Stanford was close to ending its season with a win at CEFCU Stadium on Friday afternoon, but a crucial turnover turned the game in the Spartans’ favor.

San Jose State dropped a 34-31 decision in the Bill Walsh Legacy Game, named in honor of the San Jose State alumnus who had two stints as Stanford’s head coach. This marks the fourth consecutive year the Cardinal have posted a 3-9 record.

With 2:45 left and the Cardinal leading 31-27, Stanford had a 3rd-and-2 on the 23rd. The Spartans put pressure on quarterback Ashton Daniels, who unwisely threw the ball over the middle. Isiah Revis made a diving interception at the Stanford 37.

“I thought they were going to run the ball, try to run out the clock and get the first down,” San Jose State defensive back DJ Harvey said. “But they tried it (the pass), Revis capitalized on it and we got points from it. So when they make a stupid mistake like that, you have to capitalize on it.”

It was Daniels’ third interception on Friday.

Daniels “gave his heart and soul,” Stanford head coach Troy Taylor said. “Trying to make a play there was obviously not what we wanted and what he wanted. I know he’ll regret this, but we had other options.

“It was obviously a big game, but I feel bad for him because I know he’s feeling bad.”

San Jose State quickly took the lead. It only took three plays to get into the end zone. Walker Eget completed completions on each of the three plays, with the scorer throwing an 18-yarder to TreyShun Hurry in the front left corner of the end zone. Eget completed 33 of 49 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns.

Nick Nash, one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation’s top receiver, led the Spartans (7-5) with eight catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns.

Nash has 104 receptions for 1,382 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. The receptions and TD receptions lead the country and are school records.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better season and a better finish to the season,” said Nash, who needed 118 receiving yards in the Spartans’ bowl game to match the school record of 1,500 set by Edell Shepherd in 2001.

“Aside from being probably one of the best ballplayers I’ve ever seen, he’s my best friend,” Eget said of Nash. “It’s great to see him with this success because he definitely deserves it. … He did a lot for this program. He will go down as one of the greatest players in San Jose State history.”

With just over a minute left, Daniels threw an incompletion on fourth-and-6 at the Stanford 43, securing the win for the Spartans and handing the Cardinals a second straight three-point loss after Cal last lost the Big Game 24-21 won on Saturday.

The Spartans were ahead 27-17 early in the fourth quarter. On 3rd-and-9 at the SJSU 19, Eget was hit by David Bailey and fumbled. SJSU offensive lineman Peseti Lapuaho recovered the ball and attempted to move upfield, but Gaethan Bernadel drilled Lapuaho and the ball went off again.

This time, Stanford’s Jahsiah Galvan recovered in the end zone. In doing so, the Cardinal had reduced the deficit to 27-24.

On SJSU’s next possession, the defense once again delivered for the Cardinal. The Spartans had a first down at the Stanford 14 and Eget attempted to hit Nash near the goal line, but defensive lineman Collin Wright brushed off the pass and returned it 46 yards to the Cardinal 47.

Stanford converted the turnover into a go-ahead score. Daniels stormed into the end zone on a 2nd-and-goal call from the 1, giving the Cardinal a 31-27 lead.

Daniels completed 26 of 40 passes for 252 yards and a score. He was also the game’s leading rusher with 91 yards on 17 carries.

San Jose State scored its first touchdown early in the second quarter when Eget Nash hit three completions for 12, 19 and 20 yards. The last game was about putting SJSU up 7-3.

That was Nash’s 15th TD reception of the season, tying Chandler Jones’ school record set in 2013.

It wasn’t long before Nash owned the brand alone.

On the second play of the ensuing possession, Harvey intercepted a pass from Daniels and returned it 6 yards to the Stanford 24. This was Harvey’s fourth interception of the season. Eget and Nash then went back to work. On 3rd-and-goal from the 23, Eget hit Nash over the middle for 16 yards to the 7. Then on 3rd-and-goal from the 2, Eget threw a strike to Nash on the left side of the end zone. Nash grabbed it for his 16th TD reception of 2024.

Meager: Stanford had won the last six meetings with SJSU, most recently 34-13 in 2013. The Spartans’ last win over the Cardinals came in 2006 with 35-34. … The Cardinal committed 10 penalties for 115 yards. … Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor had 10 receptions for 109 yards and Emmett Mosley V had seven for 101 and a touchdown. … SJSU linebacker Ethan Powell was called for a score on Ayomanor in the fourth quarter. As a result, Powell will have to sit out the first half of the Spartans’ bowl game. … Robert “Rocket” Rahimi intercepted a pass from Daniels to end Stanford’s first possession. It was Rahimi’s team-leading fifth interception. The Spartans have 20 interceptions this season, which led the country through Friday. … Stanford finished the season without a running back rushing for a touchdown. Backup QB Justin Lamson had eight rushing TDs (including one on Friday) and Daniels had three. … The Spartans and Cardinal will meet again next season on Sept. 13 at Stanford.

Reach Steve Kroner: [email protected]; X: @SteveKronerSF