Fresno, Calif.-----The San Jose State University football team knew going into Bulldog Stadium the best way to end the 2011 season would be with a win for the ages.
They left the field with the elation of a 27-24 victory over Fresno State to conclude the 2011 season.
A 24-year drought beating Fresno State in Bulldog Stadium was over. San Jose State also picked up its first Western Athletic Conference road win since beating Idaho in the Kibbie Dome on November 1, 2008.
The Spartans (5-7, 3-4 WAC) did it with a defense that yielded one second-half touchdown and recovered two Fresno State fumbles in the final two quarters that led to 14 points.
San Jose State did it taking advantage of those recoveries with Matt Faulkner passing for 363 yards and tossing two touchdown passes. The Spartans did with Jens Alvernik opening the second-half scoring with a 34-yard field goal, his second of the game, after the defense shut down the Bulldogs leading 17-10 on the opening possession of the third quarter.
"It was a wonderful last two weeks after two heartbreaking losses. This team is so resilient and has so much character. This is a huge deal for our program," said San Jose State head coach Mike MacIntyre about the team's first win in Bulldog Stadium over Fresno State (4-8, 3-4 WAC) in 12 tries since 1987. Both wins over Navy and Fresno State were by the same 27-24 score.
For a team that played seven games decided by seven points or less, another down-to-the-wire finish was nothing new. Running out the clock after Fresno State scored on a 24-yard pass play from Derek Carr to wide receiver Jalen Saunders with a 13-play, 56-yard drive for the final 6:11 was a new twist in the Spartans' season.
NEWSOME IS THE NEW MAN
That wasn't all that was new Saturday by the Spartans. San Jose State won without two-time, first-team All-WAC safety Duke Ihenacho in action. A knee injury in the Navy game prevented Ihenacho from playing in his final college game. Redshirt junior Cullen Newsome made his first college start and more than filled in for Ihenacho with a game-high 10 tackles, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery that started the Spartans' final and necessary touchdown drive of the night.
Then, there was the first flea-flicker call of the season after defensive tackle Travis Raciti recovered a mishandled center snap by Fresno State's Carr at the Bulldogs' 38-yard line. The next play, Faulkner handed off to Brandon Rutley who pitched it back to Faulkner and found Jabari Carr for a 38-yard scoring play and a 20-17 San Jose State lead at 8:09 of the third quarter.
170-POUND GRIGSBY CARRIES THE LOAD
San Jose State extended its lead to 27-17 when Noel Grigsby hauled in a Faulkner pass at the Fresno State 2-yard and carried two would-be tacklers into the end zone with 11:38 remaining. The 59-yard drive was set by Newsome's fumble recovery after wide receiver Rashad Evans was stripped of a 4-yard reception by linebacker Keith Smith.
"It was a stutter post. I ran the stutter, did a stem, The ball was a little high, but I didn't want to be denied," said Grigsby, who had eight receptions for 114 yards."This was a big game and we put it all on the line."
In each of the five San Jose State wins, the Spartans gained at least 400 yards. The Fresno State win was the only time this season, the Spartans failed to rush for 100 yards in a win.
Of San Jose State's 61 rushing yards, 21 came on the game-ending drive. Brandon Rutley, who scored on a 14-yard run in the first half, gained 24 yards on seven carries and induced a third-down pass interference call on linebacker Kyle Knox that allowed San Jose State to retain possession. Rutley finished the night with 58 yards on 19 carries.
EVEN UP FOR NEARLY A HALF
For nearly the first 30 minutes, the two teams were even on the scoreboard and each missed a 40-plus yard field goal try. Until Fresno State running back Robbie Rouse's second 2-yard touchdown run of the first half with five seconds before halftime, the teams traded 10-point runs. Rouse was a load for San Jose State to handle gaining 151 yards on 33 carries with two scores.
The Bulldogs struck first on Rouse's first rushing touchdown and a Kevin Goessling 39-yard field goal. The Spartans answered with Rutley's 14-yard run and an 18-yard field goal by Alvernik.
Rouse's go-ahead touchdown to end half was set up when Matt Faulkner was intercepted by Fresno State cornerback Isaiah Green on a third-down pass to the Bulldogs' 38-yard line.
A Fresno State recruit at the start of his college career, Faulkner concluded it in a San Jose State uniform completing 27-of-42 with the first half interception for 363 yards and two touchdowns for San Jose State. He was not sacked. Carr, a teammate of Faulkner's during his Fresno State stay, was 19-of-28 with an interception for 276 yards and one touchdown.
Like the last time San Jose State beat Fresno State, 20-16 in 1987, when Spartan followers remember the towel-waving by then head coach Claude Gilbert in response to Fresno State head coach Jim Sweeney riling up the local crowd, they'll remember the teamwork by the 2011 Spartans in Bulldog Stadium.