The looks of disappointment and disbelief was all over San José State football players’ faces as they walked off the field at Albertsons Stadium after the Spartans blew a 20-point lead en route to a 35-27 loss to Boise State on Saturday.
SJSU quarterback Chevan Cordeiro completed 23 of 38 passes for 325 yards, threw an interception and ran for a touchdown. Senior running back Kairee Robinson totaled 134 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.
Boise State’s quarterback duo of sophomore Taylen Green and freshman Maddux Madsen combined for 229 yards passing and 5 touchdowns.
“I don’t have an answer for what happened in the second half, but we didn’t help ourselves at all,” said SJSU head coach Brent Brennan. “We didn’t score any points and we didn’t get a stop. And that’s just really heartbreaking.”
SJSU dominated the first half. The Spartans took a 27-7 lead with 4:56 left in the second quarter after junior running back Quali Conley rushed for a 7-yard touchdown. On the ensuing possession, Madsen drove the Boise State offense 70 yards on 14 plays, ending in an 8-yard touchdown run from Madsen.
The Spartans’ defense had its best half of the season, forcing three turnovers (2 fumbles and an interception) which led to 21 first half points.
SJSU went into halftime with a 27-14 lead.
It all fell apart in the second half for the Spartans as the Broncos scored 21 unanswered points. SJSU’s offense went cold and could only muster up 100 total yards and no points.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Green ran for an 11-yard touchdown to give Boise State its first lead of the game 28-27. After the Spartans punted on the next possession, Green led an 80 yard, 13-play drive that finished with a two-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Riley Smith giving the Broncos a 35-27 lead.
When SJSU got the ball back on the ensuing possession, Cordeiro threw a costly interception with 3:35 left in the game. Boise State missed a field goal and gave the ball back to SJSU with 50 seconds left, but Cordeiro was stopped in four downs.
“We didn’t make enough plays,” Robinson said about the offense stalling in the second half. “We just didn’t do enough as an offense, and me personally, I didn’t do enough either.”
The Spartans have now been outscored 56-7 in the second half of the last three games.
SJSU is scheduled to go back on the road when the Spartans face New Mexico at 3 p.m. PDT at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
