SAN JOSE — San Jose State took back the Battle for the Valley trophy on Saturday night in a dominating performance that sent a sea of red-clad Bulldogs fans filing out of Spartan Stadium well before the Spartans’ 42-18 victory was officially over.
Kairee Robinson rushed for a career-high 200 yards and scored two touchdowns, and quarterback Chevan Cordeiro completed 9 of 18 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns to lead SJSU over their rivals for the first time since 2019.
With the win, the Spartans reach .500 for the first time this season (5-5, 4-2 Mountain West) and are now just one win away from becoming bowl eligible with two games remaining: at home next weekend against San Diego State and at UNLV to end the regular season.
The Spartans got rolling early and midway through the second quarter had built a 28-3 lead over the Bulldogs (8-2, 4-2 MW).
Cordeiro threw all three of his TD passes before halftime. The first went to Malikhi Miller on a 25-yard throw over the middle to put SJSU up 7-0. The second went to Isaac Jernagin on a seven-yard slant, giving SJSU a 14-0 lead.
Fresno State entered the game atop the Mountain West standings, but now trails Air Force and UNLV (each at 5-1 in conference play) by one game and dropped into a three-way tie for third with SJSU and Boise State.
The Bulldogs totaled just 157 yards of total offense and quarterback Mikey Keene was intercepted early in the first quarter by SJSU linebacker Matthew Tago.
With 4:48 left in the second quarter, SJSU cornerback D.J. Harvey laid a big hit on Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene after Keene tried to scramble for a first down. The hit forced Keene out of the game and backup Logan Fife took over for Fresno State.
The Spartans went into halftime with a 28-10 lead.
Just when it looked like Fresno State was driving down the field, SJSU cornerback Michael Dansby intercepted a Fife pass and took it 98 yards for a touchdown to give SJSU a 35-10 lead five minutes into the third quarter.
Robinson tied the single-season rushing touchdown record after taking a handoff five yards to the endzone to put SJSU up 42-10 in the fourth quarter.
SJSU’s defense allowed 308 yards of total offense and forced two turnovers.
SJSU will play its last home game of the season next Saturday when San Diego State comes into town. SDSU (3-7, 1-5 MW) lost at Colorado State 22-19 earlier Saturday.
