[NEVADA ATHLETICS RELEASE]
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Chevan Cordeiro passed for 340 yards and two touchdowns, Kairee Robinson ran for two big scores and San Jose State rallied for an emotional 35-28 victory over Nevada on Saturday night.
San Jose State postponed its football game last weekend after freshman running back Camdan McWright was killed when he was hit by a school bus while riding a scooter near campus. SJSU started tonight's game by forming a 6 on the field in honor of McWright, who wore the number.
Toa Taua had two touchdown runs to stake Nevada to a 14-7 lead at the half.
The Wolf Pack's lead grew to 21-7 just 2:02 into the third quarter when Shane Illingworth connected with BJ Casteel for a 53-yard touchdown. Cordeiro answered with a 2-yard touchdown run and a 14-yard scoring toss to Shamar Garrett to pull San Jose State (5-2, 3-1 Mountain West Conference) even at 21-all.
Taua's third touchdown run — a 5-yarder — gave Nevada (2-7, 0-5) a 28-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. Kairee Robinson answered for San Jose State with a 2-yard scoring run to knot the score with 6:29 left to play. Two pass interference calls on Nevada's Isaiah Essissima kept the Spartans' drive alive.
After a 13-yard kickoff return and an offside penalty gave Nevada the ball on their own 8-yard line, the Spartans defense forced a three-and-out. A 25-yard punt gave San Jose State the ball on the Wolf Pack 42. Six plays later Robinson ran it in from 5 yards out and the Spartans led for the first time with 1:10 left.
Cade Hall had back-to-back sacks for SJSU and Alii Matau picked off Illingworth on third-and-13 to seal the victory.
Cordeiro completed 33 of 45 passes for the Spartans. He hit Dominick Mazotti for a 10-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Robinson finished with 40 yards on 11 carries.
Illingworth passed for 223 yards, completing 18 of 29 attempts, for the Wolf Pack.
Postgame Notes
San José State 35, Nevada 28
Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022
San Jose, Calif. - CEFCU Stadium - Home of the Spartans
• Nevada (2-7, 0-5 MW) fell, 35-28, Saturday night against San José State.
• Nevada wore all-white for the second time this season, and is now 1-1 in that uniform combo (Aug. 27 at New Mexico State).
• Nevada made its 17th takeaway of the season on Dom Peterson’s strip-sack and recovery in the first quarter.
• Nevada’s offense drove for a touchdown following Peterson’s fumble recovery ... Nevada has now converted 11 of its 17 takeaways into points, with eight of those 11 conversions being touchdowns.
• The Wolf Pack defense made a season-high five sacks, led by two from William Green.
• Nevada’s 7-0 lead after Toa Taua’s one-yard scoring run in the first quarter ended a stretch of 343 minutes, 12 seconds of game time in which the Wolf Pack had not held a lead.
• Nevada’s last lead before going up 7-0 was leading Incarnate Word, 17-16, in the second quarter, Sept. 10.
• Running back Toa Taua matched his career high with three rushing touchdowns (Sept. 22, 2018) ... posted his fourth game this season with at least two rushing touchdowns ... for his career, it is his seventh game with at least two rushing TDs.
• Taua extended his career-best season total for rushing touchdowns to nine.
• WR BJ Casteel finished with 7 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown, posting Nevada’s first 100-yard receiving game of the season.
• WR Dalevon Campbell set career highs in receptions (eight) and receiving yards (79).
• QB Shane Illingworth threw for a season-high 223 yards while going 18-for-29 with a touchdown pass.
