Sacramento State’s turnovers cost them in their first Big Sky Conference matchup against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks as they fell 34-16.

Senior kicker Zach Schreiner scored all of the points for the Hornets in the first half. His first field goal attempt of the game came after junior cornerback Zelmar Vedder recovered a fumble caused by senior safety Eian Moore. 

“Attacking the ball every chance that we get, whether that’s taking a shot at it while we’re tackling and just playing the ball aggressively in the air as they throw it,” senior linebacker Will Leota said about the team’s strategy to create turnovers.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Carson Conklin marched the Hornets down the field, but the drive stalled out at NAU’s 31-yard line after Conklin threw 2 incompletions.

Schreiner made the longest field goal of his career, knocking a 49-yarder through and giving the Hornets the lead.

“Give NAU credit, they played really well,” Sac State head coach Andy Thompson said. “They are 1-0 and we aren’t, so we got to get back to it.”

The Lumberjacks chipped their way down the field until sophomore quarterback Ty Pennington hit redshirt junior running back Darvon Hubbard for a 38-yard screen pass down the left sideline.

The drive ultimately ended in a field goal after senior safety Murvin Kenion III broke up a pass in the middle of the field.

The second quarter opened with an incomplete deep shot from Conklin to senior pass catcher Jared Gipson. Laundry was thrown for offside and pass interference and the Hornets were awarded 15 yards. 

Junior running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver got the Hornets back into field goal range after a couple of chunk run plays, including a 15-yard run to the right side.

Schreiner gave the Hornets their lead back, making it 6-3 with 11:53 left in the first half.

The Lumberjacks responded with a drive that took nearly eight minutes. 

Pennington connected with senior tight end Bryzai White for two chunk plays and a touchdown on a play-action pass to the back of the endzone to earn a 10-6 lead that they never gave up.

“I got to do a better job of getting our guys into better spots,” Thompson said. “And then when we are in spots, a couple of times we were in spots and missed tackles.”

With just under four minutes in the half, Conklin converted a third down with a deep pass to senior receiver Anderson Grover on the left sideline for a 22-yard pickup.

The drive stalled again after a self-inflicted wound in the shape of a false start penalty that sent them back to second-and-15. Tau-Tolliver was able to pick up seven yards, but the drive, and the half, ended in Schreiner’s third field goal, giving the Lumberjacks a 1-point lead.

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The Lumberjacks started the second half with a nearly seven minute drive that pushed the Hornets’ defense to bend, but did not break them.

On third-and-1, the Lumberjacks tried to pound the rock, but were stopped, forcing them to settle for a field goal that increased their lead by four.

Disaster struck the Hornets when Conklin went back to pass and was pressured on a blitz by the Lumberjacks. Sophomore defensive back Alex McLaughlin chopped the ball out of Conklin’s hands and redshirt sophomore linebacker Ammon Allen scooped it up and scored a touchdown.

“At the end of the day it’s about us doing our assignments,” senior center Kaden Richardson said. “They give us the looks, we got to block them.”

Conklin went back out onto the field and on the second play of the drive, he looked to his right and threw an interception to redshirt junior defensive back Zach Lewis. Lewis returned the ball to the 13-yard line and Pennington punished the Hornets with a 13-yard touchdown pass to redshirt junior wideout Tay Lanier.

Just like that the Hornets fell into a hole, 27-9. 

Tau-Tolliver started the fourth quarter with a 10-yard rush up the left sideline, but a holding penalty and 12-yard sack forced the Hornets to punt.

The punt was returned, but sophomore linebacker Alex Rocha caused a fumble which was recovered inside the endzone for a touchback.

The Hornets second chance started with a 17-yard run by Tau-Tolliver and Conklin running right to throw a dart to redshirt freshman Danny Scudero to get to the Lumberjacks’ side of the field.

Conklin capped off the drive with a pass to Gipson on an out route. Gipson managed to break and spin out of tackles to get himself into the endzone and cut the deficit to 27-16.

The Hornets defense did their job and got the ball back after capitalizing on a Lumberjack holding penalty. 

The offense was unable to repay the favor. Conklin, pressured once again, scrambled to his right and threw across his body only to be intercepted by senior defensive back DJ VanHook. 

The Lumberjacks put the final nail in the coffin with a Hubbard run for the final touchdown of the game and secured the win, 34-16.

“Players and coaches got to improve and we got this bye week to get a chance to look at everything and figure out a better plan so we don’t have the turnovers,” Thompson said. 

The Lumberjacks scored 21 points off of turnovers. Sac State Athletics’ recap said “stats for the game were unofficial but Sac State was credited for 162 passing yards and just 59 on the ground.”

The Hornets have a bye week to lick their wounds and prepare to take on Eastern Washington at home on Oct. 12 at 6 p.m.