The Sacramento State football team opened its season in wild fashion Saturday with a 13-6 victory in overtime against Saint Mary?s College.

The Hornets got their first look at what freshman quarterback Ryan Leadingham can do when tested by a hounding defense with the game on the line.

The result: He passed with flying colors. Leadingham threw the game-winning, 22-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Fred Amey during the Hornets? first possession in overtime.

“?Lead? grew up in this game,” head coach John Volek said.

Overall, Leadingham went 14-of-22 for 185 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 41 yards on nine carries.

Shortly before the overtime period, Leadingham found Amey for a 16-yard touchdown with 5:42 seconds left in regulation to even the score at 6 a piece.

Volek said the offensive game plan was not changed after starting quarterback Garrett White injured his thumb last Wednesday.

“We throw the ball here at Sac State, and that?s why (Leadingham) is here,” Volek said.The defense also made its mark during the waning moments of the game.

On the final play of overtime, junior cornerback Brandon Coleman broke up Gus Papanikolas?s pass in the end zone to seal the victory.

Volek praised Coleman for his clutch play, adding that he?s “the best ever walk-on in school history.”

Both offenses moved the ball between the 20-yard lines throughout the first half. Defensively, both teams stepped up with tight play in the red zone.

Leadingham threw an interception in the end zone during the Hornets? first trip by the goal line. The Hornet defense returned the favor on the next drive when junior linebacker Jason Rowell intercepted a Papanikolas pass at the Sac State 14-yard line.

Saint Mary?s offense gave the Hornets fits with its plays on the perimeter. Papanikolas executed the option to near perfection as he was able to keep the Hornet linebackers at bay, allowing the running backs to get a lot of one-on-one situations outside.

Papanikolas accounted for the Gaels? lone score as he scampered for a 35-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Volek was pleased that his team no longer would need to face the senior quarterback.

“He was one of the first guys I looked for after the game because I wanted to congratulate him on what a great game he played. He?s been doing this to us for three years,” Volek said.

The St. Mary?s offense incorporated different looks and used formation variation to throw off the Hornet defense.

Featured sophomore running back Andre Coleman rushed for 175 yards for the Gaels. Coleman picked up where he left off from last season, when he gained more than 200 yards rushing in the game?s final game of the season against Drake in a 45-43 victory.The Hornets? leading rusher for the game was Derard Barton, who gained 86 yards on 19 carries.

St. Mary?s option plays hindered the Hornets? front four?s ability to attack upfield throughout the game.

“We couldn?t get upfield as much in this game, because it creates seams for the running back to run through,” senior defensive tackle Bilal Watkins said.

With fireworks sounding at the start of the fourth quarter, the Hornets found themselves in need of a spark on offense. Backup quarterback Ferni Garza entered the contest in place of Leadingham to start the second half but failed to generate any points.

With the offense struggling, Leadingham re-entered the game and jump-started the offense at the start of the fourth quarter.

The game went into overtime after placekicker Paul Kerr missed the extra point toward the end of regulation. The point-after miss capped of a wild fourth quarter that was laden with turnovers and miscues by both teams.

The two teams combined for six turnovers by game?s end, Sac State accounting for half of them.

Nonetheless, Volek was satisfied to come away with the victory. He said that the team?s performance was almost at the level he wanted it to be, adding that a few wrinkles still need to be ironed out in practices.

“I?m pleased with the way that our guys played for 60 minutes, but we need a lot of work,” Volek said.

The Hornets will continue working to improve this Saturday at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo at 6 p.m.

The Mustangs dropped their preseason opener 31-17 to the University of Montana, the defending Big Sky Conference champions.