Honolulu, Hawaii------ In the first edition of the Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy series between Hawaii and San Jose State, the former coach for both schools would have been proud of the offensive output by both teams.
Neither team punted in the game, but Hawaii's ability to finish its offensive possessions with touchdowns to San Jose State kicking four field goals in a game for the third time this season was the difference in the Spartans' 42-40 Mountain West loss to the Rainbow Warriors in Aloha Stadium.
San Jose State (4-6, 1-5 Mountain West) scored on all eight of its possessions with four touchdowns – two by DeJon Packer, who had a career night, and second-half throws by Josh Love, who passed for 375 yards, to Bailey Gaither and Isaiah Hamilton.
Hawaii freshman quarterback Chevan Cordeiro made a big difference in his first major college start with three touchdown passes and scoring runs of 3 and 2 yards in the second half to erase a 23-21 halftime deficit.
The lead changed hands six times in the first half before Hawaii (6-4, 3-3 Mountain West) took the lead for good on the first drive of the second half. In a game that seemed to rely more on ball control to keep the ball away from the opponent, Cordeiro engineered an 87-yard drive that consumed 5:23 on the clock to give Hawaii a 28-23 lead.
Matt Mercurio's fourth field goal of the game culminating a 16-play, 8:09 drive pulled the Spartans with two, 28-26, a deficit San Jose State would see twice more before the end of the game.
If there was one difference in the game, Cordeiro's second-quarter fumble forced by defensive tackle Cade Hall and recovered by linebacker Kyle Harmon gave the Spartans the ball at the Hawaii 21-yard line. A 3rd down sack of Love, the game's only sack, forced the Spartans into a field goal situation which Mercurio converted from 43 yards for only a 13-7 lead with 9:59 to go before the half.
Hawaii wide receiver JoJo Ward had a big night with 7 receptions for 170 yards and a pair of scores. Cordeiro and Ward hooked up on a 71-yard touchdown play two plays after the Mercurio 43-yard field goal for the Rainbow Warriors' first lead of the game, 14-13.
The San Jose State offense was bolstered by its most effective running game in conference play spearheaded by DeJon Packer. The Spartan senior scored on runs of 6 and 20 yards in the first half and finished with a career-best 112 of the team's 122 rushing yards. It was the first time since the win at Arkansas San Jose State rushed for at least 100 yards in a game.
After Cordeiro's 2-yard run giving Hawaii a 42-33 lead with 4:23 remaining in the game, Love marched the Spartans down the field in 2:32 and connected with Isaiah Hamilton for a 19-yard scoring strike for the game's final score.
San Jose State's attempt at an onside kick was recovered by Hawaii. One first down later, Hawaii would receive the Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy from Coach Tomey's widow, Nanci Kincaid, and son, Rich Tomey.
The loss leaves the Spartans needing to win its final two games of the season at UNLV on November 23 and home against Fresno State on November 30 to be bowl eligible for the first time since 2015.
