San Jose State Spartans Shock Unbeaten Fresno State In Shootout, 62-52

Nov 29, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback David Fales (10) looks to throw a pass against the Fresno State Bulldogs in the third quarter at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans defeated the Bulldogs 62-52. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

What happened in San Jose may resign the Fresno State Bulldogs to Las Vegas … at best.

The San Jose State Spartans brought the Bowl Championship Series hopes of the previously unbeaten Bulldogs down with a thud Friday afternoon at Spartan Stadium as David Fales closed his home career by throwing for 543 yards and six touchdowns as San Jose State shocked Fresno State, 62-52.

The teams had the offense going on hyperdrive all day long, combining for 114 points, nearly 1,400 yards of total offense and almost 1,100 passing yards—including an almost incomprehensible 83 points in the first half alone, 48 of those just in the first quarter.

Yeah, it was that kind of a day.

But the Spartans outlasted the Bulldogs, handing Fresno State its first loss and dashing any hopes the Bulldogs had of a first-ever invitation to a BCS bowl, snapping a three-game losing streak, getting themselves bowl eligible in the process.

Fresno State will play in next weekend’s Mountain West championship game and with a win would likely get an invitation to the Las Vegas Bowl, which has first pick of the bowl-eligible teams from the conference.

The series resumed after taking a year off in 2012 after Fresno State moved from the Western Athletic Conference to the Mountain West Conference last season. With the WAC dropping football, San Jose State wound up in the MWC, as well, and the annual series will resume with both teams in the MWC’s West Division.

The game went back-and-forth for much of the first half, with the Spartans taking the lead for good with 18 second remaining in the second quarter when Fales connected with Chandler Jones for a 19-yard score.

It didn’t take long for the scoreboard to start smoking.

San Jose State (6-6, 5-3 Mountain West) opened the scoring with a 31-yard pass from Fales to Kyle Nunn just 2:23 into the game.

It took Fresno State (11-1, 7-1 Mountain West) just 32 seconds to find the end zone when they got the ball. Derek Carr, who threw for 519 yards and six touchdowns in a losing effort, threw deep to Davante Adams on the first play after the kickoff for a 46-yard gain to the Spartan 27 and on the next play went deep again, this time to Josh Harper for six. But six was all they got after Christian Tago broke through to block Colin McGuire’s extra-point attempt and the Spartans held a 7-6 lead.

The Spartans got the ball back and scored again on a 19-yard pass from Fales to Jones for a 14-6 lead just 6:22 into the contest. Fresno State answered with a six-play, 84-yard drive capped by a Carr to Adams sideline pass for a 23-yard touchdown to make it 14-13.

And, hey, more than half of the first quarter was already gone.

The teams traded punts, proving that there were—in fact—defenses on the field before Fresno State got the game’s first break. Jones caught a pass from Fales over the middle, but Kyrie Wilson stripped the ball away from the Spartan wideout and Jeremiah Toma recovered for the Bulldogs at their own 48 yard line.

Three plays later, helped by a pass interference penalty, Carr threw to Adams for a four-yard touchdown and Fresno State had its first lead 20-14.

San Jose State went bold.

Fales went long to Nunn for a 75-yard score after a touchback on the kickoff and in one play and 10 seconds, the Spartans were back on top 21-20.

The Bulldogs, of course, had an answer, as Carr and Adams hooked up for their third touchdown combination of the quarter, this one for 32 yards to cap an 83-yard sprint (it’s hard to call it a drive when they go so fast) for a 27-21 lead with 13 seconds left in the period.

Whew.

The lead switched again on the next possession. San Jose State went 75 yards in eight plays for another Fales-to-Jones touchdown hook up, this one a 38-yarder, and a 28-27 Spartan lead.

San Jose State forced a punt, but turned the ball over again on their next possession. Thomas Tucker caught a short pass, but coughed up the ball when he was hit by Curtis Riley. Todd Hunt pounced on the loose ball for Fresno State at its own 46, and scored their second touchdown off a turnover on a five-yard pass from Carr to Justin Johnson for a 34-28 edge.

The Spartans took the lead back on their next drive, capped by Fales’ sideline toss to Tyler Winston for a 16-yard score to make is 35-34. The Bulldogs response? A 21-yard touchdown pass from Carr to Isaiah Burse with 1:43 left in the half for a 41-35 edge.

Fales led a nifty two-minute drill—10 plays and 75 yards—capped by Fales’ 19-yard pass to Jones to close the first-half scoring festivities.

Fresno State very nearly got the last laugh of the half, but Akeem King was able to break up Carr’s Hail May to Adams as time expired.

San Jose State Ron Caragher then made the decision that changed the tide when he opened the second half with an onside kick. Kicker Harrison Waid ran down the kick and recovered it at the Spartan 48 and Fales cashed it in with a methodical 10-play, 52 yard drive that was capped by Tucker finding some room over the right side for a seven-yard score and a 49-41 San Jose State lead.

They would never trail again.

The beleaagued Spartan defense held on third-and-10 from their own 23 when they stopped Burse for a two-yard loss on a quick slant, forcing Fresno State to kick a 42-yard field goal to cut the lead to 49-44.

The Spartans answered with a 45-yard field goal by Austin Lopez to open the advantage back to eight and ended the third quarter up 52-44.

Fales scored on his own to cap another five-minute-plus drive, sneaking in from a yard out with 11:48 to go to give San Jose State the first two-possession lead of the day at 59-44.

Keith Smith picked off Carr on Fresno State’s next possession and the Spartans converted it into a 37-yard field goal from Lopez to lead 62-44.

Fresno State’s last gasp came on a one-yard touchdown run by Josh Quezada and a two-point conversion pass from Carr to Burse with 2:03 remaining to close to within 10 at 62-52.

But the Spartans recovered Fresno’s onside kick and ran out the clock for the stunning win.

Fales was 37-for-45 passing for 547 yards, while Carr finished 38-for-50 for 519 yards, but had the one interception. Fresno State only ran the ball 16 times, led by Quezada, who had 50 yards on seven carries. The Spartans, who controlled the ball for much of the second half and had a 39:23-20:37 edge for the game, got 65 yards on 17 attempts from Tucker.

Adams had a huge receiving day for the Bulldogs with 13 catches for 264 yards and three scores. The San Jose State receiving attack was more balanced, with eight different receivers making catches. Winston had 10 for 164 yards and a score, Nunn caught 10 for 160 yards and two touchdowns and Jones made eight grabs for 146 yards and three TDs.

San Jose State will now wait to see if it earns one of the Mountain West’s six bowl bids. The conference could, however, end up with eight bowl-eligible squads if Colorado State and Wyoming win on Saturday.

For Fresno State, they will either host Utah State or Boise State in the inaugural Mountain West Conference championship game at  7 p.m. Pacific next Saturday. Utah State is in with a win over Wyoming or a Boise State loss; Boise State needs a win against New Mexico and a Wyoming victory to reach the title game.