San Jose, Calif. - Adam Tafralis had three touchdown passes in a gutsy performance as the Spartans battled #14 nationally-ranked Boise State in Spartan Stadium. In the end, it was a 37-yard field goal with time running out that lifted the Broncos to a 23-20 win.
“We are really disappointed. We felt strongly that we could win. We just watched Boise State play (on tape), and that is why they are who they are. They made the plays that they needed to make to beat us," said head coach Dick Tomey. "We have a good football team. We are not going to apologize to anybody for our football team. We didn’t have any turnovers. We fought our guts out, and we were just not quite good enough tonight."
After a scoreless first quarter, San Jose State took a 7-0 lead on a 10-yard Tafralis-to-James Jones touchdown pass. Boise State added field goals of 24 and 27 yards by Anthony Montgomery to trim the lead to 7-6 at halftime.
The teams traded third-quarter scores with the Broncos striking first behind the legs of Ian Johnson. Johnson, who leads the nation in touchdowns scored, added his 21st of the year on a two-yard run with 6:55 remaining in the third. The Spartans responded with a three-yard Tafralis-to-John Broussard fade route for the score.
Momentum remained on the Spartans' side entering the fourth quarter. After a Christopher Owens interception, San Jose State took over at the Boise State six-yard line. Three plays later, Tafralis connected with Jones for their second touchdown of the night and the Spartans had a 20-12 lead.
Boise State tied the score with 5:22 remaining in the fourth on a one-yard Jared Zabransky plunge and successful two-point conversion. The Spartans had the ball once more, but the five-play drive stalled at the Spartans’ 39-yard line, leading to a 41-yard punt from Waylon Prather. Unfortunately, the punt was returned 43 yards to the Spartan 37-yard line, setting up the winning field goal.
San Jose State falls to 6-3 on the year. Boise State improves to 10-0.
"We are on the right track. We don’t take any consolation in being close. I told the players that the reason you love football is because it hurts when you don’t win," Tomey said. "The reason you work is because it hurts so badly, because you spent so much effort trying to be good. We spilled our guts and I am proud of that, but this is not the result that we came for.”
Notes
*Matt Castello had 20 total tackles, marking his second 20-tackle game of the year.
*The Spartans became the first team this year to hold Boise State scoreless in the first quarter.
*John Broussard has now caught a pass in 31 consecutive games.
*James Jones has now caught a pass in 22 consecutive games.
*This was Jones’ second multi-TD game of the year. He had three in the season opener at Washington. He leads the team with eight touchdowns this year.
*The announced paid attendance was 21,742.
*Owens became the first Spartan other than Dwight Lowery to intercept a pass this season.
*The Spartans are now 7-1 in their last eight home games.
*Adam Tafralis threw for three touchdowns in a game for the second time this season, as well as for his career. He also had three touchdown passes in the season opener at Washington.