Sacramento State finished up its season Saturday night with another loss, this time to the Montana Grizzlies 31-14, but if there was anything positive that came out of the game it was the play of junior running back Kris Daniels.

Daniels, starting in place of injured Ryan Mole for the second straight game, keyed a Hornets rushing attack that gained 181 yards on one of the best defenses in the Big Sky. Daniels gained 87 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. He had more than 100 yards for the second straight game before getting tackled for a 15-yard loss late in the fourth quarter.

“What more can you say about Daniels,” Mooshagian said. “He played his tail off again. I’m really glad we have both Mole and Daniels coming back (next season). Daniels had as good of a late part of the season as any back in the conference.”

In the last three games of the season Daniels rushed for 292 yards and four touchdowns. He also served as the team’s primary kickoff returner and he ended the season with one of the top averages on kickoff returns in the Big Sky.

“It was great out there because they were No.3 in the nation,” Daniels said of how the Hornets were able to run the ball successfully. “We were able to run the ball; unfortunately the victory went to Montana.”

The play of Daniels and the Hornet defense, which held the Grizzlies to only 111 yards passing, are two bright spots Mooshagian has going into next season. Both Mole and Daniels will return and eight of the 11 starters on defense will be back next season too.

“We’ll have a good squad coming back next season,” Daniels said. “We just need to be able to finish games. We have to keep playing tough and we’ll be alright next year.”

“I wouldn’t trade our defense for any in the conference right now,” Mooshagian said. “I think we have six or seven guys that deserve to be all-conference on the defensive side. This loss will stay with me for some time, but on the positive side it showed how close we really are. That was the No. 3 team in I-AA and we were with them the whole way.”

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Mitch McLaughlin can be reached at [email protected]