SAN JOSE, Calif. >> The wheels are coming off the San Jose State offense — and the Spartans’ season.

A year after the Spartans routed Hawaii 42-23, they failed to score 20 points for the fourth time in five games against FBS opponents in a 34-17 loss Saturday to the Rainbow Warriors in front of 16,837 mostly disappointed fans.

“A really frustrating day,” Spartans coach Ron Caragher acknowledged. “Things did not go as I’d foreseen. Things have not gone this season as we’d foreseen.”

The Spartans lost at home to Hawaii for the seventh time in their past eight meetings, and fell to 1-5 this season. They still are searching for their first win over an FBS team.

Caragher, 16-27 and headed toward a fourth straight non-winning season, said he tries not to be affected by outside heat directed at his job security. “All I can do is just coach my guys,” he said.

Nothing needs his attention more than the Spartans’ tepid offense. San Jose State had just 26 yards in the third quarter when given the chance to cut into Hawaii’s 24-10 halftime lead, and quarterback Kenny Potter suffered the first three-interception game of his career.

Noting also six sacks his quarterbacks absorbed, Caragher called it “a step back for our passing game.”

Potter was much harsher on himself.

“I put that game and loss on my shoulders,” he said. “As a quarterback, three errors will kill you.”

The Spartans scored 10 points on their first two series, totaling 171 yards. Their offense did not put another point on the board, netting just 168 more yards against a Hawaii team that entered the game ranked 123rd nationally in total defense and 124th in scoring defense.

“Our execution just stopped,” said Potter, who threw two of his interceptions in the first half while being chased by the Hawaii pass rush.

Caragher noted that Potter’s mobility has been impacted since injuring a knee against Utah on Sept. 17, but Potter said that was no excuse. “None of the injuries affected the way I played today,” he said.

The senior quarterback also vowed the Spartans aren’t done. “We’re going to see if we’re men or if we run away from the situation.”

While Potter struggled in key moments, the Warriors’ boy next door delivered big plays for his team. Quarterback Dru Brown, who grew up 12 miles from the San Jose State campus in Los Gatos, threw two touchdowns and faked out all of CEFCU Stadium when he raced 62 yards untouched on a fourth-and-1 bootleg around right end for Hawaii’s first lead.

Caragher acknowledged the Spartans barely recruited Brown, who did not play for his high school team until his senior season.

The Spartans’ defense provided the team’s only second-half points on a 19-yard fumble return for a touchdown by linebacker Frank Ginda in the third quarter that made it 24-17.

But the offense could not capitalize on a second Hawaii turnover on the next series, and an unusual defensive delay-of-game penalty was the final blow to the Spartans’ comeback effort.

Officials ruled the SJSU defense was mimicking the Hawaii snap cadence on a fourth-and-1 play from the 35-yard line. The penalty gave Hawaii a first down at the 30, and Steven Lakalaka raced 30 yards for a touchdown on the next play, pushing the margin to 31-17.