Spartans start fast but falter

SAN DIEGO — Jalen Mayden threw three touchdown passes, Jordan Byrd returned a kickoff 95 yards for a TD and San Diego State beat San Jose State 43-27 Saturday night to become bowleligible.

San Diego State (6-4, 4-2 Mountain West) has won nine of its past 10 against the Spartans.

“I’m disappointed,” San Jose State head coach Brett Brennan said. “I thought we jumped on them pretty good to start it and then let a couple of big plays even it up pretty fast.”

Chevan Cordeiro threw a 4yard touchdown pass to Elijah Cooks to cap an 11-play, 73-yard opening drive and, after Michael Dansby picked off a pass from Mayden, Cordeiro added a 3-yard touchdown run that gave San Jose State (6-3, 4-2) a 14-0 lead with 4:58 left in the first quarter. Byrd caught the ensuing kickoff at the 5, started up the middle and then broke multiple tackles as he broke to the left and raced up the sideline for a touchdown to ignite a string of 38 consecutive points by the Aztecs.

Jack Browning kicked a 22yard field goal early in the second quarter, Mayden hit Shavers for a 66-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown less than three minutes later and Mekhi Shaw caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Mayden with 6:15 left in the second quarter to give SDSU a 24-14 lead at halftime.

Mayden threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jesse Matthews 9:40 left in the third quarter and Jaylon Armstead scored on a 2-yard run to make it 38-14 about six minutes later.

“Hats off to them,” Spartans linebacker Kyle Harmon said. “You know, they’re a good team and they made plays when they needed to . ... They played a really good game and deserved to win tonight.”

Cordeiro finished 19-for-33 passing for 195 yards and three touchdowns.