SAN JOSE – Saturday night’s 45-38 win over Hawaii breathed new life into a San Jose State season that quickly fading.
The Spartans (3-5, 2-2 Mountain West) not only captured their first win in nearly a month, but are back at .500 in conference play after winning the Dick Tomey Legacy Game for the fifth year in a row.
San Jose State already has absorbed four one-score losses this season and had blown fourth-quarter leads in three of their previous four games. But Saturday night at CEFCU Stadium, the Spartans were able to hold on and finish the job.
“Just being able to deliver and finish the game. That’s what we’ve been preaching the last two weeks,” Spartans quarterback Walker Eget said. “It really came to heart and came true.”
San Jose State’s Xavier Ward (7) and San Jose State’s quarterback Walker Eget (5) hold the Tomey Legacy Trophy after winning against Hawaii at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Hawaii (6-3, 3-2 Mountain West) entered the game with the fifth-ranked passing defense in the conference, but Eget threw for 458 yards and two touchdowns — both of the scores went to wide receiver Danny Scudero, how had a career-high 215 receiving yards. SJSU produced 630 total yards of offense in all.
The Spartans still need to win at least three of their final four regular season games to become bowl eligible, and a win over one of the top dogs (Hawaii was in third place entering the weekend) was a big confidence booster.
“To me (this win) puts us back in the thick of things,” head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “I feel like our league is wide open, we play a lot of the guys who are ahead of us, but we have to move on. It’s not time to pat ourselves on the back and celebrate.”
Up next for the Spartans are the bottom two teams in the conference standings — a home game against Air Force on Saturday and then a Nov. 15 game at Nevada — before ending the regular season at first place San Diego State and a home game against rival Fresno State.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the Spartans’ victory.
AIR SUPERIORITRY
Scudero had a career-high 215 receiving yards and two long touchdowns (50 and 62 yards). But Scudero, who leads the FBS with 1,085 receiving yards and is second in the nation with 10 receiving touchdowns, wasn’t the only Spartans’ receiver to have a big day.
Kyri Shoels (109) and Leland Smith (113) also went over the 100-yard mark and also had receptions that went for more than 40 yards. It was the second time SJSU had three receivers go for over 100 yards receiving this season.
San Jose State’s Danny Scudero (10) catches the ball against Hawaii’s Elijah Palmer (4) during the second quarter at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
“There are so many options in this offense,” Scudero said. “The “Spread and Shred” is definitely a fun offense to be a part of.”
Eget has thrown 268 consecutive passing attempts without an interception, Eget’s last interception came in SJSU’s 38-7 to Texas in the second game of the season.
“If Eget doesn’t play like that we don’t win this game,” Niumatalolo said. “He settled down and played lights out.”
DEFENSIVE STRUGGLES CONTINUE
A recurring theme for the defense this season has been its struggles to close out games and mis-communications leading to allowing big plays. SJSU allowed 24 points in the second half on Saturday, and allowed a 68-yard touchdown reception by Jackson Harris on a broken coverage.
“I think we got hesitant because we got beat on a deep ball,” Niumatalolo said. “We got to clean some stuff up.”
Warriors quarterback Micah Alejado was 31 of 46 for 367 yards and three touchdowns against the conference’s eleventh-ranked pass defense (out of 12 teams) and Hawaii converted nine of its 14 third down attempts. SJSU has allowed 28 or more points in seven straight games.
On the right side, SJSU forced four three-and-outs and recovered a fumble that helped swing the momentum in the Spartans’ favor.
San Jose State’s Quincy Liklo (91) celebrates a fumble and recovery against Hawaii during the first quarter at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
“In (defensive coordinator) Odum’s Friday meeting he asked guys ‘what do we need to do to win,’” Niumatalolo said. “One kid said ‘play with some freaking confidence’ and to me that’s the best answer. It was great to finally get a close win and hopefully that catapults us to the next one.”
RUNNING WILD
The Spartans have put up big numbers in offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann’s “Spread and Shred” offense, but have struggled to find a consistent running game. It didn’t help when Jabari Bates suffered a season-ending injury during the loss to Stanford and Floyd Chalk IV, the team’s leading rusher in 2024, last month opted to redshirt and possibly enter in the transfer portal.
But Lamar Radlciffe and Steve Chavez-Soto have blossomed with the increased workload.
The tandem combined for 20 carries for 150 yards and four touchdowns against Hawaii, three by Chavez-Soto.
Radcliffe’s 97 rushing yards were a career-high.
“Hopefully that sends a message that we aren’t just some fluff team that just throws the ball,” Niumatalolo said. “We are a physical team too.”
Radcliffe averaged seven yards a carry and his longest run went for 25 yards. Radcliffe (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) and Chavez-Soto (6-foot, 205) have great size, speed and are tough to bring down.
“They’re hard runners. For those guys to continuously take those hits and get back up,” Eget said. “I can never imagine playing running back, those guys are men. It’s great to watch them out there.”
