Cal State Long Beach Finds Home No Haven in Loss

How much more can the injury-riddled football team at Cal State Long Beach take?

Playing both its home and Big West Conference opener without its starting quarterback, running back and both tight ends, the 49ers (0-3) lost to San Jose State, 32-20, at Veterans Stadium Saturday night.

Ahead are four consecutive road games, including contests at Arizona, Fresno State and Miami.

Long Beach has been outscored, 129-47.

Said Coach Willie Brown: “We know we have some real problems on offense.”

Aside from the 184 yards and two rushing touchdowns turned in by tailback Maceo Barbosa, San Jose (1-2) also appeared ragged. The defending Big West and California Raisin Bowl champion was penalized 17 times for 122 yards.

Senior Spartan quarterback Matt Veatch, who entered the game with 773 yards passing, completed only one of his first seven attempts and was replaced twice by backup Jeff Garcia. Veatch finished with 109 yards on nine completions in 20 passes.

San Jose’s defense blocked two Ray Magana punts. One was returned seven yards by Anthony Washington with 6:45 remaining in the first quarter for a 7-0 Spartan lead, and the second rolled into the end zone for a safety and a 26-7 lead with 9:57 left in the third quarter.

Long Beach freshman quarterback Mike McCoy, starting in place of senior Todd Studer, who has a broken jaw, shook off a rocky start and completed 27 of 52 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns.