Bill Walsh Legacy Game
{{Short description|American college football rivalry}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox sports rivalry
| wide = yes
| name = Bill Walsh Legacy Game
| image = James jones touchdown catch.jpg
| alt = SJST receiver catches touchdown pass in 2006 contest
| image_upright = 1.5
| caption = James Jones scores a touchdown against Stanford in '06; San José won 35–34.
| team1 = San Jose State Spartans
| team1logo = San_Jose_State_interlocking_logo.svg
| team2 = Stanford
Cardinal
| team2logo = Stanford Cardinal logo.svg
| sport = American football
| type = Collegiate
| firstmeeting = October 11, 1900
Stanford, 35–0
| mostrecent = November 29, 2024
San Jose State, 34–31
| nextmeeting = September 27, 2025
| total = 68
| largestvictory = Stanford, 54–0 (1953) and 57–3 (2011)
| longeststreak = Stanford, 11 (1900–1953)
| longestunbeatenstreak =
| currentstreak = San Jose State, 1 (2024–present)
| currentunbeatenstreak =
| trophy =
| trophy series =
| stadiums = CEFCU and Stanford
| section_header = Stadium locations
| section_info =
{{OSM Location map
| coord = {{Coord|37.3842|-122.0211}}
| zoom = 10
| float = center
| fullscreen-option = 0
| minimap = file bottom left
| mini-file = Location Map San Francisco Bay Area.gif
| mini-width = 95
| mini-height = 98
| minipog-gx = 67
| minipog-gy = 80
| mark1 = Twemoji12 1f3df.svg
| mark-size1 = 32
| mark-coord1 = {{Coord|37.3353|-121.8813}}
| label1 = San Jose State
| label-size1 = 16
| label-pos1 = bottom
| label-color1 = dark blue
| mark2 = Twemoji12 1f3df.svg
| mark-size2 = 32
| mark-coord2 = {{Coord|37.4344|-122.1611}}
| label2 = Stanford
| label-size2 = 16
| label-pos2 = right
| label-color2 = dark red
| scalemark = 1
}}
}}
The Bill Walsh Legacy Game is the name given to the San Jose State–Stanford football rivalry.{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/256327-week-three-in-sparta-the-bill-walsh-legacy-game|title=Week Three in Sparta: The Bill Walsh Legacy Game|first=D.|last=Miller|website=Bleacher Report|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910061052if_/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/256327-week-three-in-sparta-the-bill-walsh-legacy-game|archive-date=September 10, 2018|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.stanforddaily.com/2013/09/04/bill-walsh-legacy-game-holds-special-significance-for-shaw/|title=Bill Walsh Legacy Game holds special significance for Shaw|website=The Stanford Daily|date=September 4, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910060958if_/https://www.stanforddaily.com/2013/09/04/bill-walsh-legacy-game-holds-special-significance-for-shaw/|archive-date=September 10, 2018|language=en}} It is a college football rivalry between the San Jose State Spartans football team of San Jose State University and the Stanford Cardinal football team of Stanford University. The two teams have played each other 68 times since 1900. The rivalry was named in honor of Bill Walsh, following his death in 2007. Walsh played at San Jose State and had two stints as Stanford's head coach.
Historical overview
The series between San Jose State and Stanford began in 1900 with a home-and-home series between the two schools in the same season. Stanford won both games, 35–0 on October 11, 1900, in San Jose and 24–0 on October 24, 1900, at Stanford. Stanford won the first eleven games of the series.
On November 13, 1954, San Jose State defeated Stanford for the first time by a final score of 19–14.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&school_id=stanford&opp_id=san-jose-state|title=Rivalry Finder: Stanford versus San Jose State|website=Sports Reference|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128074613if_/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&school_id=stanford&opp_id=san-jose-state|archive-date=January 28, 2018|language=en|access-date=June 13, 2014}}
Throughout the over-100-year history of the series, most games in this series have been played at Stanford. Only the 1900, 1995, 2001, 2006, and 2024 games have been played in San Jose.
Stanford's longest winning streak in this series is 11, beginning in 1900 and ending in 1953. This win streak covered the first 11 games in the series. San Jose State's longest winning streak is three, achieved from 1981 to 1983 and again from 1998 to 2000.
The games from 1979 to 1982 pitted Stanford star quarterback John Elway against his father, Jack Elway, who served as the SJSU head football coach from 1979 to 1983. The two teams split the series 2–2, with the younger Elway defeating his father's team in 1979 and 1980, and the elder Jack Elway defeating his son's team in 1981 and 1982.{{Cite web|last=Curtis|first=Jake|url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Jack-Elway-Dies-at-Age-69-John-Elway-s-dad-2930648.php|title=Jack Elway Dies at Age 69 / John Elway's dad coached Stanford, San Jose State|website=SFGate|date=April 17, 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926192358if_/https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Jack-Elway-Dies-at-Age-69-John-Elway-s-dad-2930648.php|archive-date=September 26, 2020|language=en}}
In 2007, following the death of San Jose State alumnus and former Stanford coach Bill Walsh, the near-annual game played between the two schools was renamed the Bill Walsh Legacy Game.{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Michelle|title=Walsh's legacy all over this game|url=https://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Walsh-s-legacy-all-over-this-game-2541347.php|website=SFGate|date=September 12, 2007|access-date=June 1, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922183655if_/https://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Walsh-s-legacy-all-over-this-game-2541347.php|archive-date=September 22, 2020|language=en}}
The 2013 game, a 34–13 win for Stanford, was the final scheduled game between the two schools, reportedly due to the two schools' inability to agree on a home-and-home arrangement for future games.{{Cite web|last=Durkin|first=Jimmy|title=Stanford, San Jose State football series coming to an end|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2013/09/03/stanford-san-jose-state-football-series-coming-to-an-end/|website=The Mercury News|date=September 4, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121094226if_/https://www.mercurynews.com/2013/09/03/stanford-san-jose-state-football-series-coming-to-an-end/|archive-date=January 21, 2021|language=en|access-date=June 1, 2014}}{{Cite web|last=Kroichick|first=Ron|title=Stanford Sports - Shaw fires back on imminent end of Stanford-San Jose State series|date=September 5, 2013|url=http://blog.sfgate.com/stanfordsports/2013/09/05/shaw-fires-back-on-imminent-end-of-stanford-san-jose-state-series/|website=SFGate|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114111746if_/https://blog.sfgate.com/stanfordsports/2013/09/05/shaw-fires-back-on-imminent-end-of-stanford-san-jose-state-series/|archive-date=November 14, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2014|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Wilner|first=Jon|title=Stanford and San Jose State: The end of the Bill Walsh Legacy Game series (at least for now) - College Hotline|date=September 12, 2013|url=https://blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports/2013/09/12/stanford-and-san-jose-state-the-end-of-the-bill-walsh-legacy-game-series-at-least-for-now/|website=The Mercury News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112032839if_/http://blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports/2013/09/12/stanford-and-san-jose-state-the-end-of-the-bill-walsh-legacy-game-series-at-least-for-now/|archive-date=November 12, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2014|language=en}}
On July 23, 2014, at the Mountain West Conference football media days event, San Jose State coach Ron Caragher revealed that the two schools were having "initial conversations about resuming their football series by moving to a neutral site at the new Levi's Stadium."{{Cite web|last=Durkin|first=Jimmy|title=Stanford, SJSU game might move to Levi's Stadium|date=July 24, 2014|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/07/23/stanford-sjsu-game-might-move-to-levis-stadium/|website=The Mercury News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308204745if_/https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/07/23/stanford-sjsu-game-might-move-to-levis-stadium/|archive-date=March 8, 2021|language=en|access-date=September 1, 2021}} San Jose State athletic director Gene Bleymaier later stated: "Even if we have to look out to 2020 and beyond, I'd like to get a long-term agreement in place with Stanford."{{Cite web|last=Durkin|first=Jimmy|title=San Jose State football: Bleymaier says school adjusting to NCAA changes|date=August 23, 2014|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/08/22/san-jose-state-football-bleymaier-says-school-adjusting-to-ncaa-changes/|website=The Mercury News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619040340if_/https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/08/22/san-jose-state-football-bleymaier-says-school-adjusting-to-ncaa-changes/|archive-date=June 19, 2018|language=en|access-date=August 23, 2014}}
On June 22, 2022, Stanford and San Jose State announced an agreement to renew the series with four games: At San Jose State on September 13, 2025; at Stanford on November 28, 2026; at Stanford on November 25, 2028; and at San Jose State on September 1, 2035. {{cite web | url=https://gostanford.com/news/2022/6/22/football-bill-walsh-legacy-game-returns.aspx | title=Bill Walsh Legacy Game Returns }}{{cite web | url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2022/6/22/football-returns-bill-walsh-legacy-game-1.aspx | title=SJSU Announces Return of Bill Walsh Legacy Game Against Stanford }} On November 1, 2023, Stanford and San Jose State announced two further additional games to the four already scheduled. They will meet on November 29, 2024, and at Stanford on September 2, 2034.{{Cite news |last=Becker |first=Jon |title=Stanford, San Jose State to renew football series in 2024 |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/11/01/stanford-san-jose-state-to-renew-football-series-in-2024/ |newspaper=The Mercury News |location=San Jose, California |date=November 1, 2023 |access-date=November 2, 2023 }} The September 27, 2025, game will now be played at Stanford and the 2026 game was moved up a week to November 21 and will now be played at San Jose.{{Cite web |last=Kelley |first=Kevin |date=November 1, 2023 |title=Stanford, San Jose State add two contests, make changes to Bill Walsh Legacy Game series |url=https://fbschedules.com/stanford-san-jose-state-add-two-contests-make-changes-to-bill-walsh-legacy-game-series/ |access-date=November 1, 2023 |website=FBSchedules.com |language=en-US}}
Statistics
| class="wikitable" style="border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center;"
| scope="row" style="background-color: #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" | ! style="width: 10em;" | San Jose State ! style="width: 10em;" | Stanford |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Games played
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | 68 |
|---|
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Wins
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 15 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 52 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Ties
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | 1 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Home wins
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 2 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 49 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Road wins
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 13 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 3 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Consecutive wins
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 3 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 11 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Most total points in a game
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | 92 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Most points in a win
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 44 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 68 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Most points in a loss
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 38 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 39 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Fewest total points in a game
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | 18 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Largest margin of victory
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 22 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 54 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Smallest margin of victory
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 1 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 1 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Total points scored in series
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 1,153 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 2,257 |
| style="text-align: right; width: 14em;" | Shut-outs of opposing team
| style="{{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}" | 0 | style="{{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}" | 9 |
| colspan="3" style="font-size: small; width: 34em;" | Source: {{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/san-jose-state/vs/stanford|title=San Jose State Spartans vs. Stanford Cardinal football series history|website=Winsipedia|language=en}} |
Game results
{{Sports rivalry series table
| format = compact
| cols = 2
| series_summary = yes
| team1 = San Jose State
| team1style = {{NCAA color cell|San Jose State Spartans}}
| team2 = Stanford
| team2style = {{NCAA color cell|Stanford Cardinal}}
| October 11, 1900 | San Jose, CA | Stanford | 35 | San Jose State | 0
| October 24, 1900 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 24 | San Jose State | 0
| September 23, 1933 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 27 | San Jose State | 0
| September 22, 1934 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 48 | San Jose State | 0
| September 28, 1935 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 35 | San Jose State | 0
| September 18, 1948 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 26 | San Jose State | 20
| September 17, 1949 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 49 | San Jose State | 0
| September 23, 1950 | Stanford, CA | #7 Stanford | 33 | San Jose State | 16
| September 22, 1951 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 26 | San Jose State | 13
| November 1, 1952 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 35 | San Jose State | 13
| November 14, 1953 | Stanford, CA | #16 Stanford | 54 | San Jose State | 0
| November 13, 1954 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 19 | Stanford | 14
| October 29, 1955 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 34 | San Jose State | 18
| October 13, 1956 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 40 | San Jose State | 20
| September 21, 1957 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 46 | San Jose State | 7
| October 31, 1959 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 54 | San Jose State | 38
| October 15, 1960 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 34 | Stanford | 20
| October 14, 1961 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 17 | San Jose State | 6
| November 17, 1962 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 21 | San Jose State | 9
| September 21, 1963 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 29 | San Jose State | 13
| September 19, 1964 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 10 | San Jose State | 8
| September 17, 1965 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 26 | San Jose State | 6
| September 17, 1966 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 25 | San Jose State | 21
| September 30, 1967 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 28 | San Jose State | 14
| September 21, 1968 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 68 | San Jose State | 20
| September 20, 1969 | Stanford, CA | #16 Stanford | 63 | San Jose State | 21
| September 19, 1970 | Stanford, CA | #4 Stanford | 34 | San Jose State | 3
| November 13, 1971 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 13 | #10 Stanford | 12
| September 16, 1972 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 44 | San Jose State | 0
| September 29, 1973 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 23 | San Jose State | 12
| September 28, 1974 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 21 | Stanford | 21
| September 27, 1975 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 36 | #18 Stanford | 34
| September 25, 1976 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 28 | San Jose State | 23
| November 12, 1977 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 31 | San Jose State | 26
| September 16, 1978 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 38 | San Jose State | 9
| September 15, 1979 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 45 | San Jose State | 29
| October 4, 1980 | Stanford, CA | #15 Stanford | 35 | San Jose State | 21
| September 19, 1981 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 28 | Stanford | 6
| September 18, 1982 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 35 | Stanford | 31
| September 24, 1983 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 23 | Stanford | 10
| September 22, 1984 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 28 | San Jose State | 27
| September 14, 1985 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 41 | San Jose State | 7
| September 20, 1986 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 28 | San Jose State | 10
| September 26, 1987 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 24 | Stanford | 17
| October 8, 1988 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 44 | San Jose State | 12
| September 30, 1989 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 40 | Stanford | 33
| September 29, 1990 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 29 | Stanford | 23
| September 26, 1992 | Stanford, CA | #19 Stanford | 37 | San Jose State | 13
| September 11, 1993 | Stanford, CA | #23 Stanford | 31 | San Jose State | 28
| September 17, 1994 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 51 | San Jose State | 20
| September 2, 1995 | San Jose, CA | Stanford | 47 | San Jose State | 33
| September 14, 1996 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 25 | San Jose State | 2
| September 6, 1997 | Stanford, CA | #17 Stanford | 28 | San Jose State | 12
| September 5, 1998 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 35 | Stanford | 23
| October 2, 1999 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 44 | Stanford | 39
| September 9, 2000 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | 40 | Stanford | 27
| December 1, 2001 | San Jose, CA | #12 Stanford | 41 | San Jose State | 14
| September 14, 2002 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 63 | San Jose State | 26
| September 6, 2003 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 31 | San Jose State | 10
| September 4, 2004 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 43 | San Jose State | 3
| September 9, 2006 | San Jose, CA | San Jose State | 35 | Stanford | 34
| September 15, 2007 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 37 | San Jose State | 0
| September 20, 2008 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 23 | San Jose State | 10
| September 19, 2009 | Stanford, CA | Stanford | 42 | San Jose State | 17
| September 3, 2011 | Stanford, CA | #7 Stanford | 57 | San Jose State | 3
| August 31, 2012 | Stanford, CA | #21 Stanford | 20 | San Jose State | 17
| September 7, 2013 | Stanford, CA | #5 Stanford | 34 | San Jose State | 13
| November 29, 2024 | San Jose, CA | San Jose State | 34 | Stanford | 31
| September 27, 2025 | Stanford, CA | San Jose State | | Stanford |
}}
See also
{{Portal|San Francisco Bay Area}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{San Jose State Spartans football navbox}}
{{Stanford Cardinal football navbox}}
{{Mountain West Conference football rivalry navbox}}
{{Atlantic Coast Conference rivalry navbox}}
Category:2007 establishments in California
Category:College football rivalries in the United States
Category:San Jose State Spartans football