[jwplayer AgsbDRng-sNi3MVSU]
San Jose State will have at least one win this season
Contact/Follow @MWCwire
San Jose State will not go winless on the season. In what was the best chance for the Spartans to achieve a win for the rest of the season, San Jose State took advantage of a weak UNLV defense. There were three 3 and outs to open the game before Josh Love threw an interception and UNLV took over at the SJSU 47. UNLV was able to pick up a few first downs threw the air before Max Gilliam ran one in from 6 yards out. On the next possesion, Josh Love completed a deep ball to Thai Cottrell for a gain of 60 yards. On the next play Tyler Nevins pounded it in from the 4 yard line. San Jose’s defense would force a turnover on downs after UNLV was unable to convert a 3rd & 2 and then a 4th and 1, both on carries by Lexington Thomas.
The Spartans methodically drove 58 yards on 12 plays, converting on 3rd down 3 times before Josh Love completed a 2 yard pass to Josh Oliver. On the next two possession, UNLV and San Jose were forced to punt before UNLV took over and on the first play of the drive Max Gilliam was picked off by Dakari Monroe. Gaining only 2 yards, San Jose was forced to settle for a field goal taking a 17-7 lead.
The Rebels completed a 75 yard deep ball for a touchdown on the next offensive play. After a punt by the Spartans, the Rebels took over and drove 80 yards in 10 plays to take there first lead of the game at 21-17. With only 1:31 on the clock before the half, the Spartans were able to pick up a couple first downs before Tre Walker made an amazing catch in the end zone to give the Spartans back the lead.
After halftime, San Jose State had a nice 12 play 75 yard drive that mixed in the pass and the run. The key play of the drive was after a false start to make it 3rd and 14 from the SJSU 36, Josh Love found an open Josh Oliver for the first down. Love would later find Brett Foley on 3rd and goal from the 1 for the score. On the next drive, San Jose was able to again hold UNLV to a turnover on downs. Hadari Darden made a great pass breakup to halt the Rebels drive. Once again, the Spartans drove down the field for a score, Josh Love found an open Tre Hartley for the touchdown making the score 38-21 Spartans. UNLV quickly answered back going 78 yards in 6 plays in 2 minutes and 12 seconds. On that drive, the Rebels completed another deep ball, this time going to Tyleek Collins for 46 yards for the score.
The Rebels then tried to surprise San Jose with a onside kick but Austin Liles was alert and was able to recover the ball for San Jose. The Rebels defense held San Jose to a field goal to make it 41-28 Spartans. UNLV needing to score quickly tried to get the offense going, but Dakari Monroe came up with his second interception of the game, this time returning it for 6. The Rebels took over again and drove 70 yards in 13 plays, but had to settle for a field goal down by 2 scores and 2 2-point conversions with only 10:46 left on the clock. With San Jose set up for an onside kick recovery, UNLV tried a pooch kick which bounced in front of the San Jose returner which allowed the UNLV player to recover the ball. On the 3rd play of the next drive, Max Gilliam was intercepted again but San Jose was held to a field goal to make it 50-31. UNLV would drive down and score on the next possession but were unable to recover another onside kick. San Jose would take over and picked up a first down before Josh Love took a couple of knees to secure the Spartans victory.
