Spartans Beat Louisiana Tech in a 52-43 Shootout
By Eric He
Nov 24, 2012; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose State Spartans running back De
The San Jose State Spartans finished off their 2012 season with a thrilling 52-43 win over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. This is their first 10-win season in 25 years and just about guarantees them a bowl game.
David Fales had another outstanding game under center for the Spartans, throwing three touchdowns on 25/37 passing for 367 yards. De’Leon Eskridge rushed for three touchdowns himself to spark the running game for San Jose State.
As you can tell from the final score, neither team had even a semblance of productive defense, which might have been disappointing to the respective defensive coordinators, but was an extremely entertaining game for the fans.
The Spartans jumped out to an early 10-0 lead thanks to a field goal and a perfectly thrown, 42-yard pass from Fales to Hansel Wilson, who carried it in stride into the end zone.
The teams would trade touchdowns twice. Kenneth Dixon ran it in from eight yards (PAT failed) and Malon Lee caught a 15-yard pass for the Bulldogs, while Fales and Ryan Otten connected on an 18-yard strike and Eskridge scored his first touchdown of the day to put the Spartans up 24-13.
But Louisiana Tech put two unanswered touchdowns on the board to end the half up 27-24.
The second half was much of the same, with both teams trading scores at a ferocious pace. Eskridge had a very impressive 32-yard run for a touchdown that put the Spartans up 38-37 heading into the fourth quarter.
The final frame was dominated by San Jose State, energized by their home crowd and sensing a bowl game in the near future. Eskridge finished off a 56-yard drive by pounding it in from a yard out to put the Spartans up by eight.
But the Bulldogs came right back on an impressive drive of their own, ending with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Colby Cameron to Quinton Patton. However, the two-point conversion failed in an attempt to tie the game up at 45-45. Cameron finished 38/59 for 468 yards and three touchdowns.
San Jose State would capitalize on their ensuing drive. Fales led them down the field and threw a jump ball to the end zone that was caught by Jabari Carr for a touchdown that put the Spartans up 52-43 with under seven minutes to play.
Based on the way the game had gone, you might think that Louisiana Tech had plenty of time and opportunities to come back.
But the Bene Benwikere and the Spartan defense would have none of it. Benwikere intercepted Cameron twice on the Bulldogs’ final possessions to close out the game for good.
With the win, San Jose State finishes the season with an impressive 10-2 record, which will more than likely send them to a bowl game.