San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose State University football team dropped a 24-10 decision against Western Athletic Conference rival Fresno State on Senior Night at Spartan Stadium on Friday, November 21.
With the defeat in its regular-season finale in front of a national television audience via ESPN2, San Jose State has even records of 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the WAC. Fresno State improves to 7-4 overall and 4-3 in league play ahead of its showdown at Boise State next Friday, November 28. San Jose State will now await its bowl fate.
Earning his first major college start in his final home appearance, Spartan quarterback Sean Flynn wound up 20-of-36 passing for 170 yards. Seven of those completions went to fellow senior David Richmond, who also caught a 35-yard touchdown from freshman tailback Brandon Rutley to open the scoring, for 98 total receiving yards. Rutley had 124 all-purpose yards.
San Jose State scored immediately after sophomore safety Duke Ihenacho forced Vince Pascoe to fumble at the end of a four-yard pass reception from senior Bulldog signal-caller Tom Brandstater, with junior linebacker Justin Cole recovering the ball at the Fresno State 35.
Wasting no time, Flynn tossed a backwards pass to his right to Rutley, who in turn threw a strike down the right sideline to an open Richmond for the touchdown. Jared Strubeck, who had earlier missed a 48-yard field goal wide to the left, tacked on the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
The very next Fresno State possession ended in another turnover, with senior cornerback Coye Francies picking off a Brandstater throw to the left sideline, at the Spartan 41. On their second play, however, the Spartans fumbled the ball right back to the visitors, at their own 32.
Fresno State only managed a five-yard rush and two incompletions on the offensive set, and had to settle for a 44-yard Kevin Goessling field goal for a 7-3 scoreline at 6:33.
Rutley deftly returned the ensuing kickoff 53 yards to the Fresno State 35. A Yonus Davis carry for 15 yards on the first snap was negated by a holding penalty, back to the 45, and the Spartans were eventually forced to punt.
The Bulldogs went three-and-out on their next sequence, with Carl Ihenacho, San Jose State’s standout junior defensive end who was back in the starting lineup for the first time since the October 24 home date with Boise State, producing back-to-back tackles, including one for a seven-yard loss on the second play.
San Jose State began one last possession for the opening quarter, with good field position at the Fresno State 38. After a one-yard carry by Rutley, Flynn rolled all the way to his left, waited for Richmond to free himself from his defender, and found the wideout down the left sideline for a 17-yard gain to the FS 20.
That drive ultimately stalled, and Strubeck’s 33-yard field goal started the second period and made it 10-3 in favor of San Jose State.
Fresno State tied the game at 10-10 after pinning the Spartans deep in their own territory and getting a 49-yard punt return for a touchdown by Chastin West and extra point by Goessling, with 5:27 remaining in the third quarter. The junior weaved across the field from left to right, eluded one final tackle attempt by freshman Tiuke Tuipulotu, and became the third different Bulldog receiver with a punt-return score this season.
The Bulldogs took their first lead of the night at the 11:47 mark of the final quarter, with Anthony Harding running up the middle and into the end zone for eight yards. Goessling’s kick made it 17-10. The drive went for 69 yards on 11 plays, over 5:34. The first seven plays from scrimmage to start the period by Fresno State, were running plays, for 49 of those yards.
Fresno State regained the ball and continued to pound away with the run and dent the clock. Harding’s 21-yard carry up the middle, through a couple of would-be tacklers, combined with the extra point, pushed the Bulldog advantage to 24-10 with 5:02 showing on the scoreboard. Seven of the eight plays on the Bulldog drive were runs, accounting for all but 17 of the 90 yards, in 4:17.
In all, 22 of the final 23 Bulldog snaps over their last three possessions, were on the ground, for 174 yards, before they took a knee twice to end it.
Defensively for San Jose State, senior Jeff Schweiger returned to the starting lineup, and notched his first two sacks in a Spartan uniform for a loss of 18 yards, to go along with a fumble recovery. Ihenacho collected 3.0 tackles for loss. Redshirt sophomore safety Devin Newsome had a game-high nine total tackles.
One memorable play came late in the first half, when senior cornerback Christopher Owens, making his 37th consecutive start, dealt a crushing blow to jar the ball loose for an incompletion from the intended Bulldog wide receiver, Devon Wylie.
With his four points in the game, Strubeck matched Joe Nedney's career scoring record, of 236 points. He and 18 other seniors were recognized prior to kickoff.
For Fresno State, Brandstater completed just five passes, to five different receivers, on 18 attempts, for 71 yards. Harding carried 17 times for a game-high 99 yards and two scores.