SAN JOSE, Calif. — It’s been said that everyone’s entitled to one good scare on Halloween.
San Jose State gave New Mexico one Saturday.
Despite quarterback Toa Fa’avae’s three-interception game and a late Spartans rally, the Lobos gritted out a 21-16 Halloween win at CEFCU Stadium, the program’s longtime house of horrors.
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In doing so, UNM (7-1, 4-0) snapped a 57-year losing streak at San Jose State (4-5, 2-3). Entering Saturday, the Lobos had last beat the Spartans on their home field on Nov. 1, 1969.
With 10:57 left, Fa’avae (9-for-14, 101 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions) threw his third and final interception of the day to safety Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa, who returned it 89 yards for a score. That play made it 21-16, a lead UNM defended with Jayden Flaker’s fourth-quarter interception and a pivotal turnover on downs with 1:23 remaining.
Safety Austin Brawley picked off Spartan quarterback Luke Weaver’s (16-for-23, 190 yards, 2 interceptions) last pass with 11 seconds left to ice the game for the Lobos.
Fa’avae was picked off twice in the second quarter, throwing his first to safety Brian Dukes Jr. His second interception came on a deflected pass, one linebacker Dylan Lee caught to give the Spartans another short field.
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UNM’s defense held San Jose State to Trajan Sinatra field goals after each interception, setting up a 14-9 halftime edge for the Lobos.
Running back Scottre Humphrey (87 yards) scored both of UNM’s first half touchdowns.
Turning point: Ugly as the end of the first half was — and really, the end of the game —the start of the second was plenty good for UNM. The Lobos stopped San Jose State on their first drive of the third quarter before ripping off a 9-play, 89-yard march down the field, one capped by Fa’avae’s 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cade Keith.
That drive didn’t quite ice the game, but it gave UNM the breathing room it needed to survive Tagovailoa-Amosa’s nearly-backbreaking pick six.
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Add-ons: Starting center Kaden Robnett was injured on UNM’s first drive of the day and missed the rest of the game with what appeared to be a lower body injury. Malik Aliane filled in for Robnett the rest of the game … After managing no turnovers through UNM’s first four games, Fa’avae has thrown seven interceptions over his last four games … San Jose State announced a crowd of 9,921 at CEFCU Stadium.
Next up: UNM plays at Nevada (3-5) on Friday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
This story will be updated.
Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at @lenaweereider.
