A string of missed opportunities on its final two drives helped send San Jose State to its fourth one-score loss of the season Friday night in a 30-25 road defeat to Utah State.
The Spartans (2-5, 1-2 Mountain West Conference) lost for the third time in their last four games when one drive ended on a failed fourth-and-1 play and their last, penalty-filled drive ended with Walker Eget’s desperation pass from midfield falling incomplete.
Utah State (4-3, 2-1 MWC) used two field goals in the last six minutes from kicker Tanner Rinker, as well as a touchdown pass and scoring run by quarterback Bryson Barnes, for the win in Logan, Utah, which dropped the Spartans’ road record to 0-4.
The Spartans didn’t enter the contest in optimal position with both NCAA-leading receiver Danny Scudero and quarterback Eget questionable to play. Eget put up some solid numbers, completing 27 of 49 passes for 340 yards and two touchdown passes.
However, Scudero, who came into the game leading the country with 50 receptions, 845 yards receiving and eight touchdowns, was held to six catches for 25 yards.
Leland Smith was the Spartans’ leading receiver with a career-high 116 yards receiving, which included a 45-yard touchdown.
With Utah State leading 27-25 with less than four minutes to go, San Jose State faced fourth-and-1 on their own 47. However, running back Steve Chavez-Soto, who had a game-high 102 yards on 11 carries, was stuffed for no gain.
San Jose State’s defense was able to hold Utah State to a field goal – Rinker hit from 44 yards just four minutes after nailing a 45-yarder – and the Spartans had one more chance trailing 30-25 with 1:53 left in the game.
But three false start penalties doomed the offensive drive and Eget’s fourth-and-2 pass to Cooper Boch was broken up by Utah State’s Brevin Hamblin as time expired.
With Eget and Scudero banged up, the Spartans had a heavy emphasis on the run game. Running backs Lamar Radcliffe and Chavez-Soto combined for 176 yards rushing on 24 carries, an average of 7.3 yards per carry that was boosted by Chavez-Soto’s 66-yard touchdown run.
Radcliffe also scored a touchdown on a 15-yard screen pass from Eget.
The banged-up Scudero left both of the Spartans’ first two offensive drives after absorbing hard hits from Aggies defenders. Both times, Scudero needed medical attention on the field. Still, the former Archbishop Mitty star returned to the game.
Scudero took another huge hit in the final four minutes of the game, which led to him leaving the field once more.
During the week, Spartans kickers Denis Lynch and Matthias Brown waged a battle to see who would kick against Utah State. Both wound up getting a chance to kick. Lynch went 2-for-2 on field goal attempts. Brown handled the conversion kicks, but he missed his first try, which was why San Jose State trailed 10-9 instead of being tied at 10-all at halftime.
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The Spartans’ defense has struggled to close out drives on fourth down and struggled to limit big plays again Friday.
On their first offensive drive of the game, the Aggies converted a fourth-and-4 on a 30-yard pass from Barnes to running back Javen Jacobs. This led to a 2-yard end around touchdown to wide receiver Braden Pegan.
After this however, SJSU’s defense forced three consecutive three-and-outs and then held the Aggies to a turnover on downs after stopping them on a fourth-and-4, keeping a struggling offense in the game.
The second half didn’t start well for the Spartans’ defense, though, as a broken coverage allowed former Spartan Anthony Garcia to be open for a 74-yard touchdown catch.
The Spartans will have a bye-week next weekend and will return home after two straight games on the road to take on Hawai’i (5-2, 2-1) at CEFCU Stadium on Nov. 1 at 7:30.
