Why you should keep an eye on USC-San Jose State, plus other notes

A Power 5 coach with experience in the Mountain West Conference spent Saturday night tuning into San Jose State’s season-opening 45-14 win over overmatched FCS opponent Southern Utah.

His takeaway about the 2020 Mountain West champs? “They look ready to defend,” he told On3.

Don’t be shocked if the Spartans create some challenges for No. 15 USC on Saturday (2 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network). San Jose State returns 19 starters from last season, including all 11 on defense. That includes former Texas A&M and Arkansas quarterback Nick Starkel, who is in his second season at San Jose State. Starkel threw for 394 yards and four touchdowns in the win over Southern Utah.

Defensively, the Spartans are led by three 2020 first-team All-Mountain selections — defensive linemen Cade Hall and Viliami Fehoko and linebacker Kyle Harmon. Hall, the 2020 Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and Fehoko combined for 16 sacks and 24.5 tackles for a loss in eight games last season. San Jose State also has a preseason first-team all-conference safety in junior Tre Jenkins.

Under-the-radar draft prospect with big opportunity

Here’s a game that may not be interesting for most fans but will be for NFL scouts: South Dakota State at Colorado State on Friday night.

The main reason? South Dakota State running back Pierre Strong.

Both of the NFL’s scouting services — National Football Scouting and Blesto — tabbed Strong (5 feet 11, 205 pounds) with fourth-round preseason draft grades. Strong, who starred at Little Rock (Ark.) McClellan, ran for 707 yards in nine games last season while leading South Dakota State to an 8-2 record and an appearance in the FCS national championship game.

Strong rushed for 4,268 yards and scored 57 touchdowns in his final two high school seasons. He redshirted in 2017 for the Jackrabbits, then had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and ’19. Strong is a two-time first-team All-Missouri Valley selection and also has earned some All-America honors.

The game will be televised on FS1 at 9 p.m. ET.

“This is without a doubt the best (FCS) football team I’ve seen in my career,” Colorado State coach Steve Addazio said. “I think they play like a Division I (FBS) football team. … It’ll be quite a big challenge for us. This is by no means what you would call opening with ease.”

Miami TE could create matchup challenges for Alabama

D’Eriq King’s stat line in Miami’s final preseason scrimmage consisted of 317 passing yards and five passing touchdowns against the Hurricanes’ second-team defense. The biggest highlight was an 88-yard TD connection with tight end Will Mallory.

After missing the spring while recovering from shoulder surgery, Mallory (6-5, 245) had a nice preseason camp and has Miami coaches believing he’s in store for a breakout season, especially with last season’s top tight end (Brevin Jordan) now in the NFL.

Mallory, known at Miami for being great on contested balls and over the middle, had 22 catches (averaging 15 yards per reception) and four touchdowns as the Hurricanes’ No. 2 tight end last season. Those numbers are set to go up this year.

Mallory, a former four-star recruit in the 2018 class from Jacksonville Providence School, figures to be one of King’s primary targets to go along with wide receivers Charleston Rambo, an Oklahoma transfer, and Mike Harley, who led Miami with 57 catches and 799 yards last season.

UCLA buzz growing

Don’t be fooled by the Pac-12 preseason poll. Despite being picked to finish fourth in the six-team Pac-12 South, there has been a growing buzz about UCLA’s outlook in Year 4 under Chip Kelly. It’s easier to understand that buzz after the team’s 44-10 season-opening win over Hawaii.

Look for the Bruins to be a significant challenge for No. 16 LSU when the teams face off in the Rose Bowl Saturday night.

“I thought that (the players) had a great offseason,” Kelly told reporters after the win over Hawaii. “They worked extremely hard. You really don’t know what you are going to get. There is an idea with what you think you can do in all three phases of the game. But until you actually play another opponent, you’re not sure. I think there are some positive things that we can build on.”