SAN JOSE, Calif. - A rare night to cherish for the San Jose State football team began with a bus ride through fan-clogged streets and ended with those same faithful dancing on the field at Spartan Stadium.
Chandler Jones scored touchdowns three different ways, the last on a 37-yard pass from Matt Faulkner with 36 seconds remaining, and San Jose State rallied to beat the University of Hawaii 28-27 on Friday in a wild game with six turnovers by each team.
Fans stormed the field in celebration, and players and coaches danced along with them. A year after winning only once, the Spartans (3-4, 2-1 Western Athletic Conference) have reason to celebrate.
Article Photos
Hawaii’s Royce Pollard fumbles as he is hit by San Jose State’s Duke Ihenacho and Vince Buhagiar closes in during the second quarter of the Spartans’ 28-27 win over the Warriors on Friday.
AP photo
"It was just a magical night for San Jose State," said second-year coach Mike MacIntyre, whose team has won three of its last four games.
The Warriors (3-3, 1-1) gave the ball away five times in the first half. The Spartans committed all six of their turnovers in the second half.
"This was an exciting game for the fans but not real exciting for the coaches," said UH coach Greg McMackin.
Fact Box
WAC Standings
| Conference | Overall | |||||||
| W | L | PF | PA | W | L | PF | PA | |
| Nevada | 1 | 0 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 118 | 148 |
| Fresno St. | 1 | 0 | 48 | 24 | 2 | 4 | 160 | 219 |
| SJSU | 2 | 1 | 76 | 68 | 3 | 4 | 140 | 212 |
| Hawaii | 1 | 1 | 71 | 54 | 3 | 3 | 213 | 165 |
| La. Tech | 1 | 1 | 50 | 55 | 2 | 4 | 169 | 177 |
| Utah St. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 213 | 140 |
| NMSU | 0 | 1 | 24 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 128 | 143 |
| Idaho | 0 | 2 | 35 | 72 | 1 | 5 | 121 | 176 |
Friday's Result
San Jose St. 28, Hawaii 27
Today's Games (HST)
New Mexico at Nevada, 10:05 a.m.
Idaho at New Mexico St., 2 p.m.
Utah St. at Fresno St., 4 p.m.
Joey Iosefa's 32-yard touchdown run with 11:46 remaining put UH ahead 27-20. Travis Johnson blocked the extra point, however, and Duke Ihenacho overcame a cramp and returned the ball the other way for two points.
The Warriors had a chance at the end, but one last lob to the end zone by Bryant Moniz sailed incomplete just short of the goal line as time expired.
Moniz threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns, but had three passes picked off, two of them on consecutive attempts. Moniz had a streak of 152 attempts without throwing an interception.
Jones also ran for a touchdown and returned a fumble by Scott Harding for a score on kickoff coverage. The redshirt sophomore had only one touchdown in his career coming into the game, which came last year at Wisconsin.
"It was kind of like the cycle," Jones said.
Faulkner threw for a career-high 366 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions in front of a rare national television audience and a crowd of 24,643, the largest of the season at cozy Spartan Stadium.
The student section piled onto the field when time expired, and other fans joined in the celebration.
While it wasn't always the prettiest performance, the Spartans were never dull.
"It's surreal for our team," Faulkner said. "It's what we've desired. It's where we want to get. We got a taste of it. We want more."
The Spartans' bus avoided a crowded highway and took a different path to the game through the streets of San Jose. The crowds of people walking down the roads delayed the bus and had players giddy even before they arrived, ready for a packed stadium that is usually filled with empty seats.
Jeremiah Ostrowski caught a 19-yard scoring pass and Iosefa ran 2 yards for a touchdown to give the Warriors a 21-20 lead in the third quarter, stunning the home crowd that included Krazy George Henderson, credited for starting "The Wave" cheer 30 years ago this week.
Hawaii started strong with an 80-yard drive capped by Royce Pollard's 16-yard touchdown catch from Moniz for a 7-0 lead.
Kaniela Tuipulotu of Lahaina had five tackles for the Warriors, two for losses. Offensive lineman Andrew Faaumu, also of Lahaina, played, but for the first time this year did not start.
Hawaii ............... 7 ..... 0 ..... 14 ..... 6-27
San Jose St. ..... 0 ..... 20 ..... 0 ..... 8-28
First Quarter
Haw-Pollard 16 pass from Moniz (Chun kick), 2:53.
Second Quarter
SJS-C. Jones 20 run (Alvernik kick), 14:51.
SJS-FG Alvernik 32, 10:46.
SJS-FG Alvernik 19, 4:10.
SJS-C.Jones 23 fumble return (Alvernik kick), 4:01.
Third Quarter
Haw-Ostrowski 19 pass from Moniz (Chun kick), 6:38.
Haw-Iosefa 2 run (Chun kick), 1:25.
Fourth Quarter
Haw-Iosefa 32 run (kick blocked), 11:46.
SJS-2-point defensive conversion by Ihenacho, 11:46.
SJS-C.Jones 37 pass from Faulkner (run failed), :36.
A-24,643.
......................................Haw .............SJS
First downs .................. 19 .............. 22
Rushes-yards ............... 17-142 ..... 40-103
Passing .......................... 303 ........... 366
Comp-Att-Int .................. 27-46-3 .... 27-41-3
Return Yards ................... 7 ............. 30
Punts-Avg. ....................... 4-40.5 ..... 2-43.0
Fumbles-Lost ................... 3-3 .......... 4-3
Penalties-Yards ............. 4-17 ......... 6-45
Time of Possession ..... 25:11 ........ 34:49
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Hawaii, Iosefa 7-81, Moniz 8-64, Jackson 2-(minus 3). San Jose St., Rutley 25-70, Ervin 8-30, C.Jones 1-20, B.Thompson 1-8, Team 1-(minus 2), Faulkner 4-(minus 23).
PASSING-Hawaii, Moniz 27-46-3-303. San Jose St., Faulkner 27-41-3-366.
RECEIVING-Hawaii, Stutzmann 7-104, Pollard 6-87, Ostrowski 4-40, Sampson 4-31, Clapp 3-20, Iosefa 2-18, Paclebar 1-3. San Jose St., Grigsby 12-126, Rutley 4-70, C.Jones 3-65, Otten 3-45, Nunn 2-13, Carr 1-37, P.Tuitupou 1-8, Ervin 1-2.
