Colorado State Rams vs San Jose State Spartans Football Recap

San Jose State 38, Colorado State 31

What’s more surprising than a win for the San Jose State Spartans? Try two wins in a row for the San Jose State Spartans. What’s more surprising than two straight wins in a row for the Sons of Silicon Valley? How about this: SJSU managed to walk into an enemy lair and dig out a road win against a team that had just pulled off a ballsy escape on the road the week before against Utah State, a team that took Auburn to the wire in the state of Alabama?

Are you following all this? Is it all too confusing? Yes, it’s a head-spinning reality, but it’s true: San Jose State beat the team that beat Utah State. The Spartans, who have known little else but misery over the past four years of their worn-down existence, have somehow found the fortitude needed to win back-to-back games, with the second conquest coming away from home. Coach Mike McIntyre lost 15 of his first 16 games as San Jose State’s coach. Now he’s won two in a row.

Anything is possible in the world of college football. For the team that San Jose State defeated, the notion of “possibility” is anything but positive or hopeful.

It is safe to say that Colorado State has underperformed this season, despite its 3-2 record. A week after backing into a fortunate win at Utah State, the Rams fell on their home field Saturday to San Jose State, one of the worst teams of the last few years in college football. At no point did the Rams lead in the game, and the Spartans left Fort Collins with a 38-31 win.

Colorado State did fight back from a late-third-quarter deficit to make it a ballgame. San Jose State took a 31-17 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter after a 12-play, 88-yard drive ended when Matt Faulkner found Ryan Otten in the endzone for a ten-yard touchdown pass. After the Rams went three-and-out, Momo Thomas intercepted Faulkner to get the ball back. On the next play, Pete Thomas threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Coffman to keep Colorado State in the game.

After the interception and quick score, the Rams seemed to be seizing momentum, tying the game at 31-31 on its next drive when Thomas ran in a touchdown to end a quick eight-play, 80-yard drive. The momentum continued when Faulkner fumbled away San Jose State’s next possession at midfield. But, the Rams could not capitalize. With the game winding down, Faulkner led San Jose State on a 70-yard scoring drive to claim the 38-31 win with under a minute left. The Rams’ attempted answer failed when Thomas was picked off on a desperation throw at the San Jose State ten-yard line.

The win marked the first time San Jose State posted back-to-back wins since October of 2008. Thomas finished 28-43 for 387 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in the loss for CSU. Unimpressive even in wins, Colorado State will have a bye week to regroup before hosting Boise State in two weeks.

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By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer