Sacramento State football has clawed their way to the home stretch of the season as they travel once again to battle against the Big Sky Conference’s top team, the Montana State Bobcats.
The Hornets have fallen to eleventh in the Big Sky and out of contention for a postseason berth. Sac State holds a 3-6 record on the season, their lone Big Sky win came in double overtime against Weber State.
Keeping Spirits High
Sac State’s postseason hopes ended after their 58-38 disappointing loss against Portland State on Saturday, but the Hornets still have there games to play.
The team has remained focused on their love of the game, Sac State head coach Andy Thompson said.
“We’ve always talked about, ‘Do you really love playing,’ and these guys really love playing football,” Thompson said. “Every first half, we’ve come out. I don’t think that’s a group of guys that are not motivated to come out.”
Thompson said the team has continued to improve, but he would like to see their work pay off.
“I really respect all the guys and how hard they’ve worked,” Thompson said. “I just would love to see them have it pay off at the very end of the game, instead of just at the start of the game.”
Looking in the Mirror
In their previous game, the Hornets led 21-17 heading into halftime, but were blown out in the second half.
Throughout Big Sky Conference play, Sac State has a record of 1-4, with the team leading in three games going into the half and being tied or down by one in the other two.
“I’ve got to do a better job of putting them in position,” Thompson said. “We’ve done it in spurts, so we know we can do it, but we’ve got to be more consistent with our tackling and getting off blocks.”
The Hornets have dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season. Their projected starters missed a total of 55 games, according to Sac State Athletics.
Injuries have caused others to step up such as redshirt freshman running back Curron Borders, who started against the Portland State Vikings last week due to junior running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver being unable to play.
“We try to just have a positive outlook on everything,” Borders said. “If anybody’s injured or anything, the mindset isn’t your injury. You’re just hurt, trying to come back and we just try to lift those guys up every day and try to get better in each and every way.”
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Will Anyone Stop Them?
Sac State is in for trouble against a Montana State run game averaging 310 yards per game on the ground.
Sophomore running back Scottre Humphrey is their leading rusher with 118 rushing yards per game. Sac State’s defense allows an average of 152 rushing yards per game.
“It’s probably the best offensive line that we have been going against so far,” senior defensive lineman Ben Ahio said. “They’re fast, they’re very technically sound.”
Senior quarterback Tommy Mellott is their second leading rusher with about 61 rushing yards per game.
“If one person misses their assignment, misses their call, and he sees that, he’s taking it,” Ahio said. “He’s a really good quarterback and he’s fast enough to adjust last second.”
Sac State has had success on the ground as well, averaging 165 rushing yards per game.
“I think it’s really going to come down to who wants it more and right now. We got nothing to lose,” Borders said.
The Hornets will travel to Bozeman, Montana and to play Montana State on Saturday at 12 p.m.
Predictions:
Ryan Lorenz, Sports Editor (4-4): Sac State’s hope for a postseason debut officially died last week, and this week things don’t look much better for the Hornets. They go on the road against the best team in the Big Sky Conference, while they come off their worst loss of the season. The team needs to play complimentary football and stop the run attack, otherwise the Hornets will be in for a long game. With the performances this team has had over the past few weeks, it is difficult to foresee this team performing an upset, let alone an upset of this magnitude.
Sac State: 17, Montana State: 45
Adam Camarena, Sports Editor (3-5): It would be a disservice to call Sac State’s season anything but a failure. This team has had so many opportunities to close out games, but can’t seem to find the finishing blow. The defense has been gashed by the run so many times, that I’m not surprised to see the opponent with over 300 rushing yards. The offense has stalled one too many times for me to pick them in an upset against the best team in the Big Sky. I fully expect the Bobcats to take advantage of the lowly Hornets and run all over them. Unless the defense can figure out a way to stop the run, it won’t be close.
Sac State: 16, Montana State: 47
Jack Freeman, Editor-in-Chief (4-4): Well, looks like I should have stuck with my gut last week. Montana State took Sac State to task last year on ESPN2 and I don’t expect anything different this year. The Bobcats’ rushing attack will be too much for a Hornet squad limping to the end of the season. Throw in the 49 degree estimated kickoff temperature and you’ve got a recipe for a disaster game for Sac State.
Sac State: 24, Montana State: 45
