San Jose State tops New Mexico 35-28 in MW opener as Eget shines

SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose State opened Mountain West play with a 35-28 victory over New Mexico on Friday night at CEFCU Stadium, led by quarterback Walker Eget and a late defensive surge that stymied a Lobos comeback.

Eget completed 26 of 30 passes and threw three touchdown passes as the Spartans built a multi-score lead in the second and third quarters. He connected with Danny Scudero on a 70-yard touchdown and hit Matthew Coleman on an 11-yard scoring toss. Leland Smith added an 8-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter to push the lead to 35-17. Game statistics listed Eget with roughly 327 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Scudero finished with seven catches for 151 yards.

San Jose State’s running game and defense were decisive factors after the offense set the tone. Freshman Steve Chavez-Soto, making his first collegiate start amid injuries to the depth chart, ran for 71 yards and scored twice. Chavez-Soto broke through for a 4-yard touchdown early and later added a 10-yard scoring run in the third quarter. The Spartans finished with 153 rushing yards as a team, with Lamar Radcliffe contributing 64 yards on 15 carries.

The defense produced three interceptions,...