Fresno, Calif.----- San Jose State football head coach Brent Brennan said early in the week that the Spartans had to win the turnover battle to have a chance to beat Fresno State. The Spartans did that recovering a Bulldog fumble in each half.
Add to that San Jose State playing its best first half of defense this season limiting Fresno State to a field goal with 0:03 left before halftime.
Throw in a pair of fourth quarter Michael Carrillo touchdown passes, one of 73 yards on a screen pass to Malike Roberson and a 4-yarder to Tre Walker and one could like the Spartans' chances against #23-ranked Fresno State in the final regular season came for both teams.
In between Asa Fuller's 32-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter and Walker's touchdown grab was a Fresno State second half offensive explosion in a 31-13 victory.
Bulldog wide receiver KeeSean Johnson caught seven passes for 173 yards and a 31-yard touchdown in the third quarter to lead Fresno State (10-2, 7-1 Mountain West). He had plays of 31, 45 and 37 yards in the third quarter alone.
Johnson's scoring play was the first of two second-half touchdown passes from quarterback Marcus McMaryion and gave Fresno State (10-2, 7-1 Mountain West) a 17-0 lead with 32 seconds to go in the third quarter. Bulldog running back Jordan Mims scored the game's first touchdown on a 1-yard run with 5:30 to go in the third quarter.
After Johnson's touchdown, the Spartans answered three plays later when Carrillo found Roberson open near the Fresno State sideline for San Jose State's longest play of the game.
The second half was a reversal from the defensive dominance by both sides in the first half. Fresno State gained 326 of its 515 yards of total offense in the final two quarters. San Jose State accumulated 237 of its 367 after halftime. The Spartans got as far as the Fresno State 30-yard line in the second quarter, but gave up the ball on downs.
Carrillo had his first 300-yard passing game at the major college level in his final game as a Spartan. The senior completed 24-of-41 for 302 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted once. Arron Mosby picked off a Carrillo pass in the left flat and took it back 95 yards to give the Bulldogs an insurmountable 31-7 lead with 4:08 remaining.
Johnson finished the game as Fresno State's new career leader in pass receiving yards with 3,390. McMaryion completed 20-of-29 for 317 yards and two TDs and was 11-of-12 in the second half alone.