October 27th 2024.
The Fresno State Bulldogs were on fire during their homecoming game against the San Jose State Spartans, earning themselves a well-deserved 33-10 victory and the coveted Valley Trophy. Quarterback Mikey Keene was in top form, completing an impressive 17 out of 18 passes and ending the night with 30 completions out of 41 attempts for a total of 275 yards and four touchdowns. The Bulldogs have been dominating the Spartans at home since 2016, and this game was no exception.
On the other side, the Spartans had a rough game with three different quarterbacks throwing interceptions. Each time, the coaches immediately switched to a different quarterback, hoping for a better outcome. Head coach Ken Niumatalolo expressed his disappointment, stating, "Our worst game of the season and it had to be against our rivals. We're just not in sync right now."
Fresno State's sophomore receiver, Jalen Moss, was a key player for the Bulldogs, catching six passes for 85 yards and scoring two touchdowns. One of his standout moments was during the second quarter, when he made an incredible catch through contact, spun away from his defender, and ran all the way to the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown. This gave the Bulldogs a 10-7 lead, which they maintained for the rest of the game. Unfortunately, Moss was injured in the fourth quarter and had to sit out the remainder of the game.
Spartans linebacker Jordan Cobbs credited the Bulldogs for coming out strong and executing their game plan. He also mentioned the impact of the crowd, stating, "The key moments of the game, the crowd really played a factor. Kudos to Fresno." The Spartans did have some promising moments, particularly in the third quarter when they started to put together a solid drive. However, Fresno's Al'zillion Hamilton intercepted a pass from Spartans quarterback Emmett Brown and returned it 78 yards, crushing any hopes of a comeback.
Speaking of the Spartans' quarterbacks, Walker Eget started the game and finished with 14 completions out of 31 attempts for 202 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He admitted that despite feeling prepared, the team fell short. Eget, Brown, and Xavier Ward all saw playing time in the second half, but each one threw an interception that ultimately got them benched. Coach Niumatalolo explained, "We're just trying to find a spark. We have some problems that we need to fix quickly."
Fresno State's Cam Lockridge capitalized on the Spartans' turnovers and had an impressive game, recording his third career multi-interception game. The Spartans' only touchdown came in the opening drive, with Eget connecting with Nick Nash for his 12th touchdown of the season, the most in the nation. However, the rest of the game proved to be a struggle for the Spartans, as they lost focus and couldn't seem to find their rhythm.
With this loss, the Spartans now have two conference losses and are yet to face their toughest opponents, nationally ranked Boise State and UNLV. In other college sports news, the San Jose State volleyball team has been making headlines, with several teams choosing to boycott their matches due to a controversy surrounding a transgender player. The Mountain West conference has even made the decision to move SJSU's upcoming match out of concern for the players' well-being.
The Spartans will now have a bye week before facing off against Oregon State on November 9th. A win in this game will guarantee them bowl eligibility. The team's only other matchup against a Pac-12 opponent this season was a close one, with the Spartans losing 54-52 in double overtime to Washington State.
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