Homecoming was filled with firsts as Sacramento State’s football team survived Weber State’s third-quarter comeback to edge the Wildcats 24-21.

Marking their first home win of the season, the Hornets are now 2-1 in the Big Sky Conference and 2-3 overall. In the 11 years Sac State has been in the Big Sky, this is the first time Hornet football has started 2-1 in the conference.

The Hornets were dominating on both sides of the ball in the first half, holding the Wildcats to 128 yards of total offense and for the first time in they went into halftime with a lead.

Getting off to a fast start, the Hornets scored on their first two possessions with a 32-yard field goal on their opening drive, followed by a nine-yard touchdown run from junior quarterback Marcel Marquez to finish off a 13 play 83-yard drive.

The tempo changed in the third quarter as Weber State scored 14 points while the Hornets offense had three consecutive three and outs.

Penalties were a major factor in the Wildcats near-comeback. The Hornets were penalized 11 times for 113 yards, two of which called back Hornet touchdowns. A defensive personal foul call resulted in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Wildcat quarterback Shawn Woods to wide-out Marky Filipe in the third.

“[Penalties] are going to hurt you eventually, so we got to get better and better at it,” said head coach Steve Mooshagian.

The fourth quarter remained scoreless as the Hornet defense rallied together and recorded three sacks on Woods. An interception by junior strong safety Brent Webber, his second pick of the night, stopped another drive. The Hornets defense didn’t allow a single first down in the fourth quarter.

This is the Hornets second win in a row after starting the season 0-3.

“We have [won] two in a row against some pretty solid teams, [it] shows we can contend with anybody,” Webber said.

Matthew Beltran can be reached at [email protected]