Moscow, Idaho-----David Fales passed for 328 yards and four touchdowns as San Jose State University survived four turnovers for a 42-13 win over the University of Idaho in a Western Athletic Conference game.
Fales completed 27-of-39 and connected twice with Noel Grigsby and once each with Jabari Carr and Chandler Jones for Spartan scores. The win was San Jose State's third in a row and fourth consecutive road victory this season. The Spartans also became bowl-eligible for the first time since 2008.
San Jose State's defense did the job to keep the game close until the offense could get on track. Idaho, playing its first game under interim head coach Jason Gesser and with two quarterbacks, gained just 47 yards in the first half and failed to gain a first down on 10 of its 18 possessions in the game. The Spartans (7-2, 3-1 WAC) were credited with six quarterback sacks and two second-half takeaways of its own. One of them, a 47-yard interception return for a touchdown by defensive back Bene Benwikere closed out the scoring.
San Jose State was mistake-prone throughout the first three quarters giving away the ball four times. There were two special teams fumbles early and a Fales interception in the first 20 minutes of the game. On the opening kickoff, David Freeman was unable to corral the short kickoff and his fumble led to a 12-yard touchdown pass from Idaho's Logan Bushnell to wide receiver Najee Lovett on the second offensive play of the game.
San Jose State bounced back in the second quarter with touchdown drives on back-to-back possessions to take a 14-7 halftime lead.
Normally reliable Idaho punter Bobby Cowan, a first-team All-America punter last year, had a punt bounce the wrong way and give the Spartans starting field position at the San Jose State 48-yard line. A pair of Jabari Carr receptions paved the way for a 1-yard De'Leon Eskridge scoring run to tie the score at 7-7.
Carr figured prominently in the next drive when San Jose State's defense came up with its fifth straight three-and-out sequence. Taking the ball on the Idaho 48-yard line, Fales hooked up with Ryan Otten for a 24-yard third-down pass play and then with Carr for the go-ahead touchdown. The Spartan receiver was well-covered in the near right corner of the end zone, but went over the top of his defender and was ruled by replay to have possession as he was pushed out of bounds.
After two Trey Farquhar field goals to open the second half scoring, the Spartans got rolling on offense and did not give Idaho (1-8, 1-3 WAC) much hope the rest of the game.
In less than 12 minutes covering the mid-third to early fourth quarters, Grigsby had touchdown plays of 15 and 6 yards and Chandler Jones weaved his way 35 yards in between the two Grigsby touchdowns.
San Jose State outgained Idaho, 413-288, in its first win over the Vandals since 2008.
Like 2006 and 2008, a win in the Kibbie Dome made the Spartans bowl-eligible.
San Jose State heads to New Mexico State next week, November 10, seeking its second four-game winning streak of the season and eighth win overall.