Sac State playoff hopes alive

Image: Sac State playoff hopes alive:Charles Roberts rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's victory at Northern Arizona, which was probably his last game for Sac State. Roberts also became the all-time career Division I rushing leader as he finished his career with 6,553 yards:

Image: Sac State playoff hopes alive:Charles Roberts rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s victory at Northern Arizona, which was probably his last game for Sac State. Roberts also became the all-time career Division I rushing leader as he finished his career with 6,553 yards:

Russ Edmondson

Winning their last four conference games, the Hornets kept their Big Sky playoff hopes alive with a 28-21 victory over Northern Arizona on Saturday at Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff.

Sac State finished the year 7-4 overall, the most wins since the school jumped to Division I, as well as the best mark since 1992. The Hornets, after dropping three of their first four conference games, finished with a 5-3 record in conference play.

In the win, senior running back Charles Roberts became the all-time Division I rushing leader with 187 yards in 25 carries, while also scoring two touchdowns. After becoming the Div. 1AA leader two weeks ago, Roberts passed Ron Dayne, who set the Div. IA record with Wisconsin last year, with his 6,553 rushing yards last week. The only two rushers in college football history who have run for more yards than Roberts, are R.J. Bowers of Division III and Brian Shay of Division II.

Another Hornet who put his name in the record book was senior Lamont Webb, who became Sac State’s career reception leader with 122 catches in his four years at Sac State. Webb also holds the career receiving record at Sac State with 1,834 yards. In what may have been his final game as a Hornet, Webb caught 10 passes from senior quarterback Ricky Ray, for 151 yards and a touchdown.

The Hornets scored touchdowns on their fist four possessions in the win.

On the first drive, Webb caught a 29-yard pass, and Roberts ran 21 yards to the end zone on the next play.

After a turnover, Ray capped off the next drive with a one-yard touchdown run, his tenth rushing score of the season, giving the Hornets a 14-0 lead.

Shortly thereafter, Roberts busted an 80-yard touchdown run, breaking a tackle in the backfield before darting to the end zone. This put the Hornets up 21-7 heading into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Webb caught a 20-yard touchdown from Ray, giving Sac State a 28-7 advantage.

According to head coach John Volek, if Northridge defeats Portland State next week, Sac State will be tied for second place with Weber State in the conference, and head on to the playoffs.