San Jose State survives Idaho’s upset bid on late field goal
The Idaho Vandals gave San Jose State a scare, but the Spartans erased a 14-point deficit and took their first lead on a field goal with 7 seconds left to spoil the upset bid from the visitors out of the Big Sky Conference.
San Jose State kicker Denis Lynch converted on a 48-yard field goal attempt in the waning seconds, and the Spartans eked out a 31-28 win Saturday afternoon at CEFCU Stadium.
The Vandals (2-2), from the lower-level Football Championship Subdivision, had wins in each of the past two seasons over Mountain West Conference teams from the higher-tier Football Bowl Subdivision. And the Vandals looked nothing like underdogs against the MWC’s Spartans. For much of the day, Idaho seemed poised for another FCS-over-FBS victory.
But San Jose State (1-2) found its rhythm on offense in the second quarter after falling into a 14-0deficit, and the Spartans capitalized on a late opportunity after the teams traded scores during an entertaining second half.
The Spartans made a rare defensive stop, then chewed most of the last 3 minutes off the clock on their final drive to set up Lynch’s field goal, his first made FG in five tries this season.
“The guys are obviously very disappointed, but when you look at the grand scheme of things, we have two losses by a combined six points to FBS schools (Idaho lost 13-10 at Washington State in Week 1),” first-year Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. said during Idaho’s postgame radio show. “Our guys need to continue to understand that everything we want for this program – going to the playoffs, the opportunity to win the Big Sky – is still there.”
Each of Idaho’s four scoring drives lasted longer than 6 minutes, with their longest possession clocking in at a whopping 9:42. Idaho possessed the ball for 39 minutes, but the Vandals’ defense surrendered too many big plays.
Quarterback Joshua Wood and running back Art Williams scored on short runs to make the Idaho lead 14-0 with 7:12 in the second quarter, but the Spartans answered with Jabari Bates’ 87-yard touchdown run and another quick TD drive to knot the score at halftime.
Wood found freshman receiver Ryan Jezioro for a 15-yard touchdown to cap a 15-play drive to open the third quarter, but San Jose State answered again. Idaho went ahead 28-21 early in the fourth quarter on Wood’s fourth-down touchdown pass to Noah West-Baranco before another Spartan response.
Wood completed 18 of 32 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns, adding 41 yards and a score on the ground. Williams accounted for 65 of Idaho’s 152 rushing yards.
San Jose State quarterback Walker Eget passed 13 of 21 for 222 yards and a touchdown. Bates rushed for 131 yards, and receiver Danny Scudero, one of the nation’s most productive pass-catchers, had 130 yards. The Spartans outgained Idaho 420-384.
Idaho opens Big Sky play at 7:15 p.m. Saturday against rival Montana in Missoula.