. Hopefully this game can become an annual tradition. It seems like a win-win for both programs and their fan bases.
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