Sept. 24, 2016
Ames, Iowa----- San Jose State University's mistakes in all phases of the game cost them dearly in a 44-10 non-conference loss to Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium.
The biggest may have been when an apparent second-quarter touchdown pass from Josh Love to Tre Hartley that would have drawn the Spartans (1-3) to a possible 17-10 deficit was nullified by an ineligible receiver downfield penalty. On the next play, cornerback Jamor Jones came up with Iowa State's second interception of the game and turned it into a 74-yard touchdown drive for a 23-3 lead.
Love started in place of Kenny Potter, who missed the game with a bruised leg that occurred in the third quarter of the September 17 game. In his first major college start, the redshirt freshman completed 13-of-27 with four interceptions for 155 yards and a second-half touchdown pass to Tim Crawley.
Iowa State (1-3) would convert the four interceptions into 23 points, the most points an opponent scored on Spartan turnovers in a game this season.
The Cyclones scored first when quarterback Joel Lanning hit wide receiver on a 17-yard pass play. Iowa State took advantage of a 25-yard punt return by Trever Ryen to the San Jose State 34-yard line for one of three possessions in the game started on the Spartans' side of the field.
On the Spartans' second possession of the game, San Jose State drove all the way to the Iowa State 1-yard line, but was forced to settle for a Bryce Crawford 22-yard field goal with 3:24 left in the first quarter.
Iowa State answered with Cole Netten's season-long 49-yard field to close out the first-quarter scoring for a 10-3 lead.
Jones' interception after the Spartan penalty preceded a six-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 23-yard pass from number-two quarterback Jacob Park to wide receiver Dondre Daley. Park and starting Cyclone quarterback Joel Lanning combined to complete 20 of 27 passes for 301 yards and five touchdowns.
Two bright spots in the game for San Jose State was a ground game that accumulated 177 yards and the return of team captain Christian Tago to the defensive unit. Freshman Zamore Zigler accounted for 104 of the Spartans' rushing yards on a season-high 24 carries.
With its non-conference schedule in the books, San Jose State can turn its focus to Mountain West play. The Spartans head to New Mexico for a Saturday, October 1 game at 2:00 p.m. in University Stadium.