SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jaelin Ratliff caught two touchdown passes in the final five minutes of the game, including the game-winner with 15 seconds remaining to give Sacramento State a 41-38 victory over Montana State on Saturday night at Hornet Stadium.

The win was the first for the Hornets (1-4, 1-1 Big Sky) this season and snapped a 10-game skid against the Bobcats which dated back to 2005. Montana State dropped to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

Sacramento State trailed 38-21 entering the fourth quarter but pulled ahead with a touchdown run from Jordan Robinson and two TD receptions by Ratliff. The Hornet defense was able to make pivotal stops during the fourth quarter, limiting MSU to 43 yards in the period and 0-for-3 on third-down conversions.

After the defense forced a punt with 1:34 remaining, the Hornet offense started on its own 32-yard line without a timeout. Nate Ketteringham completed passes to Isiah Hennie and Robinson for 15 yards taking the ball to the MSU 38. Ketteringham then rushed for 10 and 13 yards bringing the ball to the MSU 15 and leading the Bobcats taking a timeout with 23 seconds remaining. On the next play, Ketteringham connected with Ratliff in the back left corner of the end zone.

Needing a field goal to tie, Montana State caught a break when the ensuing kickoff sailed out of bands and placed the ball at the Bobcat 35 without a second coming off the clock. The drive turned when Tyler Bruggman hit Mitch Herbert for a 27-yard completion but the play was called by for an ineligible man downfield costing MSU yardage and valuable seconds. The team's final attempt ended when Ben Sorensen scooped up a lateral near midfield.

Total yardage between the two teams was separated by just two yards as Sacramento State amassed 510 and MSU 508. Ketteringham completed 34-of-54 pass attempts for 356 yards and four touchdowns but was also picked off twice. The team also combined for 154 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Robinson.

Montana State relied almost entirely on the ground game. Reserve quarterback Chirs Murray came on in place of Bruggman with 31 seconds remaining in the first quarter and rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns. Gunnar Brekke finished with 106 and Chad Newell added 86 as the MSU tallied 385 rushing yards. Bruggman and Murray finished 6-of-21 for 123 yards.

Sacramento State will remain at home to face North Dakota (3-2, 2-0) on Saturday, Oct. 8. The game, which will also serve as the University's Homecoming, will kick off at 6 p.m. from Hornet Stadium.

QUOTABLE

"Our defense gave us a great opportunity to come back and put some points on the board. As far as the whole team, we have amazing resiliency and that is what helped us."

Jaelin Ratliff, Wide Receiver

"(The adversity) has been the story of our first four games. We've had self-inflicted wounds and couldn't overcome them. Tonight we were able to overcome them because the kids have heart, they believe and they're starting to trust what we're asking them to do.

"There were two plays that were pivotal. The first was Jordan Robinson's touchdown run at the end of the first half. I told the team at halftime that if you follow that guy, play like that guy, you'll win this game. The next one was Marcus Bruce running the dude down and the next play we got a turnover. That showed the character of our team and I'm really proud of them."

Jody Sears, Head Coach

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter
11:02 - Gabe Peppenger put Montana State on the board with a 38-yard field goal. The drive was setup after Sacramento State muffed a punt on the Bobcats' first possession.

0:31 - The Hornets took their first lead with an 8-play, 45-yard drive. After Sacramento State pinned MSU on the 1-yard line, the defense forced a punt. The offense made the most of the short field, capping the drive with an 11-yard pass from Ketteringham to Hennie.

Second Quarter
13:52 - Newell returned the lead to MSU with a 1-yard rush up the middle. Montana State had a would-be touchdown pass dropped but received a second chance when Murray hit Mitch Herbert for a 31-yard completion on 4th-and-7. On the play, Murray floated a ball toward the front corner of the end zone and Herbert was just able to get a toe down in bounds setting up the Newell touchdown on the next play.

10:01 - Montana State pushed its lead to 17-7 on the ensuing drive with a 17-yard scramble from Murray. Gunnar Brekke started the drive with a 57-yard rush up the middle of the field

6:34 - The second quarter shootout continued when Ketteringham connected with tight end John McGill for a 14-yard strike up the seam. The 9-play drive was kept alive when Ketteringham found Johnnie Rucker for a 9-yard completions on 4th-and-6. A roughing the passer penalty added 15 yards to the play and set up the TD pass.

6:15 - On MSU's first play following the kickoff, Murray broke through the middle of the Sacramento State defensive line and sprinted past the defense for a 59-yard touchdown run. The touchdown put MSU on top 24-14.

1:42 - Sacramento State responded with a 1-play drive of its own. A pass interference call against the Bobcats gave the Hornets 15 yards to start the drive without counting as an official play. Robinson then ran through the MSU defense for a 32-yard touchdown — his first of the season. On the play, Robinson shed several tacklers and carried a defender into the end zone from 7 yards out.

Third Quarter
12:49 - Murray continued his ground assault with a 58-yard touchdown run around the left end. The quarterback faked the handoff, kept the ball and outsprinted several Hornets down the sideline for his third score of the game.

5:02 - Montana State made the score, 38-21, with a 6-play drive which consisted entirely of rushes. Murray had rushes of 7, 8 and 2 yards and Brekke travelled 5 and 38 yards. Those carries came before Newell travelled the right sideline for an 11-yard rush.

Fourth Quarter
11:22 - Manny Scott-Anderson recovered a botched handoff at the Hornet 4-yard line and that turnover led to a season-long 96-yard scoring drive. The 11-play series was capped by a 1-yard rush from Jordan Robinson for his second score of the game. During the drive, Ketteringham completed a 22-yard pass to Hennie and a 17-yard strike to Jaelin Ratliff.

4:28 - The Hornets pulled within one score when Ketteringham floated a pass to a pass to Ratliff from 17 yards out. The drive began after the Hornet defense forced a three-and-out and gave Sacramento State the ball at their own 43. The Hornets converted two third downs during the drive, including a 15-yard reception to Demetrius Warren. The extra point attempt was blocked by Fletcher Collins leaving the score at 38-34.

1:34 - Ketteringham found Ratliff in the end zone for the second time in less than five minutes to put Sacramento State ahead. The quarterback rushed for 23 yards on two carries in the series and also had two completions of at least 15 yards before the 15-yard touchdown pass.

NOTES:

• Sacramento State wore black uniforms with gold numbers for the first time this season. The team also used the vintage Hornet logo on the side of the helmet with a gold chrome face mask.

• John McGill and Jordan Robinson each scored their first touchdowns of the season. Robinson tied his career high with two rushing touchdowns. He previously rushed for two scores at Weber State in 2014.

• Sacramento State won for the first time when trailing at halftime since defeating Portland State, 43-42 in 2013.

• Manoah Pearson led the team with 10 tackles, extending his streak of double digit games to three.

• Isiah Hennie has now caught three touchdowns in the last two games.

• Safety Nick Crouch did not play. The absence was just the third for Crouch in his four years at Sacramento State.

• Freshman Johnnie Rucker set a career high with seven receptions.