SAN JOSE — Emmett Brown threw three touchdown passes in his San Jose State debut, and sixth-year senior Nick Nash caught two touchdown passes and threw another to lead the Spartans to a 42-24 defeat of Sacramento State on Thursday night, giving Ken Niumatalolo a victory in his first game as the Spartans’ head coach.

The Spartans trailed 14-0 midway through the first quarter and didn’t take the lead for the first time until the third quarter against the Hornets, who play at the FCS level at CEFCU Stadium. They did, however, decide the game by scoring the final 21 points.

The game was stopped for nearly 11 minutes early in the fourth quarter after a terrifying collision left Hornets kickoff returner Michael Johnson motionless on the court. Johnson was conscious and raised his arms as he was wheeled off the court on a cart.

SJSU forced five turnovers in the second half to make up for a first-half upset against the Hornets, who were ranked No. 10 in the AFCA FCS coaches poll before the season.

Brown, a sophomore transfer from Washington State, was 20 of 34 for 298 yards. His primary target was Nash. He finished with 15 targets for 10 receptions, 170 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw a 26-yard TD pass to Jacob Stewart just before halftime as SJSU cut the deficit to 17-14.

Danny Scudero, an Archbishop Mitty graduate and the 2023 West Catholic Athletic League and Bay Area News Group Santa Clara County Player of the Year, caught a 20-yard TD pass late in the third quarter to put the Hornets ahead 24-21. But SJSU took the lead for good thanks to Floyd Chalk IV’s 4-yard TD run with 12:13 left in the game.

Johnson was injured on the ensuing kickoff. When play resumed, SJSU went 18 yards in four plays, capped by Brown’s 8-yard TD pass to Justin Lockhart

Chalk added a 27-yard scoring run with just over two minutes left to seal the win for Niumatalolo, Navy’s all-time wins leader. He replaced Brent Brennan after he left for Arizona after seven seasons and three bowl games at SJSU.

SJSU’s next game is the Mountain West opener at Air Force on Sept. 7.

Originally published: August 29, 2024 at 11:08 PM