San Jose State rallies for emotional 35-28 win over Nevada

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.

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