Fresno State kept the Valley Trophy home on Saturday night as it defeated the rival San Jose State Spartans 33-10 in front of 41,343 fans at Valley Children’s Stadium.
Quarterback Mikey Keene completed 30-of-41 attempts for 275 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Wideout Jalen Moss caught two of those touchdown balls. He had eight receptions for 85 yards on the night.
The defense, led by cornerback Cam Lockridge, forced four interceptions and was stellar when it mattered most, limiting the Spartans to just five conversions on third down.
Lockridge was excited about the bragging rights that come with hoisting the trophy.
“It feels great,” Lockridge said. “We don’t play them for a good amount of time, because of conference realignment. They’re going to have to pay to get another shot.”
The win brings the Bulldogs to 5-3 on the season and 3-1 in the Mountain West Conference.
How it happened
The Fresno State defense forced San Jose State into a third-and-10 on the opening drive of the game. Spartans quarterback Walker Eget connected on back-to-back passes of 40 and 35 yards to take a 7-0 lead.
That would be the Spartans’ only touchdown of the night. The Bulldogs outscored San Jose State 33-3 the rest of the game.
Fresno State opened the second quarter with a 1-yard rushing touchdown from running back Elijah Gilliam to give the Bulldogs a 10-7 lead. He finished the day with 88 total yards.
After forcing a three-and-out, Fresno State got the ball back and scored on just three plays, with Keene delivering a 43-yard touchdown pass to Moss.
The Spartans seemed to regain momentum on the next drive, reaching Fresno State’s 26 yard.
But the Bulldogs defense, led by linebacker Malachi Langley, pressured Eget into a porous throw, only to be intercepted by Bulldog defensive back Julian Neal.
Fresno State responded with a 48-yard field goal from kicker Dylan Lynch, to give the Bulldogs a 20-7 lead. The score would remain that way into halftime.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with a 10 play, 75-yard drive capped off by a 35-yard pass from Keene to wide receiver Mac Dalena.
Interim Head Coach Tim Skipper was pleased with his team’s performance, particularly Keene.
“He’s a veteran guy. Whenever something bad happens, he can tell you exactly what’s happening. That’s what you always want in your quarterback. He always knew what he needed to do, and how to correct it,” Skipper said.
Staying locked in
Fresno State remained dialed in the rest of the way, especially defensively. Lockridge had a pair of interceptions, bringing his total to 14 on his career (first in the nation among active players).
Fellow corner Al’zillion Hamilton had the other, in addition to a sack.
Lockridge said postgame that he and his teammates feed off of the competition they have with each other and others across the country.
“I mean Az, Julian – our whole group. All three of us caught interceptions today. I don’t know why I’m sitting up here; I should have one and two right here. We compete amongst each other and people across the country. When we make plays the whole defense thrives,” Lockridge said. “We’re relentless, ball hawks and we’re going to hit you in the mouth any chance we get.”
Lockridge had a pair of well-known baseball legends in attendance. His uncle Ken Griffey Jr. and grandfather Ken Griffey Sr. were on hand to witness Lockridge’s performance. Sr. told Lockridge “Great job” during the post-game press conference.
What’s next?
Fresno State hosts Hawai’i next Saturday at Valley Children’s Stadium on Native American Heritage Night. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. PT and will air on Spectrum Sports and locally on CBS 47.
