Southern Utah Struggles Offensively In Season Opening Loss To San Jose State
Aug 28, 2021, 11:34 PM
No. 8 Southern Utah hosts Weber State in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 at 6 p.m. MT in Cedar City. (Courtesy of Deseret News)
(Courtesy of Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Southern Utah Thunderbirds couldn’t get things going offensively as they fell to San Jose State 45-14 in the season opener.
Justin Miller completed 15 of his 29 pass attempts for 117 yards. Southern Utah struggled on the offensive side of the ball as one of their TD’s came on a pick six. The Thunderbirds had less than 250 total yards of offense.
Nick Starkel threw for 394 yards and four touchdowns, while running in another score for the Spartans.
The Thunderbirds fall in their opener to FBS opponent SJSU. 🏈
FINAL @SUUFB_ 14@SanJoseStateFB 45
Southern Utah’s next game is against No. 25 Arizona State on September 2. ⚡️#TBirdNation #StormTheSky #BigSkyFB @SUUThunderbirds
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 29, 2021
On the opening drive, the Spartans were able to drive down the field and score pretty quick to take a 7-0 lead. Southern Utah was able to get into field goal range and Carson Reed attempted his first ever field goal in college football but San Jose State blocked it.
San Jose State capitalized on the blocked kick and Nick Starkel threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Braddock to give the Spartans a 14-0 lead with 4:19 remaining in the first quarter. Southern Utah got the ball back but stalled out on the drive which led to a 12-yard rushing TD by Tyler Nevens to give SJSU a 21-0 lead with 42 seconds left in the first quarter.
When SUU punted the ball away again, San Jose’s returner dropped the ball and the Thunderbirds recovered it. Later in the second quarter, SUU attempted another field goal and it was blocked once again. But SJSU couldn’t capitalize. When the Thunderbirds got the ball back, they ran Philly Special with Judd Crockett throwing a seven-yard TD pass to quarterback Justin Miller. The Spartans’ lead was 21-7 with 10:58 until halftime.
The Thunderbirds’ first points of the season come on a Philly Special trick play. 👀⚡️@SUUFB_ 7@SanJoseStateFB 21
10:58 2Q#TBirdNation #StormTheSky #BigSkyFB @SUUThunderbirdspic.twitter.com/CCOzaLJsdM
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 29, 2021
Shortly after SUU scored, San Jose State came right back and found the end zone which gave them a 28-7 lead with 10:33 remaining in the first half. Almost three minutes later, San Jose State found the end zone again, this time it was a 65-yard TD pass from Starkel to Charles Ross to give the Spartans a 35-7 lead with 7:45 left in the second quarter.
The Thunderbirds caught a break late in the second quarter when Starkel threw an interception to Kobe Singleton, who made a house call from 18-yards out. The Spartans’ lead was cut to 35-14 with 3:53 to go until halftime.
San Jose State didn’t fold after that play. They were able to make a field goal to put their lead to 38-14 with 1:12 left in the second quarter.
Five minutes into the third quarter, Starkel found Derrick Deese Jr. for a 14-yard touchdown and the lead expanded to 45-14 with 9:45 remaining in the quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Starkel left the game and the backup QB was inserted and the game coasted from that point.
Southern Utah dropped their record to 0-1 on the season. They will have a short turnaround as they will head to Tempe to face the Arizona State Sun Devils on Thursday, September 2 at 8:30 p.m. MDT on the Pac-12 Network.
