It was late in the third quarter and the Sacramento State Hornets were down 25-17 to the Fresno State Bulldogs. They had clawed their way back from a 22-point deficit, but the Bulldogs were knocking on the door once more.

It was fourth down and the Hornets couldn’t give even one yard or all their work would be for naught. Bulldogs senior quarterback Mikey Keene gets the ball and turns his back to the defense to hand the ball to his running back for the fourth consecutive time.

The defense collapsed to the running back, but he didn’t have it. It was a play-action pass; Keene threw to a wide-open senior linebacker Tyler Mello for the touchdown.

It was just one of those days.

“In spurts, we’ve seen highlights in the first two games of each side of the ball and special teams,” Sac State head coach Andy Thompson said. “But way too many mistakes for you to win a football game against a good opponent.”

The first play of the game was a 75-yard bomb from Keene to senior wide receiver Mac Dalena which put Fresno State up 8-0.

The Hornets would respond with a field goal off a muffed punt by Bulldogs sophomore receiver Jalen Moss.

Moss would correct his previous error by scoring an 85-yard touchdown on a punt return from the Hornets next possession and the punches kept on coming for the Hornets.

Senior quarterback Kaiden Bennett had a rough night, completing 38% of his passes for 138 yards as he rotated in-and-out during the first half with sophomore quarterback Carson Conklin.

Most of his yards came with a little over six minutes remaining in the first half, when he ran to his right and threw a 78-yard bomb to senior receiver Jared Gipson for his only touchdown. Gipson ended the game with five receptions for 138 yards.

The Hornets were given a chance to cut into the lead after stopping the Bulldogs offense before the half, but junior running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver fumbled in the red zone.

Senior linebacker Will Leota got the ball back shortly after with Keene throwing over the middle right to him.

Bennett returned the favor after scrambling to the left and throwing across his body to be easily intercepted by the Bulldogs’ senior defensive back Camryn Bacha.

“Conk is definitely more of a traditional pocket passer and Kaiden can get out there and run the ball a little,” senior offensive lineman Jackson Slater said about the difference in blocking for the two quarterbacks. “But we’re just doing our job, if Kaiden decides to hit a hole, go ahead. If Conklin decides to rip one, then go ahead too.”

Entering the second half and down by 15 Conklin started off strong completing all of his passes and capping the drive off with a short completion to senior running back Ezra Moleni for a touchdown. Conklin would play the rest of the game.

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The rest of the third quarter didn’t go the way the Hornets wanted. The Bulldogs went on a six-minute drive, but when the Hornets offense went back on the field, they went three-and-out.

Three-and-outs were a problem for the Hornets all game. Sac State only converted 4 for 14 third down attempts, preventing the Hornets from building any sort of momentum.

“We just got to finish drives,” Gipson said. “Sustain those drives and finish drives and limit mistakes. I feel like we all are playing as hard as we can, so I’m not mad at anyone’s effort.”

The Bulldogs started their drive with a 41-yard bomb to the right sideline from Keene to Dalena. Three runs later, Fresno State was up 39-17.

The Hornets’ offense was saved from another third down stop by a holding penalty and Conklin led a nearly five-minute drive ending in a 3-yard touchdown that senior tight end Austin Jarrard lunged for, closing the gap 39-23.

Keene got the ball back in his hands and hit Dalena for another 38-yard strike to put them just in reach of another touchdown. Keene would end his day with 358 passing yards against the Hornets’ defense.

The Bulldogs’ sophomore quarterback Joshua Wood rushed in for a 10-yard touchdown increasing the lead 46-23.

With the game already out of reach, Conklin hit Gipson for a chunk play up the left sideline and then senior wide receiver Anderson Grover down the middle for a 36-yard touchdown. The game ended 46–30.

“Conklin’s slinging it. He’s coming in, he’s poised, he’s doing his thing,” Gipson said. “Both quarterbacks I feel like can lead us to a Big Sky Championship, definitely.”

Conklin ended his night completing 54% of his passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns.

The Hornets will now lock into their first FCS matchup of the season against Nicholls for the home-opener on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.

“It’s really about putting all three phases of the game together,” Thompson said. “If we do that next week, we’ll see a much better result.”