The San Jose State football team was crushed 40-9 by Fresno State in the Battle of the Valley Trophy Thursday afternoon at CEFCU stadium.
The Mountain West Conference loss also means the Spartans failed to qualify for a bowl game this season.
“Lots of big opportunities missed for us, and the biggest missed opportunity was not having a chance to make the postseason again,” SJSU head coach Brent Brennan said during a postgame conference.
Despite Fresno State dominating the first quarter, SJSU running back Kairee Robinson ran for 21 yards and also had 40 yards receiving.
However, the Spartan offense struggled as a whole to break down the Bulldogs' defense as the score stood 23-6. Quarterback Nick Starkel, in particular, made some risky throws but couldn’t find a rhythm.
The SJSU defense performed admirably throughout the game and even had some highlight plays such as linebackers Jordan Cobbs and Kyle Harmon preventing Fresno State from scoring a touchdown in the second quarter.
“We had a great season last year, but there are no rollover wins, every season is a new one,” Harmon said in a postgame press conference.
The first half ended on a high note for the Spartans, with a 36-yard field goal by placekicker Matt Mercurio that left the Spartans down 23-9.
The scoreboard remained steady for the rest of the game as the Spartans offense tried to gain the upperhand but the Bulldogs’ tight defense held firm.
The Spartans couldn’t stop the relentless Bulldog offense attack led by quarterback Jake Haener as he carved up the Spartans secondary with his third touchdown pass, putting the score at 33-9.
After winning the Battle of the Valley Trophy last season, the Spartans failed to repeat the success of last year.
“We brought a lot of the same guys, tools, and weapons,” Starkel said. “I don’t like to compare last year with this [year] because it is totally different.”
Thanksgiving night was the last game of the season for SJSU and many students’ college football careers, including Starkel.
Harmon, a senior, played his final game for the Spartans ranking second in the National Collegiate Athletic Association for total tackles with 134 total tackles in the 2021 season, according to Sports Reference.
“Thank you to the seniors who are leaving this season and for putting their heart and soul into this program, " Harmon said. "We will keep raising the standard, we all have a job and a responsibility and our plan is to keep moving forward."
