An interception by San Jose State senior linebacker Jordan Cobbs with 2:26 left in the game sealed SJSU’s first win at Air Force in program history, a 17-7 victory over the Falcons.
Junior linebacker Jordan Pollard led SJSU’s defense with a career-high 17 total tackles. The Spartans defense held the Falcons to 3-for-15 on third-down conversions.
“That was as suffocating of an effort that I’ve ever had against them and that’s a credit to (defensive coordinator Derrick) Odum, the mastermind of that plan,” SJSU head coach Ken Niumatalolo said postgame. “Our defense man, they played lights out,” he added.
Nick Nash picked up from where he left off last week, with an 18-yard touchdown reception to put the Spartans on the board first.
An interception thrown by SJSU quarterback Emmett Brown would set up Air Force’s equalizer as Falcons wide receiver Cade Harris would stumble into the end zone on a pitch for six yards on fourth-and-2.
The Spartans responded with a 58-yard touchdown by tight end Jackson Canaan, taking back the lead 14-7.
Both teams were kept scoreless in the second and third quarter. Air Force, coming off three straight Bowl Game wins, has earned a reputation for winning hard-fought games. Niumatalolo, who coached the Naval Academy from 2007-2022, is familiar with the style of play.
“To come here and to beat Air Force here is monumental,” Niumatalolo said. “They’re hard to beat here. This is a hard, hard, hard team to beat anywhere but at home it’s even harder.”
SJSU had 312 total yards on offense with only 50 coming on the ground.
“We could play against any defense,” said Brown, the Spartans quarterback. “It’s just understanding we got to do what we do every play, making the right decisions, making the right throws,”
A fourth-quarter field goal by senior Kyler Halverson gave SJSU a two-score lead.
Offensive lineman and captain Marist Talavoa was disqualified after a targeting penalty in the 3rd quarter with 3:24 left when the Spartans were backed up into their own half.
Talavoa will also miss the first half of SJSU’s next game due to disqualification in the second half.
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