San Jose State wins 24-11 over UTEP with strong defense and freshman QB

San Jose State Spartans secured a 24-11 victory against UTEP at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, overcoming key player absences, according to pressdemocrat.com. Freshman quarterback Daniel Rolovich stepped in after starting QB Luke Weaver was ruled out before the game, throwing for 193 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 39 yards.

The Spartans scored early in the first quarter, with Rolovich connecting on an 11-yard touchdown pass to freshman receiver Carson Clark, who finished with five catches totaling 104 yards, including a 63-yard reception. This marked the first time the team scored in the opening quarter this season.

Junior running back Viliami Teu had a breakout performance, rushing for a career-best 156 yards on 20 carries and scoring two touchdowns, including a 66-yard run that extended the Spartans' lead to 21-0 late in the third quarter. This was San Jose State's largest lead of the season.

San Jose State's defense was dominant, recording 11 sacks—just two shy of the school record set in 1981. Defensive lineman Jayland McGlothen led the effort with 3.5 sacks. UTEP rotated quarterbacks throughout the game but was unable to overcome the Spartans' pressure.

With the win, San Jose State improved to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in Mountain West play, surpassing last season's total wins. The team showed resilience despite missing key players including starting running back Jabari Bates and tight end Cooper Hoch.