It was quarterback Ryan Leadingham who broke the Sacramento State record for career passing yardage, but wide receiver Kenan Smith threw the game-winning strike.

With one minute, 34 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Smith received a backwards pass from Garrett White, who was at quarterback for the trick play. Smith then connected with Michael Johnson Jr. on a 32-yard pass. The score gave the Hornets (4-7 overall, 3-4 in Big Sky Conference) a 39-38 lead, en route to a 41-38 victory Weber State University (3-7, 1-6 in Big Sky).

“Kenan threw a great pass to me,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know where I was, but I was hoping I was in the end zone.”

The touchdown reception was Johnson’s first of the year. Leadingham converted with Caleb Jones on the ensuing two-point conversion to put the final points on the board.

Leadingham, only a sophomore, passed Mike Sullivan as the program’s all-time career passing leader with 5,213 yards.

“The record is nice,” Leadingham said. “I know my dad is happy. He was always telling me how many yards I needed.”

The Wildcats had an opportunity to win the game, but a pass in the end zone to Justin DeFour was called back due to an offensive pass interference call with five seconds remaining. The penalty also put Weber State out of field-goal range. A last-second hail mary play was stopped at the 8-yard line.

Coming into the game, the Hornets also lost the last two weeks by a combined eight points.

“Victories are hard to get in the Big Sky Conference, and to be so close to your dream is real tough,” Hornet coach John Volek said.

The Hornets trailed by 12 points after Wildcat running back Nick Chournos scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 4:51 remaining in the game. Chournos picked up a career-high 223 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the night.

With just over two minutes remaining, Hornet running back Kendall Riley scored on a one-yard run to close the lead to 38-33. Najib Magee recovered the ensuing onside kick to set Sac State up for the game-winning trick play.

“When we got that onside kick I knew we would win the game,” Leadingham said.

The Hornet win comes one day after Hornet Athletic Director Terry Wanless reprimanded four Hornet defensive linemen – Bilal Watkins, Brad Osterhout, Ben Fox and Eric Broden – for spraying the non-stick cooking spray PAM on their jerseys last week against the University of Montana.

The Hornets have held leads in five of their seven losses this season, and Leadingham feels that inexperience may have played a big part of that statistic.

“I’m not saying we quit before in games, but sometimes we didn’t know how to win,” he said.

Saturday’s game could have ended in the same disappointing fashion, but according to Volek, his players would not allow it.

“The team never quit,” Volek said. “You better play 60 minutes, that’s part of being in the Big Sky Conference.”

The Wildcats opened up an early lead as Chournos scored early in the first quarter on a 55-yard touchdown run.

Hornet running back Garrett White scored on a nine-yard run midway through the opening quarter to tie the game, 7-7. Bret Levier connected on a 37-yard field goal, and White scored on a 12-yard run to give the Hornets a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter.

The Wildcats responded with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Tate Bennett to DeFour. A LeVier 19-yard field goal gave the Hornets a 20-14 lead. The sophomore connected on a career-high four field goals on the night, while converting all three of his extra point attempts.

Weber State took a 21-20 lead with 32 seconds remaining in the half on a Bennett touchdown pass to Scott Peery.

The Wildcats scored 10-straight third quarter points before LeVier converted on consecutive 22 and 27-yard field goals to close the lead to 31-26.

“Special teams won the game tonight,” Volek said.

Leadingham finished the night completing 22-of-40 passes for 305 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

Fred Amey led Hornet receivers with 109 yards on four catches. Smith had 71 yards on five catches.

Bennett finished the night with 349 yards and two touchdowns while completing 24-of-34 passes. DeFour led the Wildcats with 126 yards on seven catches and a touchdown.

Weber State rushed for 245 yards on the PAM-less Hornet defense, and Chournos led the ground attack with 223 yards and three touchdowns.

The Hornets rushed for 165 yards on the night, with White’s 68 yards and one touchdown leading the way. The two teams combined for 79 points, 1,105 offensive yards and no turnovers.