Excessive turnovers continue to cause Sacramento State to lose football games despite solid play by the defense.

One week after losing four fumbles in a 26-14 loss at Weber State, the Hornets lost five fumbles and threw an interception in a loss against another Big Sky conference opponent, Idaho State 27-17.

A year after the Hornets forced six turnovers in Pocatello, Idaho, Saturday night marked the first-ever win for the Bengals in Sacramento.

The Hornets turnover problems started with nearly no time run off the clock.

Ryan Mole fumbled the opening kickoff putting the Bengals immediately in scoring position on the 18-yard line.

“You can’t put yourself in a hole first quarter with three turnovers and win a football game,” coach Steve Mooshagian said. “Ball security is the difference between us having a winning record and the record we have now.”

Another untimely turnover stung the Hornets badly. After coming out and scoring an early third-quarter touchdown making the score 17-10, the Hornets got the ball back with a chance to tie the game.

Instead, senior quarterback Chris Hurd was sacked and his fumble was returned 53 yards for a score, putting Sac State down 14.

The play was one of four times Hurd was sacked.

“It’s very frustrating as you can imagine, bad plays happen, but it has nothing to do with the coaching strategy,” wide receiver Ryan Coogler said, who fumbled twice.

The defense tried to keep the Hornets in the game, not allowing any points in the fourth quarter and scoring a touchdown with a 55-yard interception return by cornerback Brandon Smith. That was not enough for the offense which amassed just 223 yards.

“I feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day,” Mooshagian said. ” I keep waking up to the same thing.”