San José, Calif. - The 1955 San José State football team now has some company.
On a clear November night in CEFCU Stadium, the 2020 Spartans jumped out to a 17-3 lead over visiting UNLV and never looked back. The final score was 34-17, moving SJSU to 4-0 for the first time in 65 years.
"That was a hard fought win tonight," said head coach Brent Brennan after the victory. "I thought our team kept playing hard throughout and we came up with big plays when we needed them. Our defense turned it up a notch in the fourth quarter and the offense put together some good drives to close the door."
It was a pair of graduate students who led San José State in the victory.
Quarterback Nick Starkel threw for 274 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both of which were completed to wide receiver Bailey Gaither. Gaither ended the evening with six receptions and 94 yards on top of his pair of scores.
Starkel and Gaither's first touchdown came with 6:11 left in the opening stanza, a 41-yard catch-and-run to answer an early Rebel field goal.
Just flipped a switch. #SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/awTuQBk4wo
— San José State Football (@SanJoseStateFB) November 15, 2020
It was sophomore Matt Mercurio who closed the first quarter with his first of two field goals on the night, a 30-yarder to extend the advantage to 10-3. Mercurio is now a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals this season.
After forcing a UNLV punt, the Spartans embarked on a six-play, 53-yard drive that was punctuated on a two-yard touchdown scamper by senior running back Tyler Nevens.
The visitors from Vegas would answer with their first touchdown of the contest, but it was the Starkel-Gaither connection that once again paid off for the home team. Coming at the culmination of a 70-yard march that took just over three minutes, Gaither was able to stretch the ball over the pylon just prior to falling out of bounds to extend his team's lead to 24-10 at the halftime break.
Take a look ??#SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/98Z3HPfgKr
— San José State Football (@SanJoseStateFB) November 15, 2020
After both defenses dominated early in the second half, each team exchanged touchdowns late in the third quarter.
This time it was sophomore Kairee Robinson coming out of the backfield to score for SJSU, cruising in from 12 yards to extend the advantage to 31-17.
San José State's defense pitched a shutout in the final quarter, forcing a pair of UNLV punts to help salt away the victory. Linebacker Kyle Harmon ended the night with a game-high 10 tackles while defensive end Cade Hall notched a huge three sacks in the win.
"Our chemistry is incredible right now," safety Tre Webb said when asked about the defensive performance. "We're firing on all cylinders and we are a tight unit. It's just really fun to be out there with all of those guys."
Another three points off the foot of Mercurio - this one coming with just 6:07 remaining - put the Spartans up 34-17. After an ensuing three-and-out for UNLV, the hosts used one last methodical drive to put the game on ice.
This one took the final four and a half minutes off the clock, using a pair of snaps in Victory Formation at the end to seal the deal on another historic win.
SJSU ended the game with a 457-294 advantage in total yards and out-gained its opponent 176-70 on the ground. That ground attack was led by quarterback Nick Nash, who rushed for 94 yards while providing a change of pace to the stylings of Starkel.
San José State will look to keep things rolling when it returns to the field at Fresno State on November 21. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. and the contest will be televised by CBS Sports Network.