SAN JOSE, Calif. – Anthony Ivey recorded 150 receiving yards and Jabari Bates rushed for 94 yards to lead the San José State football team (2-2, 0-0 MW) in a 26-10 loss to Fresno State (2-1, 0-0 PAC-12) in the Battle for the Valley on Saturday night at CEFCU Stadium, presented by Habbas Law.
The Spartans pulled within three early in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs scored 13 unanswered points over the final seven minutes to secure the win.
San José State opened the scoring on its first possession. Luke Weaver connected with Cooper Hoch for an 18-yard gain, which helped set up a 45-yard field goal from Trajan Sinatra, giving the Spartans a 3-0 lead with 9:25 remaining in the first quarter.
The SJSU defense kept Fresno State out of the end zone throughout the first half, but a pair of field goals gave the Bulldogs a 6-3 advantage at the break.
Fresno State extended its lead to 13-3 on an 18-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter. The Spartans responded later in the half with their best drive of the night, marching 92 yards on 15 plays and taking more than six minutes off the clock.
Bates began the fourth quarter with a 26-yard run before Weaver found Ivey for 28 yards to move SJSU inside the Fresno State 5-yard line. Facing fourth-and-goal from the 1, Weaver connected with Carson Clark for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 13-10 with 12:36 remaining.
The Bulldogs answered with an 11-play, 60-yard drive that ended in a 44-yard field goal. Fresno State added another field goal following an interception before Bryson Donelson closed the scoring with a 36-yard touchdown run.
Weaver completed 21 of 38 passes for 244 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. Ivey led all receivers with career-highs of seven catches for 150 yards, including receptions of 46 and 28 yards. Bates carried the ball 19 times for 94 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt.
Clark finished with five receptions and the Spartans’ lone touchdown, while Hoch added two catches for 23 yards.
Defensively, Dylan Lee led San José State with 11 tackles, including half a tackle for loss. Naseri Danielson added nine tackles, while Justin Stearns recorded five tackles, two tackles for loss and the Spartans’ lone sack. SJSU limited Fresno State to 186 passing yards and one offensive touchdown through the first three quarters.
- Ivey’s 46-yard reception in the second quarter was a career-long
- This was also Ivey’s first career game with 100 or more yards
- Clark has three touchdowns in his last two games
- Lee’s 11 tackles set a new career-high
- Lee has at least 0.5 tackles for loss in every game this season
- Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa set a new career-high with seven tackles
- Stearns’ sack was his second of the season, and his two tackles for a loss set a new career-high
- Jeremiah Tuiileila also set a new career-high with two tackles for loss
- This game marked the first time SJSU did not allow a touchdown in the first half since a 24-14 win over Wyoming on Oct. 19, 2024
- Sinatra made a 45-yard field goal in his lone attempt
UP NEXT: The Spartans will open conference play at Hawai’i on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 9:00 p.m. (PT) at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex. The game can be watched on MW+.
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