JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State football team will make a trip to the West Coast in 2024 to play San Jose State, the two schools announced on Thursday.
 
The Gamecocks and Spartans will square off in CEFCU Stadium on September 7, 2024 in a non-conference matchup, the first meeting between the two teams in their football history. 
 
It will mark the second time that Jax State has played a football game in the state of California and the first since taking on Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the 1980 NCAA Division II Playoffs. It will also mark the first time that Jax State has faced a member of the Mountain West Conference. 
 
"We are excited to be able to schedule this game at San Jose State, which will be a great non-conference matchup and a good trip for our student-athletes and fans," Athletic Director Greg Seitz said. "The move to FBS and Conference USA has opened numerous avenues for us when it comes to scheduling, and we appreciate the Spartans and their administration for working with us to get this game on the schedule."
 
The game is the fourth non-conference matchup announced by Jax State for 2024. Coastal Carolina will return the Gamecocks' trip to Conway, S.C., from 2023 and Jax State will return a trip to Eastern Michigan. The Gamecocks will also host Southern Miss in the first of a home-and-home series.
 
The 2024 season will be Jax State's second in FBS and Conference USA. The inaugural season of FBS football for the Gamecocks begins on Saturday, when they host UTEP at 4:30 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network. Tickets are still available for the game and can be purchased online at JaxStateSports.com/Tickets or by calling 256-782-8499.