The Sacramento State football team concluded home play for the 2014 season defeating Portland State by a final score of 48-41.

Sac State improved to 6-5 on the season while Portland State dropped to 3-8.

It was the Hornets’ second consecutive win over the Vikings and they now lead the all-time series 8-7.

Sac State coach Jody Sears was ecstatic with the way his team finished down the stretch.

“Great game. Unbelievable.” Sears said. “These guys have gone through a lot, and they deserve every bit of this victory.”

Sac State won the toss and elected to defer, only to recover an unforced fumble on Portland State’s first offensive snap of the game. The Hornets wasted little time putting up points as running back Jordan Robinson punched in a 7-yard touchdown run just 27 seconds later.

The Vikings kept pace on offense for the majority of the game, never trailing by more than seven. They acquired their first lead of the game after a 28-yard field goal from Jonathan Gonzales put them up 10-7 with two minutes to play in the first quarter.

Kicker Brad Cornish was good on a 36-yard field goal as the first quarter expired to tie the score at 10-10. Cornish also hit from 25 yards in the fourth quarter for his 14th field goal of the season, tying the Sac State single-season record.

After De’Jon Coleman’s 28-yard run put the Hornets up 17-10 in the second quarter, Portland State running back Nate Tago broke free for a 73-yard touchdown run to tie things up at 17. That play was the longest single gain that the Hornet defense had allowed all season.

The duo quarterback Garrett Safron and receiver DeAndre Carter could only be contained so long, as Safron found Carter for 61 yards and a score just five minutes into the second quarter. The reception put Carter at 85 for the season which set a new school single-season record.

“I’m just feeding the ball to my playmakers,” Safron said. “The coaching staff does a great job of preparing us with a game plan, and we were able to go out there and execute it.”

The Hornets got off to a shaky start in the second half, fumbling and allowing Demetrius Jackson to return it 61 yards for a touchdown. They also allowed another long run of 72 yards to running back Stevie Coury and trailed the Vikings 41-31 to end the third quarter.

The fourth quarter turned into showtime for several Sac State seniors, which was appropriate for a game dedicated as Senior Day.

Safron found receiver Nnamdi Agude for a 33-yard score to move the Hornets within three points to start the fourth quarter. Cornish’s 25-yard field goal tied the game at 41-41 with eight minutes left to play.

The Hornet defense was strong when it mattered, allowing no points in the fourth quarter while holding the Vikings to 6-of-16 on third down conversions.

It was Carter who came up big with the game-breaking play. With 3:23 to play and the score tied at 41, Carter caught a punt and returned it 65 yards for a score.

Sac State went up 48-41 and forced a turnover on downs before running out the clock to seal the win.

“There comes a time when you’ve just got to make a play for your team,” Carter said. “I felt it was that time, so I just made sure I caught it and then put my foot on the gas.”

The senior and team captain reflected on what has been an illustrious career as a Hornet.

“The success we’ve had this season is a testament to coach Sears and the leadership on this team,” Carter said. “We’ve completely turned this program around and I think it has a very bright future.”

The Hornets will finish the season Saturday Nov. 22 when they head to UC Davis for what players and coaches call the Cross-River Rivalry.