Nov. 15, 2014
San Jose State Postgame Quotes
San Jose, Calif.-----San Jose State University gave the University of Hawaii hope by not capitalizing on three first-quarter scoring opportunities and the Rainbow Warriors eventually cashed in for a 13-0 win in a Mountain West football game.
In the first 15 minutes, the Spartans (3-7, 2-4 Mountain West) did not convert a 4th-and-1 from the Hawaii 25-yard line and Austin Lopez missed field goals of 41 and 37-yards en route to losing their fourth consecutive game. Later in the game a 24-yard field goal try by back-up kicker Michael Carrizosa was deflected at the line of scrimmage - the second consecutive field goal try a Hawaii defender got a hand on the ball.
The Rainbow Warriors (3-8, 2-4 Mountain West) ended the nation's longest road losing streak at 17 dating back to the 2011 season with a pair of Tyler Hadden field goals from 36 and 32 yards and a second-quarter, 1-yard touchdown run by Joey Iosefa. For Hadden, it was a measure of redemption for the field goal kicker who had a fourth-quarter kick blocked in the Spartans' 28-27 win over Hawaii in Spartan Stadium in 2011.
Red-zone turnovers also were part of the missed scoring opportunities that plagued San Jose State. A pass intercepted at the Hawaii goal line preceded the 90-yard scoring drive culminating in Iosefa's touchdown. A fourth-quarter fumble at the Hawaii 13-yard line stopped a potential scoring drive with the Spartans only trailing 10-0.
There was no consolation that San Jose State outgained Hawaii, 462 to 240 yards. It was the Rainbow Warriors' lowest total offense output for the season. Quarterback Joe Gray finished with 305 yards passing completing 25-of-45 attempts.
And, the Spartans converted a season-high, 12 third-down chances to keep possession of the ball. San Jose State did not have to punt in the game. Three San Jose State turnovers to Hawai'i's one, was the statistic clearly in the Rainbow Warriors' favor. The negative of the scoreless outcome far outweighed the statistical positives.
San Jose State closed out a home season with a loss for the first time since 2010. The Spartans will look to get back on track, Friday, November 21, at Utah State in a 7:30 p.m. (MT) game.