SAN JOSE — With non-stop rain pelting at CEFCU Stadium, San Jose State lost to UNLV 27-16 on Friday night after the Rebels held the Spartans scoreless in the second half.
UNLV tapped into its run game to flood SJSU’s defense in the third and fourth quarters with a 25-yard rushing touchdown by running back Jai’Den Thomas and a seven-yard rushing touchdown by running back Kylin James.
The first half had plenty of ugly moments. From a 13-yard punt by SJSU, a missed 52-yard field goal by UNLV, a bad snap that went minus-29 yards that Spartans quarterback Walker Eget attempted to jump on but missed and a botched snap for a UNLV punt that went 47 yards back, there were a lot of mistakes on the rain-soaked field
Throughout all the mishaps, SJSU was able to escape the first half with a 16-10 lead on the back of a 40-yard pick-six by defensive back Isiah Revis and a 33-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Matthew Coleman, his first of the season.
The Spartans offense, known for its passing, finished with a season-low 81 yards through the air.
Eget only had four passes complete on 22 attempts.
SJSU’s next game is scheduled for 1 p.m. next Friday at home against Stanford, a renewal of the Bill Walsh Legacy Game. It will mark the first football matchup between the South Bay universities since 2013.