The 1979 San Jose State Spartans football team represented San Jose State University during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season as a member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association.^{[note 1]} The team was led by first year head coach Jack Elway. They played home games at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California.

The Spartans finished the 1979 season as co-champions of the PCAA, with a record of six wins, four losses and one tie (6–4–1, 4–0–1 PCAA). However, in December 1979 the PCAA ruled that the Spartans had used an ineligible player in seven of their games. As a result, the team's co-championship of the conference was vacated, and the record was adjusted to 3–8 (2–3 PCAA).^[1]

Date	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 8	Utah State	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		L 48–48 (forfeit)	10,782	[2][3]
September 15	at Stanford*	Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA (rivalry)		L 29–45	46,789	[4]
September 22	at California*	California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA	ABC	L 10–13	35,000	[5]
September 29	at Arizona*	Arizona Stadium Tucson, AZ		L 18–38	48,061	[6]
October 6	Cal State Fullerton	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		L 23–0 (forfeit)	10,900	[7][8]
October 13	at Fresno State	Ratcliffe Stadium Fresno, CA (rivalry)		L 35–22 (forfeit)	11,789	[9]
October 20	at Oregon State*	Parker Stadium Corvallis, OR		L 24–14 (forfeit)	11,000	[10]
October 27	at Long Beach State	Anaheim Stadium Anaheim, CA		W 53–42	6,428	[11]
November 10	Pacific (CA)	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		W 32–31	11,700	[12]
November 16	Santa Clara*	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		W 23–14		[13]
November 24	Central Michigan*	Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA		L 32–34	10,424	[14]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

^[15][16]

The following were selected in the 1980 NFL draft.^[17]

The following finished their San Jose State career in 1979, were not drafted, but played in the NFL.^[18]

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