Photo: SJSU Athletics
By Jarra Gojolo — Senior Content Editor
San Jose State football’s loss column looks just like CEFCU Stadium: empty.
Nick Starkel threw for 226 yards and two scores on Saturday as the Spartans beat Air Force in the season opener, 17-6.
Neither team had control of the first half, but Air Force was the closest one to it, dominating possession and rushing for 127 yards.
SJSU’s defense bent, a lot, but managed to hold the Falcons scoreless for the first two quarters.
“I couldn’t be happier,” said head coach Brent Brennan about his defense’s performance.
The defining moment in the first half was SJSU’s epic goal line stand to deny Air Force first blood. After a Haaziq Daniels 17-yard pass to bring the Falcons within striking distance, the Spartans stonewalled all four rushing attempts to end the threat.
The Spartans were able to find their offensive groove in the second half, sparked in part by their biggest addition.
Starkel linked up with wide receiver Bailey Gaither for a 52-yard completion to shock life into the Spartans offense. With the Spartans in the red zone, it only took a couple plays for Starkel to find tight end Derrick Deese Jr. in the back of the end zone for his first of two scores.
The former SEC quarterback said the game began to slow down for him as he settled in.
“Just went back to the basics, what we’ve been preparing,” Starkel said. “That’s what got me back into that groove.”
He spread his 167 second-half passing yards among six receivers including the aforementioned Deese, whose second TD grab was arguably the biggest play of his career.
His grab in the corner of the end zone was initially ruled out of bounds. But a referee conference — and some persuasion from Deese — overturned the call and gave him the score.
“Tony Toe Taps, that’s what they’re going to call me now,” Deese said after the game.
With SJSU’s first game in the books, they now look to a Halloween matchup with New Mexico that may not happen due to the latter’s local COVID-19 restrictions.
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