San Jose, Calif. - San Jose State University was still within a touchdown of tying the game in the fourth quarter, but No. 13 Boise State University ultimately earned a 33-16 victory in a battle for first-place in the Western Athletic Conference at Spartan Stadium on Friday, October 24.
With its first loss after three straight league triumphs, San Jose State is now 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the WAC. Boise State remains undefeated at 7-0 overall and 3-0 in league play. The game was played in front of a live national television audience on ESPN2 and an announced paid attendance of 26,258, the seventh-largest football crowd in Spartan Stadium history.
The Broncos went three plays and out on their first possession. Senior defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert sacked freshman quarterback Kellen Moore on the opening play of the game for a six-yard loss. Senior tailback Ian Johnson got 10 yards back on his first carry of the night, but a Moore incompletion brought on a punt.
San Jose State returned the favor with a three-and-out on its first offensive sequence of the evening as well. To open the second Boise State possession, Gilbert got in and tackled Johnson for no gain at the BSU 39, and then hurried Moore into an incompletion on the next play, before junior defensive end Carl Ihenacho’s hurry of Moore forced another incompletion and Kyle Brotzman punt.
After a second straight three-and-out from the Spartans as well, junior Philip Zavala’s punt was blocked by Jeremy Childs and recovered by Jason Robinson at the SJSU 14. Four plays later, the Broncos went for it on fourth and one, with Moore sneaking over the line to gain a new set of downs. Three plays after that, Moore tossed a five-yard pass toward the right corner of the end zone that receiver Austin Pettis leapt high over Christopher Owens to catch for the first points of the night. Boise State’s two-point attempt failed via an illegal forward pass penalty and the resulting loss of down, leaving the score at 6-0 in the Broncos’s favor at the seven-minute mark.
The ensuing Spartan possession began on their own 40 thanks to Brotzman’s kickoff going out of bounds. San Jose State was again unable to register a first down over three plays, went for it on fourth and one, and failed to convert, turning the ball over on downs at its own 49.
From the SJSU 34, Moore was intercepted nicely by Justin Cole, with the junior linebacker expertly picking up his blockers in front of him on the way to a 62-yard touchdown return. Senior placekicker Jared Strubeck’s point-after attempt went wide to the right, and game remained tied at 6-6 with just under four minutes left in the first quarter.
On a third-and-one play from the SJSU 49 again on the next Bronco sequence, Gilbert turned the opponents back again, running Johnson out of bounds for a seven-yard loss and a punt.
After getting the ball back, Boise State produced first-down carries of 15 and 12 yards by Jeremy Avery around the quarter break quickly put the Broncos into scoring position at the SJSU 24. Moore eventually found Childs on the left side of the end zone for the eight-yard touchdown and, with Brotzman’s kick, a 13-6 advantage. Avery, a sophomore tailback, carried five times for 45 yards on the seven-play, 54-yard drive.
A 22-yard Moore-to-Vinny Perretta pass down the left side got Boise State across midfield on its next sequence. Moore than hit a wide-open Doug Martin, again down the left sideline, for 35 yards to give the Broncos first and goal at the two-yard line. On the very next play, Johnson plunged up the middle for the score. Brotzman’s point-after made it 20-6 at the 8:47 mark. Boisoe State needed just 2:24 to go 75 yards on six plays.
Boise State looked like it would extend its advantage further heading into the locker room with an efficient drive that started on its own 23, but senior safety Kyle Flynn stripped Johnson following a four-yard gain around right end at the goal line, with Duke Ihenacho recovering for the Spartans in the end zone for a touchback. The Broncos had gotten key conversions of eight yards from Moore to Perretta on third-and-three, and six yards to Toshi Franklin on third-and-five. Perretta’s catch was first ruled out of bounds, but reversed on the booth replay and followed by an 18-yard Moore-to-Pettis hook-up. Boise State also got a new set of downs at the SJSU 5 on a pass interference penalty against the Spartans on a third-and-10 play.
The final San Jose State drive of the half began at its own 20 with 1:34 remaining. The Spartans moved 50 yards on nine plays, with Strubeck booting a 47-yard field goal with six ticks left for a 20-9 halftime scoreline. Key plays included a 14-yard run up the middle by junior quarterback Kyle Reed, a 10-yard completion from Reed to Josh Harrison, a Reed-to-David Richmond pass across midfield for 11 more yards, and another Reed-to-Harrison connection for seven yards.
Boise State’s time of possession over the first 30 minutes was almost double that of the Spartans, and the Broncos enjoyed margins of 236-81 in total offensive yards and 14-4 in first downs, but the only two turnovers of the half kept San Jose State in it.
Peyton Thompson, a freshman cornerback by trade, was involved in two exceptional second-quarter plays on punt coverage, first holding Kyle Wilson to no yards following a 44-yard Zavala effort to the BSU 25, and then again being first to the returner and drawing a 10-yard holding penalty against the Broncos that made them start their drive at their own 23.
On the third play from scrimmage in half number two, Reed stepped up in the pocket and ran 12 yards for the first down on third and seven. The Spartans were forced to punt a short time later.
San Jose State’s second possession of the quarter culminated when freshman tailback Brandon Rutley took a handoff from Reed, burst through a hole up the middle and sprinted 60 yards for a touchdown. Strubeck tacked on the extra point to pull the Spartans within just four at 20-16.
On second and three on Boise State’s next drive, Julian Hawkins almost made an incredible one-handed catch on the right side, but senior cornerback Christopher Owens came to the rescue with the timely hit to jar the ball loose.
The Broncos got the ball back again in good field position at their own 42. A roughing-the-passer penalty and a 19-yard Moore-to-Pettis completion moved them to the SJSU 24. On the next play, Moore’s pass to Kyle Efaw was initially deemed a touchdown at the back of the end zone, but was then reversed again and ruled incomplete. Two plays later, on third and 11, Gilbert tracked Moore to the right flat, brought him down for the sack and forced a fumble that Moore was able to recover for a loss of 14 yards and a subsequent Brotzman punt to signal the end of the third quarter.
Reed rolled out to his right and hit Brian Elledge in stride for a 22-yard gain down the sideline on the second play of the final period. A personal foul penalty at the end of a four-yard scamper by Reed to the right advanced the ball past midfield and to the BSU 39. Three plays later, however, Kyle Gingg caused Harrison to fumble, with the Broncos’ Chase Baker recovering at his own 36.
The Broncos proceeded to drive 50 yards in 13 plays, taking 6:16 off the clock, with Brotzman’s 31-yard field goal making it a two-possession game at 26-16 with 5:50 to go. A 10-yard Johnson touchdown run through the middle ended matters with a little over a minute left.
San Jose State is in Moscow, Idaho, next week, as the Spartans continue WAC play at Idaho (1-7, 0-4 WAC) on Saturday, November 1.