San Jose State used a nine-play 80-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to take a 42-30 lead, which would eventually be the final score, dropping Louisiana Tech to 3-6 on the season and 2-3 in the Western Athletic Conference Saturday night at Spartan Stadium.

The Bulldogs put up 482 yards of total offense but only 193 yards in the second half as Tech couldn't capitalize on 23-14 halftime lead.

"There is no question that I?m frustrated," head coach Jack Bicknell said. "We didn?t seem to come out and make any plays in the second half. I wish I had the answers, but I don?t."

Midway through the third quarter Spartan wide receiver Charles Pauley took in a lateral from quarterback Scott Rislov and connected with fellow wide receiver Tuati Wooden for a 79-yard touchdown strike to cut a nine point Bulldog lead to two points.

San Jose State then forced a three and out on the ensuing possession to regain the ball. After a 14-yard Dustin Upton punt, the Spartans drove into Tech territory before missing a potential go-ahead field goal.

The Bulldogs took their first drive of the fourth quarter down to the San Jose
12-yard line before Josh Scobee's field goal was blocked by linebacker Brian Foreman.

The Spartans capitalized on the momentum swing by connecting on a 68-yard scoring strike from Rislov to wide receiver Jamall Broussard. San Jose State then got a two-point conversion courtesy of a Broussard on an end-around.

With 8:40 to go in the game the Bulldogs faced their first deficit of the contest at 29-23. Bicknell had been 17-1 when leading going into the fourth quarter before today's game.

On Tech's next drive, Spartan safety C.J. Arnold intercepted a Luke McCown pass and returned the pass 38 yards for a touchdown. A two-point conversion failed leaving the Bulldogs down 35-23 with 7:48 remaining in the game.

"That deflated us," McCown said. "Those are the little things in a close game that we can?t do."

McCown found wide receiver Chris Norwood on a 41-yard touchdown completion to pull the Bulldogs within five points with just over five minutes remaining in the game, before the Spartans would eventually put the game away on an 8-yard touchdown run by Lamar Ferguson.

"We stuck with the same stuff that we did in the first half and San Jose State came out (in the second half) and executed well," McCown said. "We were picking up the blitz in the first half but in the second half they were bringing it from places we didn?t know."

Tech jumped out early when McCown rolled left finding tight end Aaron Capps for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The score was Capps' first of the season and second of his career. Scobee missed the extra point giving Tech a 6-0 lead with 9:24 remaining in the first quarter.

The Bulldog defense would force a punt on the next Spartan possession and drive 61 yards before stalling and connecting on a 26-yard field goal attempt.

San Jose State answered with an 80-yard touchdown drive of their own to make the score 9-7.

Running back Joe Smith scored from two-yards out on the next Bulldog possession giving Tech a 16-7 lead. With the carry Smith has scored seven touchdowns in his last three games. For the day Smith ran for 114 yards on 26 carries.

Tech would get a four-yard touchdown catch from Norwood to give itself a 23-7 second quarter lead. San Jose State eventually would add a touchdown to enter halftime down 23-14.

The Bulldogs return to action next week when they travel to Idaho for a showdown with Boise State.