Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Football Beat Reporter
Before San Jose State kicked off against Nevada, the team gathered at midfield to honor the recent passing of teammate Camdan McWright by forming a six, McWright’s number.
Rather than a moment of silence, Tina and Cleve McWright went a different route:
A moment of loud.
“We talked with the parents and they liked it,” said head coach Brent Brennan. “Really what would you rather do? Would you rather feel bad, sad and crappy or would you rather celebrate this awesome kid who tragically lost his life a week ago?”
Saturday night wasn’t marred by the freezing quiet and solemnity tragedy so often brings.
Instead, it was painted with thrills, electricity and last second heroics as SJSU football rallied late to beat Nevada 35-28 on homecoming night.
“I love this team and I love how they played for each other,” said Brennan. “I love how they kept believing when it didn’t look good.”
Nevada entered with a six-game losing streak riddled with lowly offensive performances, but it wasn’t reflected early on.
Quarterback Shane Illingworth opened the second half up with a 53-yard strike to B.J. Casteel to take a commanding 21-7 lead over the Spartans.
Casteel’s 149 total receiving yards marked the first time a Wolf Pack receiver went over the century mark.
From that point on SJSU outscored Nevada 28-7, taking its first lead of the game with 1:11 left on a Kairee Robinson two-yard scamper into the end zone.
“I saw the front side and I just took it,” said Robinson who finished with two rushing touchdowns. “It just felt good in the end zone knowing I did it for my brother [Camdan McWright].”
Robinson’s run capped off four straight touchdown drives to make up for a first half that produced seven points and -14 rushing yards while converting only 1 of 8 third downs plus a failed fourth down conversion.
“We fought to the very end,” said Cordeiro after passing for a career-high 340 passing yards. “We never lost hope and we were just feeding off of each other’s energy and came out with the dub.”
Cordeiro pushed past an underperforming running game with help from Elijah Cooks and Justin Lockhart. It was the duo’s first game since transferring from Nevada to San Jose this past winter to be reunited with former Wolf Pack wide receiver’s coach Eric Scott who has fulfilled the same position at SJSU since 2021.
“I’ve mentioned it leading up to the game. We were kind of like ‘Don’t let this be about that. Let it be about us. Don’t let it get to that.’ I thought they did a great job making plays,” said Brennan.
The pair combined for 14 catches, 170 yards and were targeted on 23 of Cordeiro’s 45 pass attempts. Their ability to draw five penalties for 54 yards also left a huge finger print on the game.
“They’re my guys … they help me out,” said Cordeiro. “They’re big, athletic guys, I just got to throw it up and they’ll grab it.”
The trio was needed big over the final stretch as SJSU’s defense was abnormally porous.
They entered the game fourth in the nation in points allowed per game (14.5) and allowed exactly double that.
But it was Cordeiro’s magic that pulled the Spartans back into the game after initially being down 21-7.
He then evened the score at 21 after floating a dime to Shamar Garrett in the corner of the end zone.
But Nevada didn’t let up in he slightest.
They scored the final seven of their 28 points on a painful, penalty infused drive in the fourth quarter.
Nevada kicker Matthew Killam missed a 46-yard field goal but a Soane Toia holding penalty gave the Wolf Pack an automatic first down.
After sacks on first and second down by Junior Fehoko and Alii Matau, Nehemiah Shelton was called for pass interference on an Illingworth heave to the endzone.
The costly penalty eventually set up Toa Taua for his third and final rushing touchdown of the game. Taua was the first player, quarterbacks included, to amass three touchdowns against SJSU in 2022.
After going down 28-21, Cordeiro spearheaded a game-winning drive with steady gains and connected with a variety of receivers which set up Robinson to march into the endzone and tie the game for the second time Saturday night.
Nevada countered with a three-and-out on their next drive and a shanked punt to put SJSU in the driver’s seat to win the game.
Cordeiro gladly took the keys and led a touchdown drive which all but sealed the Wolf Pack’s fate. SJSU’s defense just needed a stop.
The fire Nevada’s offense showed originally was initially stomped on from back-to-back sacks by Cade Hall who finished with four on the night, combining with Fehoko for seven on the night.
“It’s like a dream come true. We always joke about it every series. ‘Hey man, I’m going to race you to the quarterback,’” said Fehoko. “That’s all we were doing all night for four quarters, just racing to the quarterback.”
Alii Matau intercepted Illingworth on a 3rd-and-13 with 30 seconds remaining to squash those hopes into oblivion.
Brennan like many SJSU football fans, relished in the back and forth electricity.
“Like my man says in Gladiator, ‘Are you not entertained?’ Was that not one of the most entertaining games?'” said Brennan relishing in the electricity.
After a Cordeiro knee, SJSU football ended the night joined in arms proudly singing “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers.
“That Lean on Me song is a song we sing at the end of team meetings,” said Robinson. “Coach Brennan just emphasizes this team and sticking together so we always sing the song and the end of the game.”
SJSU football will face Colorado State next week with a chance to clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2020 Mountain West title season. It could also be the first time in school history SJSU goes to two bowl games in the span of three seasons.