San Jose State’s quarterback shuffle comes up flat in loss at Colorado State

FORT COLLINS, CO – San Jose State switched quarterbacks five times but could never find an offensive rhythm as it lost its first conference game of the season on Saturday at Colorado State.

The 31-24 loss broke SJSU’s eight-game conference winning streak dating to last season.

SJSU (4-2, 2-1 Mountain West) tied the score just before halftime on an 85-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

“I thought we had a great week of practice, we didn’t play well and that starts with me and (the) coaches,” SJSU head coach Ken Niumatalolo said.

Colorado State (3-3, Mountain West 1-0) finally pulled away with 2:44 in the fourth quarter when Armani Winfield caught a ball from the line of scrimmage and ran it 62-yards to the end zone.

SJSU entered the game with question marks at quarterback. Starter Emmet Brown was benched the previous week against Nevada. Walker Eget sparked the comeback win that was capped by receiver Nick Nash’s TD pass with 50 seconds remaining.

Against the Rams, Eget once again came off the bench and led the team in passing, finishing 22-for-30 for 256 yards and an interception.

Brown started and played most of the first half, finishing the game 8-for-14 for 91 yards and a touchdown. The 27-yard TD pass to Nash on SJSU’s opening drive was the Spartans’ only score through the air.

“We got to go look at that, it’s hard sledding when you keep going back and forth,” Niumatalolo on quarterback constantly changing.

The Spartans also were flagged for 12 penalties for a loss of 103 yards.

“The disparity in penalties is a concern, I haven’t been in many games where it was that one-sided,” Niumatalolo said.

Colorado State did its damage on the ground rushing for 186 yards including a 23-yard scramble from Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi for a touchdown.

Fowler-Nicolosi finished 22-for-30 for 269 yards and a touchdown and an interception through the air.

San Jose State tied the score at 14 the next play when DJ Harvey returned a forced fumble 85-yards. Harvey also had a fourth quarter interception and seven tackles.

That fumble was one of several plays in a career day from defensive end John Ward. He accompanied the forced fumble with three tackles for loss and nine tackles overall, all career highs.

Colorado State’s Tory Horton injured his right leg during a tackle with 1:11 left in the first half and was helped to the locker room. Horton returned to the game and made one catch before permanently exiting.

Check back for more on this developing story.