The Owls trip to California ended with disappointment as they fell 31-10 to the San José State on Saturday.
San Jose State opened the game with the ball, but Owls’ defensive back Tyler Hallum quickly forced a fumble just two plays in to give the Owls the ball at SJSU’s 41-yard line.
In 11 plays, covering 27 yards, the Owls managed to burn 6:08 off the clock, ending the drive with a field goal kick from Austin Welch to start the game with an early 3-0 lead.
SJSU started off their next drive with a big 34-yard pass, complete to Spartans’ wide receiver Nick Nash who would be the star of the game for the Spartans. They would struggle to gain yardage after that, though, punting and pinning the Owls deep at their own one-yard line.
The Owls would be unable to pick up a first down, quickly punting the ball back to the Spartans four plays later — but forcing a fumble on the return, and getting another chance to put a scoring drive together.
Penalties, an issue for the Owls all game long, would push them back 20 yards on this possession, leading to another three-and-out, and another punt for Owls’ punter Jacob Ulrich.
The ensuing Spartans’ drive would carry the game into the second quarter, capping it with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Nash and putting the Spartans up 7-3.
The following Owls drive quickly ended in a punt, giving the ball back to the Spartans for a 50-yard, five-play drive ending with Spartans’ kicker Kyler Halvorsen knocking one through the uprights to improve the Spartans’ lead to 10-3.
The Owls’ offensive struggles continued despite a big gain on a 37-yard pass complete to receiver Navelle Dean. Failing a fourth down conversion a few plays later, the Spartans got the ball back on their own 37-yard line.
The Spartans would quickly fumble again for their third turnover of the game.
Yet another Owls’ three-and-out followed, punting and giving the ball back to the Spartans. The Spartans marched down the field in an 82-yard, 11-play drive, putting an exclamation point on it with another touchdown pass to Nash with just 15 seconds left in the first half.
Nash ended the half with nine catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns for the Spartans.
The Spartans dominated the first half in yardage, with 274 yards total versus the Owls’ 89.
The Owls’ first drive of the second half looked very promising as they put together a 18-play, 75-yard drive, with tight end Preston Daniels punching it in from the one-yard line to cut the Spartans’ lead down to seven. The huge drive took 9:46 off the clock.
The Spartans answered swiftly with a 39-yard kickoff return and touchdown pass just a couple of plays later to receiver Justin Lockhart, again giving them a two-score lead, 24-10. Only 35 seconds were erased from the clock during the Spartans’ drive.
The promise shown in the Owls’ opening drive of the half quickly faded as the offense was largely ineffective for the remainder of the game, putting up just 38 net yards for the rest of the second half. Combined with a few turnovers down the stretch, the game was soon placed well out of the Owls’ reach.
The Spartans’ Nash had another touchdown late for the game’s final scoring play to bring the score to 31-10. Nash finished with 17 catches for 225 yards and three touchdowns, a SJSU school record for catches in a single game.
The Owls have a bye-week next, before hosting UT Martin for Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 28.
