Five interceptions and 503 yards of offense propelled the Spartans to a massive 31-24 road upset over the three-touchdown favorite Razorbacks on Saturday in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The win is San Jose State’s first against a Southeastern Conference opponent in school history.
SJSU students, fans, and the marching band all welcomed the victorious team early Sunday morning around 3 a.m. to celebrate the team’s unexpected road win.
The Spartans got off to a roaring start as senior quarterback Josh Love hit senior wide receiver Bailey Gaither for a 50-yard bomb on the first play of the game.
Love finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver JaQuan Blackwell to give SJSU the early lead 2 minutes 16 seconds into the game.
The Razorbacks' second drive was halted deep in SJSU territory as Arkansas senior running back Devwah Whaley was hit behind the line for a 2-yard loss and a turnover on downs.
After taking over possession, the Spartans marched down the field but failed to capitalize as freshman kicker Matt Mercurio missed a 46-yard field goal.
After the miss, the tide seemed to be turning as Arkansas junior quarterback Nick Starkel completed a 62-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Mike Woods to even the score.
Two plays later, Love threw into double coverage and was picked off by Arkansas junior defensive back Kamren Curl.
The Spartans returned the favor on the first play of the second quarter as a Starkel pass was intercepted by senior linebacker Ethan Aguayo, who led the nation in tackles per game with 17 entering the game.
Aguayo’s pick gave the Spartans a short field, who found themselves in the end zone two plays later on a 15-yard burst by freshman backup quarterback Nick Nash.
On their next drive, Arkansas was once again stuffed on a fourth down opportunity as Starkel failed to pick up the needed yard with his legs.
Mercurio then made up for his miss by hitting an even longer field goal attempt of 47 yards to give the Spartans a 17-7 lead.
Their next offensive drive ended with another Love touchdown pass, this time to freshman wide receiver Isaiah Holiness that extended the lead to 17.
Arkansas was scrambling to get points on the board before half and had just passed midfield, before Starkel was picked off for the second time in the game, leaving the home fans stunned as the teams headed into the locker room.
The Razorbacks' first two offensive drives in the second half also ended in interceptions, one by junior safety Jay Lenard and one from sophomore cornerback Nehemiah Shelton.
With 5 minutes left in the third quarter, Arkansas hit a 48-yard field goal, the only score in the quarter, to cut the lead to 24-10.
The Spartan offense stalled while the Razorbacks offense finally woke up to score two touchdowns to tie the game at 24-24 with 2:56 to play.
Love completed three consecutive passes for first downs during the last drive.
Two of those passes were to junior wide receiver Tre Walker, the game's leading receiver with 12 catches and 161 yards.
Senior running back DeJon Packer then glided into the end zone on a 19-yard rush that proved to be the game winner.
On the last Arkansas possession, Starkel threw his fifth interception of the game on a heave downfield.
The pass was picked by junior safety Bobby Brown II, his second of the game.
Jubilation overtook the San Jose State sideline as it picked up its first win over a Power 5 conference since 2006.
After the game, head coach Brent Brennan spoke to his fired up players in the locker room.
“The only change between this week and two weeks ago is that you chose to believe,” Brennan said. “It got scary in the end, and then we made the plays we needed to make to win.”
