Reeling Spartans sink to new depth in blowout loss
Wolf Pack scores 59 straight points to improve to 2-8
RENO >> San Jose State received a strong effort from freshman running back Tyler Nevens, but it wasn’t nearly enough in a 59-14 loss to Nevada on Saturday, which extended the Spartans’ losing streak to nine.
“It’s incredibly frustrating for our players and coaching staff,” Spartans coach Brent Brennan said. “We have a long way to go. We get back to work tomorrow, grinding, trying to fix the multiple things that are wrong on our football team.”
Mountain West opponents had been outscoring the Spartans an average of 43-13. Against struggling Nevada (2-8, 2-4), the Spartans fared even worse.
San Jose State (1-10, 0-6) took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 12-yard Nevens rushing touchdown — the Spartans’ second rushing touchdown of the season. It marked just their second lead against a conference opponent this season.
Nevens finished with a career-high 118 rushing yards on 21 carries.
“It’s a learning process, especially for us freshman,” Nevens said. “We have a lot of young guys, not just on offense, but defense as well. The situation we are in, it is good to learn from this.”
San Jose State appeared in position to extend its lead in the first quarter. With three minutes left, defensive back Jermaine Kelly’s interception of Nevada quarterback Ty Gangi and runback into Wolf Pack territory was negated by holding penalty on Kelly. On the next play, Gangi connected on a 39-yard touchdown pass to Wyatt Demps.
“The penalty was huge,” Brennan said. “I don’t even think it was real necessary. I’ll see it when I get a chance to see the tape. We get a big play from Jermaine and we are all fired up and then it gets taken back, and then we end up giving up a score, and things went in the wrong direction after that.”
After Nevens’ firstquarter touchdown, Nevada scored 59 consecutive points. San Jose State scored with 17 seconds left in the game when quarterback Michael Carrillo connected on a 12-yard pass to running back Sean Pinson.
The Wolf Pack took the lead with 1:06 left in the first quarter after Demps blocked a Michael Carrizosa punt. Nevada safety Dameon Baber recovered the block and ran six yards for a 14-7 Nevada lead.
Baber also scored on a 100-yard interception return midway through the second quarter.
That interception ended one of the Spartans’ best drives of the game, as they moved to the Nevada 20yard line on nine plays. Nevens broke the 100-yard rushing mark during the drive. On the 10th play of the drive, though, freshman quarterback Montel Aaron threw the interception in the end zone. It was the closest the Spartans got after their early lead.
Nevada entered halftime with a 38-7 lead.
Aaron, in his sixth start of the season, completed nine of 18 for 108 yards and three interceptions.
Junior linebacker Frank Ginda had 12 tackles. He is 10 away from breaking the Mountain West all-time record for tackles in a season.
“The only thing I’m trying to do is get a win,” Ginda said. “It’s great to have all that stuff. But when there’s no wins in the column, it’s a terrible feeling.”