PROVO, Utah >> Riley Nelson threw for 218 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 65 yards on nine carries to lift BYU to a 29-16 victory over San Jose State on Saturday night.
Nelson made his first start of the season after replacing Jake Heaps in the second half of a 27-24 victory over Utah State on Sept. 30.
Michael Alisa rushed for 92 yards on 16 carries for BYU (4-2), which won its third straight game. The Spartans (2-4) had a two-game winning streak snapped.
San Jose State’s defense could not contain Nelson during the first half. He guided the Cougars to touchdowns on three straight possessions as BYU seized a 23-3 lead in the second quarter.
San Jose State, which plays host to Hawaii on Friday, made a game of it in the second half, twice pulling within 10 points. After Bene Benwikere intercepted Nelson, Jason Simpson capped a 12-play, 96-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run to make it 23-13 with 6:09 left in the third quarter.
The teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter. San Jose State’s last chance to cut into the BYU lead was thwarted when Travis Uale picked off Faulkner at the Cougars’ 23 with 5:10 remaining.
The only thing stopping BYU early was turnovers. However, one of the mistakes worked to the team’s advantage.
A fumble by Nelson at the San Jose State 3-yard line ended BYU’s opening drive. But the Cougars scored moments later when a bad snap sailed out of the end zone for a safety.
BYU went up 9-0 when Richard Wilson took a short pass from Nelson and raced 21 yards to the end zone.
After Jens Alvernik kicked a 24-yard field goal for the Spartans, Nelson found Brian Kariya on a 1-yard pass to make it 16-3.
Kyle Van Noy set up BYU’s next touchdown when he picked off a pass from Matt Faulkner and returned it 30 yards. Nelson needed just one play, a 40-yard bomb to McKay Jacobsen, to make the score 23-3.
By halftime, Nelson had thrown for 170 yards and three touchdowns.
Nevada 37, UNLV 0
Tyler Lantrip passed for 366 yards and three touchdowns and Nevada’s defense held UNLV to 110 total yards as the Wolf Pack (2-3) beat the Rebels (1-4) for their seventh straight win in the intrastate rivalry and first shutout in the history of the series.
Rishard Matthews caught 10 passes for a career-best 220 yards, including a 90-yard touchdown, and Stefphon Jefferson rushed for 100 yards for the Wolf Pack, who totaled 699 yards on offense in their home opener.
Louisiana Tech 24, Idaho 11
Hunter Lee ran for a career-high 134 yards, Nick Isham threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score, and the Bulldogs (2-4, 1-1 WAC) spoiled homecoming for the Vandals
(1-5, 0-2) in Moscow, Idaho.
Jay Dudley added a 53-yard interception return for a touchdown for LaTech, which snapped a three-game losing streak.
Utah State 63, Wyoming 19
Chuckie Keeton threw five touchdown passes and Michael Smith ran for two more scores as the Aggies (2-3) cruised past the Cowboys (3-2) in Logan, Utah.
TCU 27, San Diego State 14
Casey Pachall threw two touchdown passes and the Horned Frogs (4-2, 2-0 Mountain West) took advantage of four turnovers to defeat the Aztecs (3-2, 0-1) in San Diego.
Syracuse 37, Tulane 34
Ross Krautman kicked a 21-yard field goal as the clock expired, lifting the Orange (4-2) over the Green Wave (2-4) in New Orleans.
Humboldt State 23, UC Davis 17
Lyndon Rowells rushed for 133 yards as the Lumberjacks (5-0) toppled the Aggies
(1-4) in Davis, Calif.
