Sept. 30, 2006
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SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Adam Tafralis threw for two touchdowns in leading San Jose State to a 31-10 victory over San Diego State on Saturday and matching its best start in 20 years.
John Broussard caught touchdown passes of 47 and 68 yards as the Spartans (3-1) snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Aztecs, and won their third straight.
Tafralis completed 17 of 21 passes for 234 yards and has completed 77 percent of his passes on the season. Broussard caught five passes for 167 yards.
The Aztecs lost starting quarterback Darren Mougey to a separated right shoulder in the middle of the third quarter. They lost their fourth straight and are 0-4 for the first time since starting 0-6 in 2002.
Mougey, who finished with 69 yards on 7-of-9 passing, is the second signal caller to go down for San Diego State. Kevin O'Connell suffered ligament damage in his right thumb in the season opener.
Atiyyah Henderson rushed for 98 yards on 24 carries for the Aztecs.
Mougey was injured on a roughing-the-passer call on San Jose State's Justin Cole. He was replaced by redshirt freshman Kevin Craft, who made his debut with a brief appearance in the Aztecs' 38-7 loss to Utah last Saturday.
The Spartans opened the scoring with two quick strikes within six minutes of each other. Brossard caught his first touchdown from wide receiver James Jones on an option play with 5:54 left in the first quarter.
Following a short Aztecs' punt and a personal foul on San Diego State, which was penalized 11 times for 103 yards on the day and had a player ejected, Tafralis scrambled 15 yards to set up Patrick Perry's one-yard run 35 seconds into the second quarter.
San Diego State rallied in the final six minutes of the half. The Aztecs had to settle for Garrett Palmer's 30-yard field goal after a holding call brought back a big play inside the Spartans' five-yard line.
Terrell Maze recovered a fumble on San Jose State's 27-yard line which resulted in Tyler Campbell's one-yard run to bring the Aztecs within 14-10 by halftime.
San Jose State cornerback Dwight Lowrey intercepted a pass for the fourth consecutive game, the third Spartan to do so and the first since 2002. The 6-1 junior outjumped 6-4 receiver Chaz Schilens in single coverage, setting up San Jose State's first touchdown. Lowrey leads the nation with seven interceptions.
San Jose State's Jared Strubeck missed a short field goal try, his first in nine tries, early in the second half. That sparked San Diego State, which was driving and had the momentum when Mougey was hurt.
After the Aztecs' drive stalled, Tafralis connected with Broussard - who has caught a pass in 26 straight - on a 68-yard touchdown play to put the Spartans up 21-10.
San Diego State failed on a fourth down conversion and the Spartans took advantage, scoring on Tafralis' 12-yard pass to Chester Coleman late in the third quarter.
Strubeck added a 34-yard field goal midway through the final quarter.