Tag: NCAA Football

Coastal Carolina Beats San Jose State 24-14 In The EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl

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The San Jose State Spartans edged the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex in Manoa, HI in the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl on Sat Dec 23, 2023 (SJSU Spartans photo)

Saturday, December 23rd, 2023

By Troy Ewer

San José State (7-5, 6-2 Mountain West) is Hawai‘i Bound in the EasyPost Hawai‘i Bowl and will take on Coastal Carolina (7-5, 5-3 Sun Belt) from the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex in Manoa, Hawai‘i as the Spartans look for their seventh straight win.

The co-regular season Mountain West Champions head to their third bowl game in four years for the first time in SJSU history and it’s the first time since 1986-87 the Spartans have been to back-to-back bowl games as they look for their seventh consecutive win for the first time since 2020.

First touchdown of the game came with three minutes left of the first quarter from a 2 yard pass from Ethan Vasko to Matt Alaimo of Coastal Carolina after a whole first quarter where no one was really moving the chains. 7-0 Coastal Carolina.

The quarter ended 7-0 Coastal Carolina with the ball and a clear advantage in the momentum. The Spartans struggled the first half trying to get in the end zone, but for a majority of the half it was a combination of factors between good defense from Coastal Carolina and SJSU not capitalizing on the fact that Coastal Carolina also wasn’t scoring that much either.

The first half ended 7-0 making it the lowest scoring half in Hawai’i Bowl history. Very quiet half with one touchdown and a bunch of punts. 

The third quarter was looking to be just as quiet as the rest of the half, but Vasko connected with Kendall Karr on a 2 yard TD pass that capped a 87 yard drive, 14-0 Coastal Carolina. The Spartans couldn’t find their way to water if they were on an island and with three minutes left in the third, they needed to find water fast, because the score may have been low, but it was a hole they needed to get out of.

On the following drive it looked like the Spartans were getting things together, but a forced fumble recovered by Coastal Carolina stopped that SJSU momentum right in their tracks. The third quarter ended 14-0 and this game felt oddly over even though there was one last quarter, but it certainly wasn’t. 

Coastal Carolina started the fourth quarter with a field goal, which made it a 17-0 score and a deeper hole for the Spartans. San Jose State finally got on the board with a Chevan Cordeiro 35 yard touchdown pass to Sam Olson. 17-7 and it was a sign that there was still life in the Spartans.

A bad pass forced Coastal Carolina to punt and SJSU now had a chance to capitalize and close the gap. Quali Conley got the second touchdown for SJSU with a 12 yard rushing TD and Coastal Carolina fans were deflated in the stands in Hawai’i. 17-14 with 8:30 left in the game.

Coastal Carolina ran the ball down the field and the minutes off the clock, but in the red zone Vasko threw an 8 yard TD pass to Sam Pinckney and that left the Spartans 2:43 to try to comeback and get a big bowl victory.

The Spartans missed a field goal and Coastal Carolina took a knee to run the clock down. Coastal Carolina wins 24-14!!! A hard fought season for San Jose State and that roster and they have high hopes for next season, but for now the Spartans will enjoy their holiday break in Hawai’i as well as their offseason. Happy Holidays everyone.

San Jose State Becomes Bowl Eligible After A 24-13 Victory Against San Diego State

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Off and running the San Jose State University Spartans did enough to score and stay ahead of the San Diego State Aztecs at Spartan Stadium in San Jose on Sat Nov 18, 2023 (SJSU photo)

Saturday, November 18th, 2023

By Troy Ewers

San Jose, CA – In CEFCU Stadium, the San Jose State Spartans host the San Diego State Aztecs as SJSU looks to win their fifth game in a row. The Spartans look to become bowl eligible for the third time in the last four seasons and it could be the first time the Spartans have ever gone to three bowl games in four seasons and Coach Brent Brennan would be the first head coach in SJSU history to lead the Spartans to three bowl games. 

The first quarter starts with the Spartans having the ball and nothing comes after five plays, but the game plan is visible. Spread the ball around and play a balanced game for their final home game this season. San Diego State running back Jaylon Armstead carried the majority offense for the Aztecs opening drive, even supplying a 39 yard drive, but after surviving a fourth and 3 Armstead jammed the ball in from the 1 yard line and scored the first touchdown of the game, 7-0 San Diego State.

The second drive for the Spartans goes the whole rest of the first quarter, but it doesn’t come without a sense of anxiety when there was a fumble on a handoff that was recovered by the Spartans, but the quarter ends with the Aztecs up 7-0.

San Jose State starts the second from their red zone and Chevan Cordeiro hits Dominick Mazotti for a 10 yard pass in the end zone for a touchdown and the Spartans even the score up 7-7 to start the second quarter.

Cordeiro now has 17 touchdown passes after that last one and is now two away from tying Derek Carr for fourth all time in Mountain West history. On the next drive for the Spartans, Cordeiro kept the drive alive with a little brotherly shove, but the very next play Cordeiro throws an interception to Chris Johnson who returns it for 44 yards.

The Spartans defense was able to recover from the interception and kept the Aztecs outside the red zone and forced them to kick a field goal which they made and now were in the lead again 10-7. Cordeiro recovered from his interception by slinging the ball down the field his very next drive, going 5-7 for 49 yards, but it wasn’t enough the San Diego State defense forced the Spartans to kick a field goal and it was good to tie the game at halftime. 

The Aztecs started the third quarter and couldn’t convert on the fourth down after a 49 yard drive, Spartans’ ball and the chance to take the lead and change the momentum of this game. Cordeiro continued his great passing display with a pass to Isaac Jernagin for 42 yards.

This was followed up with a game changing moment from Quali Conley running for a 20 yard touchdown and after the successful extra point, the Spartans were up 17-10 with 6:16 left in the third quarter and the momentum in their favor.

The momentum didn’t stop for the Spartans as they were able to spoil the next drive for the Aztecs, but Bryun Parham racked up his first interception of the season and returned for 20 yards to give SJSU great field position and a chance to wedge a gap in this game.

The Spartans drive started out terribly though when a failed reverse resulted in a loss of 17 yards, putting the Spartans farther than they wanted to the drive. This disadvantage led to a three and out and forced the Spartans to punt, killing the hype they had after that big interception. The Aztecs ended the quarter with the ball, but not the greatest field position. 

The fourth quarter was majority SDSU gaining field position, but were able to get all the way to the red zone and a chance to tie it up. The rain came out of nowhere and started pouring as the Spartans defense stopped them and forced the Aztecs to hit a field goal, preventing a tie, 17-13.

When the Spartans got the ball the game was solidified when their running backs did what they do best. Conley got a huge run that was just supposed to run the clock down, but the Spartans weren’t done and Kairee Robinson on Senior Night scored on a rushing touchdown, setting a school record with 16 rushing touchdowns this season and his ninth consecutive game with a touchdown making it 24-13 San Jose State. The Aztecs had one more chance to make things happen and they pushed the ball down the field, but a pick by Tre Jenkins put the nail in the coffin. 

The game ended 24-13 with the Spartans getting the victory and punching their ticket for bowl eligibility. The Spartans still have a chance to get second place in the Mountain West and have a possible Mountain West Championship game ahead, but for now they celebrate this win. Next week the Spartans will face the leaders of the Mountain West, UNLV in Las Vegas for the final regular game of the season.

San Jose State Smashes Bethesda 117-72 To Go 2-0

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San Jose State Spartans and the Bethesda Flames battled it out in San Jose on Thu Nov 9, 2023 (San Jose State Spartans photo)

Thursday, November 9th, 2023

By Troy Ewers

It’s the second game of the season for the Spartans and it’s San Jose State facing off against the Bethesda Flames. This is a home game before they go to Texas Tech and then a tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Bethesda drove up from Anaheim in vans and showed up 3 hours before the game. 

The first half started with a dominant outing on offense with Tibet Gorener having nine of the Spartans first 11 points and holding a lead halfway through the first. The Spartans were scoring mostly in the paint and had second chance points that made the difference for them as the first half went on.

Bethesda tried to stay in the fold keeping the score as close as they could, but there weren’t enough runs for the Flames. With five minutes left in the half, Bethesda had cut the lead to eight and were looking to go on their first run.

The nine total turnovers SJSU had brought Bethesda within two points, but a 6-0 run from the Spartans in the last 1:22 of the half put them up going into the locker room 56-47. The biggest problem for Bethesda were fouls. The Flames had 13 team fouls and SJSU took full advantage of these opportunities making 13-15 free throws in the first half. 

The Spartans started the second half the way they were supposed to getting a 20 point lead 5 minutes into the half. The Flames hit a drought where for 4:39 they didn’t score a point and that was the halfway point of the half in the game.

SJSU went on a terror run leading by 32 with eight minutes left and Gorener leading the team in points with 26. It was a complete runaway for San Jose State, beating their season high score from last season that was also against Bethesda. This is the third most points in San Jose State basketball history and the game was well in the books, SJSU winning 117-72. 

The game after halftime was a complete blowout, but it was something that is going to give the Spartans a lot of confidence going to Lubbock, TX where SJSU will face Texas Tech on Saturday. The three standout players for SJSU were Gorrener with 26 points, Alvaro Cardenas with 14 points and 8 assists, and Trey Anderson with 13 points. The Spartans are 2-0 and look to keep this party going into this ongoing season.

Spartans spoil Rainbow Warriors’ Homecoming with 35-0 drubbing

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San Jose State Spartans Kairee Robinson (32) scores a first half touchdown against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at the Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu on Sat Oct 28, 2023 (AP News)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ October 28, 2023 

It was a homecoming for both sides Saturday as San Jose’s quarterback Chevan Cordeiro and kicker Kyler Halvorsen made their playing returns to The Aloha State, after transferring to the mainland team in 2022.

 The rivalry Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy remained with the Spartans in this Mountain West matchup. Both continued in their respective losing and winning streaks. It was a double loss for Hawai’i as they were held scoreless for the first time in 25 years and their Homecoming streak was snapped at five. 

Cordeiro passed 16/26 with two touchdowns for 251 yards. Running back Kairee Robinson rushed 17 times for 146 yards. averaging 8.6 yards per carry.

The game definitely did not go the way it started, with Cordeiro recovering his beginning fumble the only positive play. Halvorsen capped the drive by missing the field goal attempt.

The Warriors’ second drive did not look much better, but had a net positive two yards after third down.  Furthermore, Jalen Smith incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which the Spartans took advantage of. San Jose converted nine straight times, twice on third down, with Quali Conley running through a wide open path thanks to his teammate’s blocking with 4:07 left. 

Hawai’i’s Isaiah Tufaga was able to force a fumble in between, but the Spartans recovered the next drive, scoring off four third-down conversions this time in the second quarter. Nick Nash made it 14-0 with 5:16 left as he caught the ball next to the left end line. At this point, San Jose had more than triple the time of the Warriors’ possession. 

In this one multi-touchdown quarter, the 21-0 scoring drive used a 35-yard pass to Charles Ross on third down to the red zone and two rushes by Robinson. Robinson’s second run ended with 38 seconds left as he entered the end zone easily. 

The Spartans just needed to convert once to light up the third quarter scoreboard, as they scored within the first five minutes this time. Robinson scored his second touchdown with a 52-yard run, as a multitude of black jerseys were unable to catch up, quadrupling San Jose’s lead.  

The Warriors’ had their best chance to put points on the board with 12:15 left in the third, when punter Matthew Shipley ended up his teams’ leading rusher. He converted a fake punt 17 yards on 4th-and-14 to put Hawai’i on the SJSU 33, after Kejuan Bullard Jr. was charged with a late hit penalty.  Nevertheless, after a play in between, Brayden Schager’s throw sailed past his receivers into the Spartans’  hands. 

San Jose converted their first fourth down with a 16-yard pass from Cordeiro to Nash. Hawai’i’s defense stepped up from this 13-yard line, preventing the Spartans from venturing outside of the red zone. 

However, the same could not be said for the Warriors’ following offensive drive. They converted six straight plays, but then Schager was called for intentional grounding and sacked by Soane Toia to end the third.  

San Jose did not leave the fourth empty handed, as Cordeiro tossed to Nash while evading defenders. With 6:45 left in the contest, the 35-0 would be the final score.

The Warriors replied by bringing in backup quarterback Jake Farrell for his first action this season. He completed three passes for 14 yards before an interception that resulted in the Spartans’ Andrew Jenkins’ unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

San Jose’s backup Jay Butterfield was able to get in some snaps as well.

Game notes: The Spartans will next play Fresno State November 11th at 7:30pm. 

USC Escapes Berkeley Barely Beating Cal In A Tight 50-49 Game

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USC Trojans running back Austin Jones (6) is airborne for a touchdown over the Cal Bears defensive back Jeremiah Earby (6) in first half action at Cal Memorial Stadium in Berkeley (AP News photo)

Saturday, October 28th, 2023

By Troy Ewers

Berkeley, CA – It’s another PAC-12 matchup for the Cal Bears, but this time it’s against the USC Trojans and their Heisman winning QB, Caleb Williams. This game may be “meaningless” as far as rankings and record, but a win for Cal would be a major example of bragging rights. There was no bragging after this game except the Bears did play a tight game against the Trojans in a 50-49 loss.

The Trojans started off the drive and Caleb Williams showcased real early why he was such a threat. On foot and in the air Williams had USC completely in-sync. After a 69 yard drive the Trojans couldn’t get a touchdown, but they settled for a field goal to get the game’s first points 3-0 USC.

Now a major thing about USC’s first drive is Cal put them in a third down scenario three times and even a fourth down scenario, Caleb still got out of it, until USC got in the red zone and the box was too small to convert. Cal began their first drive, but on their second play, QB Fernando Mendoza fumbled the ball and USC recovered in amazing field position.

Caleb Williams and the Trojans went right back on their assault, this time looking to get than three points and they would get that after five quick plays with a Marshawn Llyod two yard punch in making the game now 10-0 USC.

Ten minutes into this first quarter the Trojans already had 116 total yards, 78 of those yards were passing and 38 were rushing, meaning they were perfectly balanced as an offense in this first quarter immediately putting Cal on notice.

The Bears wouldn’t go down that easy though as they came out swinging the next drive and it was none other than their knockout specialist running back Jadyn Ott who would score on a big 43 yard run. This is Ott’s sixth rushing TD and he really has showcased why he’s PAC-12 and national leader in rushing coming into this game as far as yards per game (100), rushing yards (603), rushing TDs (5), all purpose yards per game (114), and total TDs (6). 10-7.

USC didn’t slow their game down after that Cal touchdown as they went 80 yards in six plays the very next drive and scored on a pass from Williams to Austin Jones and now it was 17-7 USC and there was still a minute to go in the first quarter.

We were in for a thrill ride. The next drive Cal adapted to USC’s fast pace and they adapted quickly feeding off the home crowd as on a three play drive, Ott would score another rushing TD, but this time going 61 yards to the end zone and the place erupted. 17-14. 

The second quarter was underway and the first punt of the game is what followed as USC had to punt for the first time in this game and now it was Cal’s chance to strike while the iron was hot and they did exactly in just eight plays and it was highlighted with another Jaydn Ott touchdown, his third rushing TD of the game, putting his current total to eight rushing touchdowns on the season and this touchdown from Ott put Cal in the lead for the first time in the game. Making it 21-17 Bears.

The Bears knew that if they didn’t keep striking the Trojans would stay on their neck, but Cal kept striking and Mendoza got his first passing touchdown of the game to Trond Grizzell and they scored after only three plays, but they went half the field and now halfway through the second quarter it was 28-17 Cal Bears.

Cal’s defense was just as much a key to this lead as the offense as they forced another punt from USC to give this Bears offense another chance to extend their lead. The Bears couldn’t extend in that drive, but now it was USC’s turn and at this point in the second quarter it was the defenses playing a game of who can mess up first.

The second half came to a close with no change in the score and that’s a testament to the defense having a true stalemate the last three minutes of the half. The USC fans were stunned, but Cal was the talk of the college football world with this 28-17 lead at halftime. 

In a wild way to start the half they replayed a down that was messed up clockwise before the half with one second left on the clock and USC tried to knock down a field goal to chorus of boos and they missed. So the official third quarter started with Cal having the ball like they were going to do anyways, but after the missed field goal the energy and momentum was in Cal’s favor.

The Trojans recovered and got the ball back from Cal and Caleb Williams took matters into his own hands and scored using his feet, but their attempt at a two point conversion failed and now it was 28-23. After another failed drive for Cal, USC was in the driver’s seat, but forced to punt after Cal’s defense contained Caleb Williams.

USC’s defense responded with an interception on Cal’s second play of that drive and now USC had great field position and they used it to perfection. Williams on the first play of the drive threw a 22 yard touchdown pass to Brendan Rice, but missed an extra point and now the Trojans regained the lead 29-28.

On Cal’s next drive it was a true battle and a couple pass interference calls put them in a great spot which was followed by a big Mendoza QB keeper that put them in the red zone. Mendoza ended up scoring a big touchdown when he couldn’t find an open receiver and took it in himself, but on top of that the Bears converted on two point conversion and got the lead back 36-29.

The stadium became rambunctious after Williams was sacked for 23 yards and almost fumbled the ball and now they were forced to punt. Cal went three and out and was forced to punt and now with a minute left in the quarter it was a battle now. Caleb Williams went three and out and the Trojans were back on defense as the quarter ended. 

Fourth quarter started and Cal had the chance to make or break everything in this drive and capitalized with a Mendoza rushing touchdown and the score was now 43-29 which was the biggest lead of the game. Caleb Williams and the Trojans pushed down the field thanks to a 53 yard catch by Marshawn Llyod put them in the red zone and Williams rushed for a one yard touchdown and they got the extra point.

43-36 was the score here and with 11 minutes left in the game this game had a whole crowd at attention. The Bears had big attempts to try to move downfield, but the clamps were put on them and they punted the ball, but the punt was right on the seven yard line and Williams had to go all the way down the field to potentially tie this game up.

When the Trojans were forced to punt Cal returner Jeremiah Hunter received the punt and got a little too crafty trying to shake the Trojans defense, but fumbled and USC recovered in the red zone now with a chance to even the score.

A touchdown was scored when Llyod punched in a rushing touchdown and the score was now tied after a successful extra point, 43-43. The Bears needed to close out this game strong, but one thing you don’t do when trying to close out a game like this is fumble which both teams did on back to back plays.

Cal fumbled and USC recovered, but USC fumbled and Cal recovered right after and this game was more than even it was a “who will make the mistake that closes this out” game. The Bears went four downs, but no luck and they turned it over on downs, now it was USC’s chance.

The first play of this new Trojans drive was a 56 yard run by Lloyd that put them in the red zone and was followed by a touchdown run by Austin Jones and the lead was in USC’s grasp with 3:33 left. 50-43 USC. Fernando Mendoza had to lead this team down the field and it was an unsportsmanlike conduct that saved them and Mendoza was back in the mix.

A third down pass from Mendoza to Hunter kept the drive alive, then followed it with a 23 yard run by Justin Thomas that put them in the red zone and now there was a little over a minute left.

Cal finally got into the end zone with a pass to Jaivian Thomas and then they went for two, but was unsuccessful and the game was deemed over as USC was gonna receive the ball with 58 seconds left. The score was 50-49 and after the onside kick was recovered by the Trojans, the game was over as USC ran the clock out and escaped Berkeley with an extremely close victory.

San Jose State Beats Utah State In A Decisive 42-21 Victory At Home

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San Jose State’s Jaime Navarro (54) helps Quali Conley celebrate the touchdown that gave the Spartans a 21-14 lead at Spartan Stadium in San Jose on Sat Oct 21, 2023 (Bay Area News Group photo)

Saturday, October 21st, 2023

By Troy Ewers

San Jose, CA – CEFCU Stadium is the setting of this Mountain West matchup between the San Jose State Spartans (3-5) and Utah State Aggies (3-5). It’s Homecoming week for San Jose State and the Spartans last week picked up their first league victory of the season against New Mexico on the backs of their running backs Kairee Robinson and Quali Conley, who each had 100 plus yards and it was the first time since 2020 two SJSU backs each had 100 yards in a game.

Utah State is coming off a close loss to Fresno State despite their QB Cooper Legas throwing 363 yards and three touchdowns. This matchup pits San Jose State’s 22nd nationally ranked pass defense against the Mountain West leading offense of Utah State. 

SJSU started with the ball and quickly marched down the field on Utah State and in seven plays went 75 yards into the end zone off a ten yard Conley rushing touchdown. 7-0 Spartans. SJSU didn’t have a third down on that drive and it was Conley’s fourth rushing touchdown of the season and on the very next kickoff the Spartans forced a fumble and recovered it in their own red zone and it was set up for them to score again.

That didn’t happen though when Spartans QB Chevan Cordeiro was hit by Devin Dye and the ball popped out and this time the Aggies recovered the ball in opposing territory. Utah State was on the verge of going three and out on this opportunity after the fumble, but a pass interference by DJ Harvey continued the drive.

The Spartans recovered a couple plays later and was intercepted by Jordan Pollard and now SJSU has two takeaways early in the game. Plays later, so did Utah State as SJSU committed their second turnover and it’s the fourth turnover already in the first quarter. During Utah State’s next drive, the Spartans completely stuffed the Aggies and forced them to punt, but the punt was shanked and again SJSU had great field position.

The Spartans capitalized on this field position with a 39 yard drive that was led by Cordeiro and resulted in a touchdown after he hit Kairee Robinson with a four yard pass and this is Cordeiro ninth TD pass of the season. 14-0 SJSU. 

The second quarter started with the Aggies having the ball and they converted on fourth down which kept them alive enough to score a touchdowns. The drive went 12 plays and when Rashul Faison punched in a five yard run and the extra point was good, it was 14-7.

The next drive for the Spartans was another example of their explosive offense led by Cordeiro and the two running backs Conley and Robinson, but no score for the offense, not even a field as they missed that chance as well. Capitalizing off the missed field goal, Utah State’s efficient offense went eight plays and 69 yards in under three minutes.

They wouldn’t end this drive empty handed as McCae Hillstead completed a deep 25 yard pass to Micah Davis to tie the ball game 14-14. The tied score halted momentum for SJSU and after a the third sack for Utah State on Cordeiro, it forced SJSU to punt and a little over two minutes left in the half, the Aggies had the ball and a chance to take the lead.

That chance was squashed for a three and out, which forced Utah State to punt and with 1:24 left in the half, the Spartans had the chance to take the lead. Another three and out forced the Spartans to punt, but the punt was gorgeous and pressed the Aggies in the opposing red zone with 40 seconds left and the clock would run down and that was the end of the first half. Both teams showcased great defense, but also great offense, it just that this canceled out for both teams, they were as equal as equal could be at half. 

The second half started with Utah State having the ball, but after moving the ball down the field a punt was forced and SJSU now was in the driver’s seat. Cordeiro once again was leading the charge as he marched his way down field and then the exclamation point was Conley getting his second rushing touchdown of the night to give SJSU the lead, but on top of that Kairee Robinson achieved 2,000 career rushing yards on that drive.

21-14 Spartans and the three headed monster of Cordeiro, Conley, and Robinson clicked on all cylinders to get that lead. The SJSU defense was also clicking on all cylinders after they shut down the Aggies defense and prevented them from converting on fourth down and Cordeiro was back with the ball in his hands with five minutes left in the third.

In six plays Cordeiro and the Spartans were right back in the endzone, this time after Cordeiro hits linebacker who checked in as full back, Charles Rogers for a 10 yard touchdown pass, 28-14 SJSU and the game was beginning to firmly be in SJSU’s hands as we were approaching the end of the quarter. 

The fourth started with SJSU just running the clock down, but when Utah State had the possession, the chance at a comeback went up in smoke when Jay’Vion Cole picked off Hillstead and now up two touchdowns, SJSU had the ball right outside the red zone.

Cole got his first interception against New Mexico a week ago and now earned his second interception here at such a crucial part of the game. Cordeiro was having a magnificent game already, but on this drive after the pick, he took it up a notch with a 29 yard touchdown pass to Nick Nash that was a dot and the score was now 35-14 after a successful extra point for the Spartans and to the 15,028 in attendance were able to breathe a sigh of relief as the game seemed to be well in hand.

The Aggies weren’t done though as with five and a half minutes left, Hillstead and Jalen Royals connected for a 20 yard touchdown pass and the game was 35-21. It looked like the game was put to bed, but it was up to the Spartans to tuck the Aggies in. Kairee Robinson did exactly that! The man who achieved 2 thousand career rushing yards punched in a one yard touchdown and the game was 42-21 with two minutes left, but the game was clearly over. 

The game ended and the Spartans got their third win of the season and these three wins SJSU outscored their opponents 136-62, but still with five losses and a 2-2 Mountain West record, SJSU’s season wasn’t looking like it was headed to a College Football Playoff game anytime soon. San Jose State’s next game is against Hawaii at Hawaii and the Spartans intend to have a winning conference record after next weekend.

Robinson’s hat trick helps San Jose State defeat New Mexico 52-24

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Photo credit: @SanJoseStateFB

By Mary Anne

The San Jose State Spartans took on the New Mexico Lobos on Saturday. Thanks to Kairee Robinson’s hat trick, the Spartans snapped their three-game losing skid with a 52-24 win over the Lobos at University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M. San Jose State improved to 2-5, while New Mexico fell to 2-4.

The Spartans were in the house and on lock, but were unable to score first. The Lobos scored first. Luke Drzewiecki kicked a 41-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 5:06 left in the first quarter.

The Spartans trailed 3-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Spartans evened the score to start the second quarter. Justin Stearns scored on a seven-yard blocked punt return for a touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to tie the game 7-7 at 14:20 of the second.

The Lobos regained the lead. Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for a seven-yard rushing touchdown. Luke Drzewiecki kicked an extra point to give the Lobos a 10-7 lead with 6:31 left in the second.

The Lobos’ lead was short-lived as the Spartans regained the lead. Kairee Robinson ran for a 35-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to help the Spartans to a 14-10 lead with 4:23 left in the second.

The Lobos regained the lead again. Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for a four-yard rushing touchdown. Luke Drzewiecki kicked an extra point to make it a 17-14 game with just 31 seconds left in the second.

The Spartans trailed the Lobos 17-14 at the end of the first half.

The Spartans opened the second-half scoring. Spartans quarterback Chevan Cordeiro threw a touchdown pass to Kairee Robinson, who ran for a 55-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point for a 21-17 lead at 14:41 of the third quarter.

The Spartans added to their lead. Chevan Cordeiro threw a touchdown pass to Nick Nash, who ran for a 54-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to make it 28-17 with 7:39 left in the third quarter. Halvorsen kicked a 39-yard field goal to extend the Spartans’ lead to 31-17 with 4:16 left in the third. Kairee Robinson ran for a 19-yard rushing touchdown to expand the Spartans’ lead to 38-17 with 3:05 left in the third.

The Spartans led 38-17 at the end of three quarters.

The Spartans scored first in the fourth quarter. Kairee Robinson ran for a 19-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to give the Spartans a commanding 45-17 lead at 14:03 of the fourth.

The Spartans widened their lead late in the fourth quarter. Quali Conley ran for a three-yard rushing touchdown. Kyler Halvorsen kicked an extra point to make it 52-17 Spartans with 6:05 left in the fourth.

The Lobos had the last word, but it was too little, too late. D.J. Washington scored a 21-yard rushing touchdown off a pass from Lobos quarterback Devon Dampier. Luke Drzewiecki kicked an extra point to cut the Spartans’ lead to 52-24 with 1:25 left in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans defeated the Lobos 52-24.

Notes
A close-up of the Spartans’ Saturday uniforms can be found here.

Kairee Robinson’s 35-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter was his eighth of the regular-season and 21st of his career. Robinson has now scored in every game he has played in this season. Also, Robinson’s 19-yard rushing touchdown was his third of the game for the hat trick.

Up Next
The Spartans will return home to host the Utah State Aggies on Saturday, October 21, at 4:00 p.m. Pacific.

After fast start, San Jose State falls 35-27 to Boise State

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Photo credit: @SanJoseStateFB

By Mary Anne

The San Jose State Spartans were unable to snap a two-game losing skid with a win over the Boise State Broncos on Saturday. The Spartans lost 35-27 to the Broncos at Albertsons Stadium. San Jose State fell to 1-5, while Boise State improved to 3-3.

The Spartans opened the scoring with Kairee Robinson’s 11-yard rushing touchdown — his 20th career rushing touchdown — and Kyle Halvorsen’s extra point for a 7-0 lead at 18:13 of the first quarter. Shortly after, Chevan Cordeiro’s 11-yard rushing touchdown — his third rushing touchdown of the season — and Halvorsen’s extra point doubled the lead to 14-0 at 7:02 of the first.

The Spartans led 14-0 at the end of the first.

The Spartans struck first to open the second quarter. Kyler Halvorsen’s 33-yard field goal extended the Spartans’ lead to 17-0 at 14:55 of the second.

The Broncos finally got on the board and made it a ten-point game midway through the second quarter. Eric McAlister’s 83-yard passing touchdown from Broncos backup quarterback Maddux Madsen and Jonah Dalmas’ extra point cut the Spartans’ lead to 17-7 at 13:33 of the second.

The Spartans poured in the points midway and late in the second quarter. Kyler Halvorsen’s 27-yard field goal made it a 20-7 game at 11:20 of the second. Quali Conley’s six-yard rushing touchdown and Halvorsen’s extra point expanded the Spartans’ lead to 27-7 with 4:56 left in the second.

The Broncos scored late in the second quarter. Broncos backup quarterback Maddux Madsen ran for an eight-yard rushing touchdown, and Jonah Dalmas kicked an extra point to cut the Spartans’ lead to 27-14 with 42 seconds left in the second.

The Spartans held a 27-14 halftime lead over the Broncos.

The Broncos opened the second half scoring. Taylen Green ran for a one-yard rushing touchdown, and Jonas Dalmas kicked an extra point to cut the Spartans’ lead to 27-21 with 5:34 left in the third quarter.

The Spartans held onto a 27-21 lead at the end of the third.

The Broncos’ offense exploded in the fourth quarter. Taylen Green ran for an 11-yard rushing touchdown and Jonah Dalmas kicked an extra point to help the Broncos take a 28-27 lead at 14:25 of the fourth. Riley Smith caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Broncos starting quarterback Taylen Green, and Dalmas kicked an extra point for a 35-27 lead with 3:30 left in the fourth.

Notes
Spartans freshman linebacker Jordan Pollard recorded his second career interception on Saturday, October 7.

Spartans sophomore tight end Joshua Scott celebrated his birthday on Thursday, October 5.

Up Next
The Spartans will take on the New Mexico Lobos on Saturday, October 14, at 3:00 p.m. Pacific.

San Jose State falls to Toledo 21-17

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Photo credit: toledoblade.com

By: Mary Anne

The San Jose State Spartans looked to win two in a row at the Toledo Rockets on Saturday, but they didn’t. San Jose State fell to Toledo 21-17 at Glass Bowl Stadium. SJSU’s record dropped to 1-3, while Toledo improved to 2-1.

After a scoreless first quarter, San Jose State took a second-quarter lead in only a minute. Kyler Halvorsen kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it 3-0 Spartans at 7:47. Spartans quarterback Chevan Cordeiro threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Dominick Mazotti, who scored his first of the season, and Halvorsen kicked an extra point to give the Spartans a 10-0 lead at 6:47.

The Rockets cut the Spartans’ lead to 10-7 with ten seconds left in the second quarter. Rockets quarterback Dequan Finn threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jerjuan Newton, who scored a touchdown, and Luke Pawlak kicked an extra point to make it a three-point game.

The Spartans took a 10-7 lead to the locker room at halftime.

The Spartans took a ten-point lead at 9:58 of the third quarter. Kairee Robinson ran for a 15-yard touchdown and Kyler Halvorson kicked in an extra point to put the Spartans up 17-7.

The Rockets made it a three-point game at 6:15 of the third quarter. Dequan Finn ran for an 18-yard touchdown and Luke Pawlak kicked in an extra point to cut the Spartans’ lead to 17-14.

The Rockets took their first lead of the game with 2:01 left in the third quarter. Chris McDonald scored a touchdown on a 25-yard interception return and Luke Pawlak kicked in an extra point to put the Rockets up 21-14.

Notes
Spartans quarterback Chevan Cordeiro joined the 10,000-yard club Saturday.

Up Next
The Spartans will return home to host the Air Force Falcons at CEFCU Stadium on Saturday, September 22, at 7:30 p.m. Pacific.

San Jose State Lose To Oregon State 42-10 In Their Home Opener

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Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (5) throws the ball as San Jose State defensive lineman Mata Hola (94) approaches in the first half at Spartan Stadium in San Jose on Sun Sep 3, 2023 (AP News photo)

Sunday, September 3rd, 2023

By Troy Ewers

San Jose, CA – In CEFCU stadium, the San Jose State Spartans face the Oregon State Beavers and SJSU is coming off a loss last week from USC. Even though the score of that game wasn’t close, it was a big moment for the Spartans to put up four touchdowns on a top 10 ranked team. This game being their first home game of the season in their beautiful revamped facility that would be sure to impress a lot of recruits. A packed house with both Oregon State fans and hometown Spartan fans as we prepared for kickoff.

The first drive for SJSU went the distance, but they were stopped trying to convert on 3rd & 8, but Oregon State had a completely different tune to it. The Beavers went 11 plays and 82 yards for a touchdown to take the first lead of the game plus an extra point, 7-0 Oregon State.

In his second drive SJSU QB Chevan Cordeiro faced pressure from Oregon State’s defense and was rattled as they couldn’t convert on another drive, but they pinned the Beavers with a great punt. The first quarter closed out with Oregon State in the lead 7-0.

SJSU’s opening second quarter drive was way better than anything they strung together in the first with Cordeiro getting yards in the air and on foot, but once they got to the red zone, a penalty and an incompletion caused them to attempt a field goal for their first points of the game and they got it, 7-3. Oregon State’s quarterback DJ Uiagalelei gets his second touchdown, this one in the air with a 14 yard pass play and Oregon State goes up 14-3.

SJSU followed it up with another drive that didn’t result in a touchdown, but another punt and the Beavers received the ball with two minutes left in the first half. In those two minutes, Oregon State scored again on six plays going 60+ yards, which ended the first half with the Beavers up 21-3 on the Spartans. SJSU only converted on one third down in the first half, but the positive for the Spartans was that they had zero turnovers.

The second half started with the Beavers with the ball and it looked like they picked up right where they left off, but even after trying to convert on fourth down, SJSU finally stopped them and took over possession.

Oregon State’s scoring was right back on schedule with six minutes left in the third quarter, when QB Uiagalelei completed a 31 yard pass in the end zone and after the extra point was converted, Oregon State was up 28-3.

The rest of the third quarter was a combination of solid defense and effective offense by SJSU, even utilizing the clock while they were on offense. The third quarter ended with SJSU having the ball in the red zone after stringing together 20 yards with four plays.

The fifth play of that drive was the opening play of the fourth quarter and Chevan Cordeiro ran 2 yards into the end zone making the score, 28-10. The Spartans needed to cool down this Oregon State offense or else this game would be over before the fourth was even halfway done and Oregon State wasn’t going to be stopped.

The Beavers scored again after seven plays and 65 yards with Uiagalelei throwing his third touchdown pass, this one received by Anthony Gould for 28 yards, 35-10 Oregon State. San Jose State found themselves in a terrible spot where on the drive in the fourth quarter that would be the part where they can strike a comeback, but Cordeiro was sacked and then with 6:26 left in the game, the Beavers had the ball, seemingly ending the chance of the Spartans coming back and stealing a win.

Oregon State wasn’t done yet, they scored another touchdown with 3:13 left making the score 42-10, but the cut was deep and the majority of fans left in CEFCU stadium were in black and orange representing Oregon State.

The Spartans didn’t want to end this game without one more touchdown for their own confidence and backup QB Jay Butterfield completed a 19 yard pass to Brandon Alvarez with four seconds left in the game. The final seconds ticked and the horn blew for the end of the game and the Spartans lost 42-17 in their home opener. Chevan Cordeiro went 18/32 for 143 yards, but no passing touchdowns.

The Spartans lose back to back games to PAC-12 teams and start off 0-2. The next game for SJSU will be at home against Cal Poly, September 9th and San Jose State is hoping they can get their first win of the season, especially against a non PAC-12 team.