Photo credit: @SJSUSpartanFB

By: Ana Kieu

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Spartans were ready to work in Saturday’s game versus the Colorado State Rams inside CEFCU Stadium on Saturday night. The Spartans hosted an equally bad Rams team on “Set the Expectation” night, but was it as great of an idea as it appeared on paper?

CSU opened the scoring with what turned out to be a five-yard passing touchdown by Preston Williams. SJSU’s pass interference penalty on JaQuan Blackwell was declined. Wyatt Bryant kicked in the extra point for a 7-0 Rams lead at the 10:57 mark of the first quarter.

Despite an apparent helmet-to-helmet injury to Jonathan Lenard, Jr., SJSU had some good looks midway through the first quarter like, say, Tyler Nevens’ 17-yard pickup.

CSU made it 14-0 with 3:04 left in the first. Williams scored a 16-yard passing touchdown and Bryan kicked in the extra point.

The Spartans trailed the Rams 14-0 at the end of the first. SJSU had to fine tune their offense in the next three quarters in order to pick up a win over CSU.

SJSU attracted some positive attention to themselves as Zamore Zigler intercepted K.J. Carta-Samuels’ pass intended for a CSU receiver midway through the second quarter.

CSU expanded its lead to 21-0 with 3:24 left in the second. Warren Jackson tallied a 16-yard passing touchdown and Bryan kicked in the extra point.

CSU extended its lead to 28-0, thanks to Jackson’s second touchdown on the night–a eight-yard passing touchdown–and Bryan’s kick for the extra point with 23 seconds left in the second.

The Spartans dug themselves into a larger deficit 28-0 at halftime.

SJSU, however, salvaged something in the third quarter. Josh Love completed a pass to Tre Hartley, who ran the ball for a 24-yard passing touchdown, and Bryce Crawford followed up with a successful kick for the extra point. The Spartans avoided a shutout, but were still down 28-7 with 7:47 left in the third.

SJSU cut the Rams’ lead in half with 5:17 left in the third. Tyler Nevens rushed for a six-yard rushing touchdown. Crawford kicked in the extra point to bring his team within 14 points, 28-14.

SJSU pulled within seven points just 3:09 later. Hartley scored his second touchdown on the night–a 51-yard passing touchdown off a pass from Love–and Crawford kicked in the extra point to pull closer to the Rams, 28-21.

It seemed like CSU wasn’t worried whatsoever, as SJSU tied the score 28-28 with 28 seconds left in the third. Thai Cottrell scored a one-yard passing touchdown and Crawford kicked in the game-tying, extra point. Just five seconds later, Boogie Roberts scored a safety to put the Spartans up 30-28.

The Spartans put up 30 unanswered points for a 30-28 lead at the end of the third.

CSU, however, refused to back down. Izzy Matthews rushed for a one-yard rushing touchdown and Bryan kicked in the extra point for a 35-30 Rams lead at the 11:26 mark of the fourth quarter. And, as if the confidence level wasn’t already high, CSU hurriedly capitalized on SJSU’s first turnover on the night for a 42-30 lead on Rashad Ajayi’s 55-yard interception and Bryan’s kick for the extra point.

The Spartans suffered their fifth straight loss, 42-30, to the Rams.

Notes
Spartans’ possible starters
Offense: Justin Holmes, Jackson Snyder, Troy Kowalski, Trevor Robbins, Jake Colman, Deano Motes, Josh Oliver, Josh Love, Malike Roberson, Thai Cottrell and JaQuan Blackwell.

Defense: Bryson Bridges, Boogie Roberts, Sailosi Latu, Jesse Osuna, Kyle Harmon, Ethan Aguayo, Jamal Scott, Dakari Monroe, John Touissaint, Tre Webb and Jonathan Lenard, Jr.

Up Next
The Spartans head to nearby Levi’s Stadium to face the Army Black Nights next Saturday at 12:30 pm PT on ESPNU.