No. 2 Montana State uses FCS-best rushing attack to batter No. 3 Sacramento State on ESPN2
Sacramento State coach Andy Thompson stressed all week that his defense had to make stops against the top rushing team in the FCS. Otherwise, the Hornets would not stand much of a chance in Saturday’s highest-ranked showdown in the 69-year history of the program.
No. 2 Montana State did what it does best. The Bobcats of Bozeman churned out four consecutive scoring drives in the second half, including three in the fourth quarter, to topple No. 3 Sacramento State 42-30 in front of 16,122 at Hornet Stadium and a national television audience on ESPN2.
MSU came in averaging 324.5 rushing yards per contest. The Bobcats grinded and sprinted for 328 in this one to improve to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big Sky Conference. They are the only unbeaten team in a powerhouse conference that includes four teams ranked in the FCS top 10, five in the Top 25 and two more receiving poll votes.
Both teams came in having gone 18-1 in Big Sky games since 2021, though they had not faced off since 2019, a Hornets victory. Saturday’s setback was a crippling blow to the Hornets’ chances of winning a fourth consecutive Big Sky championship as they fell to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in conference with four games remaining.
MSU quarterback Tommy Mellot rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns on designed running plays. Julius Davis and Jared White each reached the end zone on rushes, combining for 137 yards.
Elijah Tau-Tolliver rushed for a Hornets career-best 100 yards on eight carries and electrified the Hornets crowd with a 53-yard TD burst in the third quarter to pull Sacramento State to within 21-14. He added a 10-yard touchdown run to pull his team within 28-24 early in the fourth quarter, stepping up admirably after starting running back Marcus Fulcher and second-string back Ezra Moleni left the game early with injuries.
Kaiden Bennett passed for 234 yards and accounted for the final points for Sacramento State when he hit Devin Gandy for a 7-yard strike with 1:27 left to play.
The game turned when the Hornets were not successful on a fourth-and-7 play from their own 28 with 7:36 to play. Four plays later, White ran in from 12 yards out to put MSU up 42-24. It was the fifth consecutive game in which MSU rushed for at least 300 yards and the sixth overall.
The Bobcats stunned the Hornets when Jon Johnson returned an interception 16 yards to tie it 7-7 two minutes into the second quarter.
The first time the programs played was in the 1964 Camellia Bowl at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento. MSU inched closer to its 17th Big Sky banner. The Bobcats are headed to their 13th playoff appearance since 2002 as one of the elite programs in the FCS.
Sacramento State’s hopes of reaching the FCS playoffs for the fourth time since 2019 remain alive as long as the Hornets don’t falter down the stretch. They will be at home again next week against Idaho State, which is 3-1 in the Big Sky under first-year head coach Cody Hawkins, the former UC Davis assistant coach.
