San Jose State’s bowl hopes die on 5-yard line
Quarterback Josh Love was intercepted four times, the last coming five yards from the endzone in the final seconds Saturday, and the San Jose State Spartans lost 38-35 at Nevada-Las Vegas.
The loss will prevent SJSU (4-7) from qualifying for a bowl game. The Spartans needed to win their final two games, and this one certainly seemed winnable. UNLV entered the game 0-6 in the Mountain West, losing by an average of three touchdowns.
But San Jose State found itself down 21-6 in the second quarter after three consecutive drives ended with Love throwing an interception. The senior quarterback, a hero so many times this season, was on his way to doing it again.
Three touchdowns, two by air, put the Spartans ahead 28-24 after three quarters.
When UNLV regained the lead 31-28 after an SJSU fumble, Love brought the Spartans right back. Jump-started by a 40-yard kickoff return from Isaiah Holiness, Love engineered a 50-yard drive that included a fourth-down conversion and concluded with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Tre Walker for a 35-31 lead.
On the first play after UNLV scored to make it 38-35, Love connected with Isaiah Hamilton for an 80-yard play that put the Spartans at the UNLV 12. A penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct pushed SJSU back to the 27, but the Spartans had first-and-goal from the 8.
On third-and-goal from the 5, Love’s pass was tipped at the line and ended up in the hands of UNLV defensive lineman Kolo Uasike, simultaneously ending the game and the Spartans’ postseason chances