SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 6, 2014
No. 5 Auburn 59, San Jose State 13: Nick Marshall threw for 101 yards and a touchdown and ran for 103 and another score to help the host Tigers roll to a non-conference win.
Cameron Artis-Payne rushed 16 times for 112 yards and three touchdowns while Quan Bray chipped in a punt return for a score as Auburn (2-0) extended its school record by scoring more than 30 points for the 12th straight time. Marshall completed 10-of-19 passes in his first start after sitting out the first half of the season opener due to disciplinary reasons.
Blake Jurich was 16-for-27 for 218 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for the Spartans (1-1), who held the ball for nearly 35 minutes. Tyler Ervin had four grabs for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Marshall found Ricardo Louis for a 4-yard touchdown to start the scoring less than seven minutes in but Jurich had an immediate answer, connecting on the next play from scrimmage on a 75-yard score to Ervin streaking down the left sideline. Artis-Payne capped the next three Auburn offensive possessions with short touchdown runs and Bray mixed in a 55-yard return for another score to help build a 38-10 halftime advantage.
Following a field goal for the Spartans late in the third, Marshall capped a five-play drive with a 27-yard TD scamper up the middle to break it wide open. Corey Grant chipped in 87 yards on nine carries as the Tigers amassed 358 rushing yards while improving to 10-0 at home under coach Gus Malzahn.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Tigers backup QB Jeremy Johnson, who threw for 243 yards and a TD in the first half last Saturday against Arkansas, ran for a 1-yard TD early in the fourth quarter. ... The Tigers held a 237-36 advantage on the ground in the first half. ... Auburn honored its undefeated 2004 SEC championship team prior to the game.