NEVILLE E. GUARD / IMAGN IMAGES
San Jose State Spartans running back Steve Chavez-Soto (15) runs in for a touchdown against Hawaii Rainbow Warriors defensive back Devyn King (24) during the second quarter at CEFCU Stadium.
SAN JOSE, CALIF. >> Living up to its spread-and-shred nickname, San Jose State held on for a 45-38 victory over Hawaii tonight at CEFCU Stadium on the Spartans’ campus.
SJSU amassed 603 yards to earn its fifth win in a row over the Rainbow Warriors.
Spartans offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann is a former UH slotback who had two stints as a Warriors assistant coach. Stutzmann created an offense that features run-and-shoot concepts, Air Raid base and run-pass options.
The Spartans improved to 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the Mountain West. The Warriors, who already are bowl eligible, fell to 6-3 and 4-2. By losing for the first time in four games, the Warriors missed a chance to move into a second-place tie with Boise State. The two teams with the best Mountain West records meet in the league’s championship game.
In a frenetic comeback, Landon Sims scored on a 2-yard run and Jackson Harris made a leaping catch in the end zone to close the Warriors within 38-35 with 9:32 to play.
But on their ensuing possession, the Spartans drove 75 yards in seven plays to regain a double-digit cushion with 5:37 to play. Steven Chavez-Soto’s third scoring run capped the drive.
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UH’s Kansei Matsuzawa added a 24-yard field goal with 1:16 to play to close the gap to 45-38. But Matsuzawa’s ensuing onside kick went out of bounds.
Named after the Chuck Norris television character Cordell Walker, San Jose State quarterback Walker Eget was a dynamic force in leading the Spartans to a 31-14 lead at the intermission.
Eget was 13-for-30 — there were six drops — but amassed 290 passing yards in the first half. He averaged 22.3 yards per first-half completion.
Danny Scudero added to his national lead in receiving yards, compiling 150 on five first-half catches. Scudero’s 43-yard reception set up Lamar Radcliffe’s 2-yard scoring run to extend the Spartans’ lead to 21-7.
After UH answered with Micah Alejado and Jackson Harris collaborating on a 68-yard, catch-and-dash touchdown, Scudero reinstated the Spartans’ two-touchdown lead. Scudero caught a 50-yard TD from Eget to make it 28-14.
Mathias Brown’s first field goal of the season, from 24 yards, completed the first-half scoring.
The Warriors committed seven penalties in the first half, including four offsides infractions. Back-to-back offsides gave the Spartans a first down without making a snap.