Spartans’ big effort dashed by inability to close it out
SAN JOSE >> Walking away from the podium after a heartbreaking loss 30 minutes earlier, San Jose State linebacker Ethan Aguayo stopped to wrap himself in a long embrace with senior quarterback Josh Love.
Love had passed for a season-high 438 yards and led seven scoring drives, but it still wasn’t enough to beat Boise State on Saturday night. Despite taking a lead into the fourth quarter — the Spartans trailed only once in the first 45 minutes, and then only briefly — SJSU lost to the Mountain West Conference kingpins for the 14th consecutive time.
This time: 52-42.
“I thought Josh Love was brilliant, came up with huge plays time and time again,” coach Brent Brennan said. “I think we can play with anybody, but that is a situation where we have to find a way to finish. It’s disappointing.”
Here are three takeaways from a game the Spartans led 14-0, 27-17 in the third quarter and 34-31 going into the fourth:
Love’s greatest game?
In what would have been SJSU’s greatest victory since 2013 — 62-52 over No. 16 Fresno State and Derek Carr — Love passed for more than 400 yards for the fourth time this season. He completed 29 of 52 passes, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another.
“I think we had a great game plan,” Love said. “We saw a lot of stuff that [Boise State] did with what we saw in the scout team this week.”
Love employed seven receivers in a diversified attack. Tre Walker caught nine passes for 193 yards. Bailey Gaither caught eight for 110 yards.
A running game would have helped — only 59 yards on 23 carries — but the offensive line did a good job in pass protection. Boise State, which was averaging 3.3 sacks per game, got only one. It was by Curtis Weaver, who has more sacks (9.5) than all but one other player in the FCS.
“I thought for the most part, our protection was good,” Brennan said. “Which against that group is hard to do.”
Love took the Spartans on nineplay, 82-yard drive to start the game, immediately followed by a 15-play, 76yard drive for a 14-0 lead. When Boise State took its first lead — 31-27 late in the third quarter — Love came right back with a 75-yard drive to send SJSU into the fourth quarter with a 34-31 lead. When Boise State scored to go ahead 45-34, it tookl Love all of 61 seconds to make it 45-42.
POOR SECOND-HALF DEFENSE >> Boise State got 35 of its 52 points — and 64 percent of its total yardage — in the second half.
“Just a lot of missed tackles,” senior linebacker Ethan Aguayo said “We have to do a better job of coming out in the second half with more juice.”
“There’s some moments where we had guys get in the wrong gaps, and that’s on me,” Brennan said. “When you’re playing against a team that’s as good and consistently as good as they are, your margin for error is small.”
After holding the Broncos to just 17 rushing yards on 15 carries in the first half, the Spartans gave up 236 yards on 36 carries (6.5 yards per carry). George Holani finished the game with 126 yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Much of the damage was done between the tackles. Holani attacked a porous linebacking unit devoid of Jesse Osuna, who was ejected for the second game in a row for targeting. After serving a first-half suspension for targeting last week against Army, Osuna lasted only four plays Saturday night.
This infraction proved costly beyond Saturday. Osuna will not be allowed to play next Saturday against Hawaii.
“I’m really disappointed for Jesse,” Brennan said. “I know the rules and he knows the rules and you have to keep your head out of the play. It’s as simple as that.”
STILL IN THE HUNT FOR A BOWL GAME >> The Spartans (4-5) must win two of their remaining three games to become bowl eligible.
“That’s been our goal all season,” Love said. “We have three opportunities left and we have to get it done.”
Next up is Hawaii on Saturday night in Honolulu. The Rainbow Warriors (5-4, 2-3 MWC) will be coming off a 4138 loss at home to Fresno State.
That game will be followed by the Spartans’ home finale Nov. 16 against Nevada-Las Vegas (2-7, 0-5).
If the Spartans don’t win both of those games, their rivalry game against Fresno State on Nov. 23 will carry not only intensity but also great significance. The game is at Fresno State. The Bulldogs are 4-4, 2-2 at home.