Photo credit: @SanJoseStateFB

By: Mary Anne

The San Jose State Spartans suffered a 56-28 blowout loss to the No. 1 USC Trojans at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Saturday night. San Jose State fell to 0-1, while USC improved to 1-0 to start the NCAA college football season.

San Jose State quarterback Chevan Cordeiro went 21-38 for 198 yards and threw three touchdowns, while USC quarterback Caleb Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, went 18-25 for 278 yards and threw four touchdowns.

The Trojans got on the board first. Dorian Singer scored on a 13-yard pass from Caleb Williams, and Denis Lynch kicked in the extra point for a 7-0 lead at 6:32 of the first quarter.

The Spartans tied the game early in the second quarter. Kairee Robinson rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, and Kyler Halvorsen kicked in the extra point to tie the game 7-7 at 14:12 of the second quarter.

The Trojans responded with two touchdowns to take the lead minutes later. Tahj Washington scored on a 76-yard pass from Caleb Williams, and Denis Lynch kicked in the extra point for a 14-7 lead at 9:38. Austin Jones rushed for a 2-yard run, and Lynch kicked in the extra point to take a 21-7 lead at 3:31.

The Spartans made it a seven-point game in the final seconds of the second quarter. Nick Nash scored on a 28-yard pass from Chevan Cordeiro, and Kyler Halvorsen cut the Trojans’ lead to 21-14 with eight seconds left on the clock. The Trojans continued to lead 21-14 at the end of the first half.

The Trojans scored three of the four touchdowns in the third quarter. Austin Jones’ three-yard rushing touchdown and Denis Lynch’s extra-point kick made it a 28-14 game at 10:45, Zachariah Branch’s 25-yard passing touchdown and Lynch’s kick extended the Trojans’ lead to 35-14 at 6:00, and Branch’s 96-yard kick return touchdown and Lynch’s kick expanded the Trojans’ lead to 42-14 at 1:34.

The Spartans’ lone third-quarter touchdown came from Nick Nash, who collected a 32-yard pass from Chevan Cordeiro and scored to cut the Trojans’ lead to 35-21 at 1:50.

The Trojans continued their scoring clinic in the fourth quarter. Brenden Rice scored on a 12-yard pass from Caleb Williams, and Denis Lynch kicked in the extra point for a 49-21 lead at 12:28. Miller Moss rushed a 4-yard touchdown, and Lynch kicked in the extra point to make it a 56-21 game at 6:53.

The Spartans scored the game’s final touchdown, but it was too little, too late. Nick Nash scored a 2-yard passing touchdown from Chevan Cordeiro, and Kyler Halvorsen kicked in the extra point to cut the Trojans’ lead to 56-28 at 5:08.

The Spartans return home to host the No. 18 Oregon State Beavers on Sunday, September 3 at 12:30 pm Pacific.