They hung right with, and had numerous chances to defeat, the defending Big Sky Conference champion Montana but in the end it wasn’t meant to be.

An offense that went scoreless in the second half and a costly turnover with just over two minutes to go in the game spelled doom for the Sac State Hornets this afternoon at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Montana as they lost 24-20 to Montana.

Sac State may also have lost a bid for the conference playoffs, something that was certainly a realistic option for coach John Volek and his players before the year began.

The big play in the game came with just under three minutes remaining, and the Hornets’ leading 20-17. Hornets’ quarterback Ricky Ray, fighting for a first down, attempted a lateral pass that was intercepted by Montana’s Damon Parker, and returned 40 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

The fact that the game was that close after the lopsided first half was a mystery. The Hornets (3-3, 1-3) dominated the first half on both sides of the ball, leading 20-0 at the break, only to have Montana (4-1, 2-0) do them one better in the second half, outscoring the Hornets 24-0.

Sac State played the fist half like a team that wanted this game more than anything else. On the Hornets’ second drive, Ray put his team on the scoreboard with a crazy, 44-yard touchdown run. On the play, he completely reversed his field twice and helped at the end with a good block by receiver Scott Towne.

On the last play of the first quarter, senior Lamont Webb took a short pass from Ray and sprinted about 50 yards to the Montana two-yard line. This drive was capped by another touchdown run by Ray, his fifth of the season, although this time he only had to run a yard. At this point the Hornets led 14-0.

Montana attempted to get its offense going, only to have its next drive halted when Sac State’s Elton Gabourel intercepted a Drew Miller pass in the end zone.

Later on in the quarter, the Hornets capitalized on a third Montana turnover, as sophomore Garrett White ran in from four yards out, to get Sac State a 20-0 lead. The touchdown was set up by a 26-yard run by senior running back Charles Roberts, who broke numerous tackles to reach the Grizzlies’ five-yard line.

The second half though was the opposite of the first.

A Ray fumble was recovered by Montana at Sac State’s 6-yard line early in the third quarter, and the Grizzlies Tate Hancock ran in two plays later to make the score 20-7. Hancock scored again later in the quarter, closing the gap to 20-14.

After a Montana field goal with five minutes to go in the game, the Sac State lead shrunk to three points.

Both teams then traded fumbles, before Ray’s attempted lateral was picked off and returned, giving the Grizzlies a 24-20 lead.

A last chance drive for Sac State turned up nothing and Big Sky post-season hopes are all but forgotten.