SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento State football team had its Homecoming spoiled as 24th-ranked North Dakota rushed for 422 yards and five touchdowns on the way to a 40-7 victory at Hornet Stadium on Saturday night. The victory improved the Fighting Hawks to 4-2 overall and 3-0 in the Big Sky Conference. The Hornet dropped to 1-5 overall and 1-2 in league action.

UND averaged 8.0 yards per carry and had three 100-yard rushers. Sophomore Brady Oliveira led the way with 111 yards and two TDs on 18 carries. Austin Gordon had 102 yards on 11 attempts and quarterback Keaton Studsrud rushed for 100 yards on just seven attempts. Sophomore All-American John Santiago saw limited action while still nursing an ankle injury but managed 76 yards on eight carries.

The Fighting Hawks jumped to a 27-0 lead at halftime behind a pair of touchdown runs from Studsrud and TDs from Santiago and Oliveira. The lead eventually stretched to 34-0 before Jordan Robinson scored on a 14-yard rush for his third touchdown in the last two games.

The Hornets had 272 yards of total offense compared to 625 from North Dakota. Sophomore Nate Ketteringham completed 15-of-34 passes for 177 yards. Isiah Hennie was the leading receiver with five catches for 46 yards while Robinson had six rushes for 44 yards. Tyler Meteer (15), Nick Crouch (12) and Manny Scott-Anderson (11) each finished with double digit tackles.

The game marked the first time this season that Sacramento State hasn't been within a touchdown during the fourth quarter. The Hornets will next play at Montana on Saturday, Oct. 15.

QUOTABLE

"We didn't play physical enough. Didn't get off enough blocks and didn't make enough plays. We need to do a better job to make sure our kids are in position to make plays. North Dakota did a nice job up front on both sides of the ball and that was the difference in the game."

Sacramento State Head Coach Jody Sears

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter
9:36 - Sacramento State pinned the Fighting Hawks at the 1-yard line following a great punt from Nolan Merker. However, North Dakota marched 99 yards on eight plays to post the first points on a 6-yard rush by quarterback Keaton Studsrud.

Second Quarter
13:04 - Studsrud struck again with a 40-yard dash up the middle of the field to cap a 7-play, 82-yard drive.

5:52 - Sophomore John Santiago added to the UND lead with a 26-yard rush. The Fighting Hawks rushed the ball during each of the four plays of the 52-yard drive.

0:25 - Brady Oliveira made the score 27-0 at the half with a 17-yard rush just before halftime. The drive began with a 34-yard completion to Travis Toivonen.

Third Quarter
9:16 - Oliveira found the end zone for the second time with a 1-yard carry up the middle. UND started its drive with a 41-yard completion to De'mun Mercer and then turned to the ground game. An 11-yard rush from Santiago took the ball to the 5 yard line before Oliveira used two carries to get to the end zone.

7:35 - Sacramento State posted its first points with a 14-yard rush from Jordan Robinson up the middle of the field. During the drive, tight end Stone Sander had a 29-yard reception with a circus catch for his first grab of the year.

Fourth Quarter
6:45 - Reid Taubenheim connected on the first of two fourth quarter field goals with a 28-yard make. The drive was set up by an interception from Evan Holm which was the team's NCAA FCS leading 11th of the year.

1:05 - Taubenheim drilled a 20-yard field to wrap up the game's scoring. UND's drive was sparked from a 76-yard run around the right side by Austin Gordon who was dragged down at the 5-yard line after great pursuit from freshman Allen Perryman.

NOTES

• The crowd of 9,614 was the largest of the season at Hornet Stadium.
• Sacramento State recovered a muffed punt for the third time this season.
• Nolan Merker saw action at quarterback in the fourth quarter. The sophomore was 0-for-1 but rished for nine yards.
• North Dakota's trio of 100-yard rushers were the first allowed by the Hornets since Hofstra's Kharon Brown (140), Paul Que (137) and Jimmy Jones (120) on Oct. 7, 1995.
• George Obinna recorded a sack for Sacramento State, giving the team at least one sack in all six games this season.