Blood and guts performance by running back Iosefa

SAN JOSE, Calif. » Joey Iosefa’s upper body and arms were peppered with scratches, some deep enough to draw blood.

His smile was flawless.

"Man, it’s a relief," Iosefa said following the Warriors’ 13-0 victory, their first on the road since Oct. 29, 2011. "I can’t remember the last time I felt like this on the road."

Iosefa rushed for 68 yards, including the game’s only touchdown, which came with a mild protest.

On second down from the SJSU 1, Iosefa, aligned as the wildcat, took the direct snap, rushed forward, extended the football across the goal line, and then lost his grip. The referees signaled for a touchdown, although the play was reviewed.

"I did whatever it took to get into the end zone," Iosefa said, "and I did it. There was a little review after that, but I knew exactly what happened. I knew they wouldn’t reverse it."

The officials agreed, and the touchdown stood.

Iosefa admittedly felt better than he did in the previous game, his first after missing four games because of a fractured ankle and three because of a suspension.

"It was hard when I first got back," Iosefa said. "I was rusty."

Iosefa weighed 240 pounds at the start of the season. He said he now weighs between 240 and 250 pounds.

He said he focused on thinking positively.

"The moment you think negative about yourself, bad things are going to happen," Iosefa said. "I came out positive. I played for my seniors. I played for my team."

Iosefa, a fifth-year senior, is no longer a co-captain, a status stripped after he was suspended. But teammates, such as quarterback Ikaika Woolsey, still view Iosefa as a leader.

With the Warriors eliminated from postseason competition, Iosefa figured, "We have nothing to lose. We needed a road win. I told my teammates I was going to put it all on the line. Even if I had to crawl out, I was going to put it all on the line for my team."

Iosefa praised Woolsey, the offensive line and the receivers.

"We executed in the fourth quarter," said Iosefa a reference to the nearly nine minutes the Warriors had possession in that quarter.

Iosefa remembered the previous road victory in 2011. He also recalled what happened two weeks before that game. The Spartans won, 28-27, on a 36-yard touchdown pass with 36 seconds to play.

"We came out here with a purpose," Iosefa said. "We had unfinished business. I felt confident we’d get it done.

"In our minds, all 64 (players on the travel roster) and the coaching staff, we believe in ourselves. Today, we were loose. We played free. We played football. We wanted to have fun. Football is a fun game to play. We did our job. It felt good."