The Sacramento State Hornets’ football team upsetting Oregon State University was the best storyline of the year according to the staff of The State Hornet.

The Hornets marched into this year’s opener in Corvallis, Ore., ready to start their season against another Football Bowl Subdivision team. The Hornets were 0-10 since 2002 against FBS teams and 0-3 against Pac-12 schools. In last year’s game, the Hornets lost 52-17 against Stanford University.

This year’s game against the Beavers started out well for the Hornets who were up 21-6 going into the fourth quarter. The Beavers battled back and scored 15 unanswered points, but freshman Beaver kicker Trevor Romaine missed a 27-yard field goal as time expired and the game went to overtime.

The Beavers scored the first touchdown in overtime and were up 28-21, their first lead since the second quarter. The Hornets scored a touchdown on their possession and instead of sending it to a second overtime, they went for it all.

With everything on the line, the Hornets won on a two-point conversion pass from senior quarterback Jeff Fleming to senior wide receiver Brandyn Reed.

Sophomore linebacker Todd Davis said the game was like nothing he has ever played in during his career.

The Hornets made history and broke a number of records with the win and it may be the biggest upset in the school’s history.

This was the Beavers first home-opener loss since 2001 and their first to a FCS team since 1996.

The win was the first for any Hornets team in 11 tries and the it also snapped a 49-game losing streak Big Sky Conference schools had against FBS teams dating back to 2006. The victory also broke a 29-game losing streak for Big Sky teams against Pac-12 schools.

The game bumped the Hornets up from No. 24 to No. 12 in the Sports Network FCS top-25 poll and it gained the Hornets national attention when SportsCenter aired the win at No. 8 on their “Top Plays.”

Senior defensive lineman Zack Nash said the game made people recognize the team.

“It makes people who normally wouldn’t care about the team take a second look,” Nash said.

Beating the Beavers increased sales at the Hornet Bookstore after “Oregon State Got Stung” T-shirts were made to commemorate the victory.

The upset win will go down in the history books and the 2011 Hornets’ football team will be remembered for the big victory against the Beavers.

Comments about winning in Corvallis:

Todd Davis, linebacker: “It was a great experience. I have never experienced a stadium with so much enthusiasm about their team. I played in the Stanford game last year, but nothing compared to the intensity of the Oregon State game. That has to be No. 1 compared to any other game I have played.”

Brandyn Reed, wide receiver: “Basically, our coach was calling plays like we had nothing to lose and at that point of the game, it was all or nothing. We always preached about how we were ‘all in’… we decided that all we had to do is execute this next play and we’re going home with the victory. It was by far the best game I’ve played in at Sac State.”

Josh Stanley can be reached at [email protected].