By Ernie Gonzalez — Editor
Two San Jose State Spartans were given Mountain-West recognition Monday morning as they were honored as the conference’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week.
Quarterback Josh Love, who completed 32 of 49 passes for 402 yards and junior defensive back Bobby Brown, who snagged his second and third interceptions as a Spartan both played a pivotal role in a 31-24 victory against Arkansas.
Both Love and Brown displayed some late, road-game poise that night.
After Arkansas tied the game at 24 with just under six minutes to play, Love was given the keys to the car.
What was a beat-up, old, rusty pickup truck for years magically transformed into an Aston Martin of an offense.
With seven plays, Love engineered a drive that lasted 2:55 and sped down Donald W. Reynolds’ Stadium illegally for 80 yards and a game-winning score.
Brown, on the sideline, took note of Love’s clutch gene and replicated it.
Arkansas head coach Chad Morris stuck with Nick Starkel to lead his team on the final drive of the game with hopes to tie it at 31 with 2:56 left in regulation.
On the first play of that possession however, the ball that left the hands of Starkel ended up in the hands of Brown.
Two players with two crucial late-game moments.
It is only the second time in Love’s career that he’s clocked in 400 passing yards. The first was against Hawaii at home last year in a game that lasted five overtimes.
It was the first time in the senior’s career with more than 30 completed passes in a contest.
Brown, who made just his fourth start as a Spartan versus the Razorbacks, came away with two of the most important plays on defense that night.
The defense totaled five interceptions, but Brown’s late-game heroics made the difference.
Love, Brown and the 2-1 Spartans are forecasted for a short week, as they travel to Colorado Springs Thursday for a 5 p.m. game versus Air Force Academy.
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