The Sacramento State Hornets are leading the Eastern Washington Eagles 14-13 after the first half of the game at Hornet Stadium.

The Hornets are leading despite playing without quarterback Jeff Fleming. Fleming, who has started 16 straight games for the Hornets, is out with a calf injury.

True freshman Garret Safron and redshirt sophomore Tommy Edwards have both taken snaps for the Hornets.

Safron has only thrown the ball once but has rushed eight times for 60 yards. Edwards has completed 9 of 13 passes for 96 yards. Together, they are combining for a dynamic, Fleming-like game.

Both Sac State touchdowns have come on the ground. Running back Bryan Hilliard opened the scoring with a five-yard run and Safron ran one in from 14 yards on Sac State’s next drive. 

Eastern Washington responded quickly to Sac State’s first touchdown, scoring only 1:52 later. The Eagles went on a four-play, 75-yard, drive that culminated in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Bo Levi Mitchell to Nicholas Edwards.

The next two Eagles drives stalled deep in Sac State territory, forcing Eastern Washington to settle for field goals.

Hornets’ kicker Jason Diniz missed a 32-yard field goal late in the first half.

Bo Levi Mitchell, the Big Sky’s passing leader, has thrown for 147 yards and a touchdown in the first half.

Hilliard has ran for 62 yards on nine carries.

Eagles running back Quincy Forte has carried the ball eight times for 77 yards, including a 39-yard run in the second quarter.

Dante Geoffrey can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter: @dantegeoffrey.