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Difference makers: WSU QB John Mateer goes for over 500 yards, 5 touchdowns in win over SJSU

Washington State quarterback John Mateer prepares to throw against San Jose State during the first half Friday at Gesa Field in Pullman. Mateer completed 26 of 46 passes for 360 yards and four touchdowns, and he carried the ball 18 times for 111 yards and a TD. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)

John Mateer

WSU’s star quarterback showed versatility and poise throughout a wild game. Mateer looked sharp during the first half, rushing for a short touchdown and firing two scoring passes to tight end Cooper Mathers. After San Jose State flipped the momentum of the game and went up 38-24 in the third quarter, Mateer stayed calm and led WSU back with a 22-point fourth quarter, which included nervy touchdown passes to Kyle Williams and Josh Meredith. Mateer’s 32-yard completion to Williams set up Dean Janikowski’s 52-yard field goal, which sent the game into overtime. Mateer threw an interception in the first overtime but picked up a chunk on the ground in double overtime before Dylan Paine’s 7-yard TD run. Mateer converted with his legs on the 2-point try. Mateer completed 26 of 46 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns against two picks. He rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown. The redshirt sophomore from Texas leads the FBS with 16 total touchdowns.

Emmett Brown

The former WSU backup (2022-23) fared well in his return to the Palouse. Brown had a stellar third quarter, completing 11 of 14 passes for 133 yards as the Spartans took a 38-24 lead. Trailing by five points with 2 minutes remaining in the game, Brown led an eight-play, 72-yard scoring drive. On fourth-and-10 from WSU’s 20-yard-line, Brown avoided pressure, rolled left and found Treyshun Hurry for the go-ahead touchdown with 28 seconds left. Brown finished 35 for 54 for 375 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions.

Kyle Williams

KYLE WILLIAMS

WSU’s senior receiver made a couple of game-changing plays during the fourth quarter. Williams broke free for a 14-yard touchdown to cut SJSU’s lead to seven points early in the quarter. On WSU’s last possession of regulation, Williams found some space and grabbed a 32-yard reception, helping the Cougars reach field-goal position. Williams totaled 138 yards and a TD on eight catches.

Key moment

WSU seemed buried with 28 seconds remaining in regulation, after SJSU quarterback Brown led a 72-yard scoring drive that ended with the Spartans up 46-43. But Mateer came up clutch, throwing a 32-yard pass to Williams. That restored hope for WSU. Kicker Dean Janikowski converted on a 52-yard field-goal try to send the game into overtime. The teams traded interceptions in the first overtime, but WSU scored in double overtime and its defense got some redemption, denying San Jose State on a 2-point attempt.