SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nate Ketteringham threw for 370 yards and three touchdowns but Western Oregon made one final stand to preserve a 38-30 upset victory over Sacramento State on Saturday night at Hornet Stadium in the season opener for both teams.

Down eight, the Hornet defense stopped Malik Braxton on 3rd-and-2 setting up the final drive. The Hornets moved to midfield but faced a 4th-and-14. Ketteringam was flushed to his right but found Cody Demps for a 17-yard gain to keep the drive alive. Sacramento State eventually moved to the WOU 27-yard line but a detrimental holding call on 3rd-and-4 pushed the team back. Ketteringham's fourth-down attempt was intercepted in the end zone to end the game.

Sacramento State outgained the Wolves by over 100 yards (465-341) but a special teams touchdown and two turnovers by Western Oregon helped the team to victory.

Ketteringham's 370 passing yards were the 14th most in school history and set his career high. The sophomore completed 34-of-58 passes but was also intercepted twice. Isiah Hennie and Jordan Robinson led the team with six receptions each. Hennie compiled 73 yards while Demps ranked second with 70 yards on five receptions.

Robinson was the team's leading rusher with 66 yards on 20 carries. He finished the game with 103 yards of total offense.

Defensively, Nick Crouch matched his career high with eight tackles. Elijah Wallace and Wyatt Ming (career high) also added eight.

WOU used two quarterbacks throughout the game. Phillip Fenumiai was 8-of-15 for 97 yards and a touchdown while Nick Duckworth was 6-of-9 for 73 yards and a score. Torreahno Sweet led the Wolves with 77 rushing yards and Paul Revis had 64 receiving yards and a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown.

The Hornets will next have a chance to be the spoiler as they play at Fresno State on Saturday, Sept. 10.

Quotable

"I was really anxious coming in to tonight to see where we were. We made way to many errors and have to grow. I was very optimistic on the maturity of our team based on what I'd seen during winter, the spring and fall camp. I have to say that I'm disappointed because the team that I saw tonight was not the team I'd been seeing since the spring.

"You have to tip your hat to (WOU head coach) Arne (Ferguson) and the boys."

Sacramento State Head Coach Jody Sears

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter
4:41 - Following an interception by Trebriel Larry, Western Oregon dug deep into its playbook for a halfback option pass. Running back Malik Braxton took the handoff, moved to his right and then floated a 19-yard pass to a wide open Paul Revis for the game's first score.

3:39 - The Western Oregon defense stopped Sacramento State on the ensuing drive and Revis took the punt, sidestepped the initial defenders and broke down the left sideline for a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown.

0:26 - Sacramento State responded with an 11-play 71-yard drive but was forced to settle for a 31-yard field goal from sophomore Devon Medeiros.

2nd Quarter
4:36 - The Hornets capped a 14-play, 95-yard drive with a 9-yard quarterback draw from Ketteringham for his first collegiate touchdown. During the drive, Sacramento State picked up six first downs, including a 27-yard strike to Cody Demps for his first catch. Ketteringham also drew a first down after he was hit out-of-bounds setting up first-and-goal.

1:15 - Western Oregon immediately answered with a 93-yard drive of its own on 10 plays. The big play during the drive was 38-yard completion to Wesley Gray which brought the ball into Hornet territory. On 3rd-and-goal, Sacramento State brought the pressure but Phillip Fenumiai immediately found Revis for a short completion and the junior darted his to the left corner of the end zone for his second score of the game.

0:06 - Facing 3rd-and-goal, from the 5, Ketteringham threw a line drive to Johnnie Rucker on a slant from the right side. Rucker was also pivotal during the drive, wrestling away a pass from a defender on third down.

3rd Quarter
2:21 - Western Oregon again posted the first points of the half when Jacob Bannister made a 40-yard field goal to put WOU up eight, 24-16. The Wolves had success on the ground during the drive but could not move past the 20-yard line as the Hornet defense recorded a 2-yard loss and a quarterback hurry.

4th Quarter
14:03 - Sacramento State converted a drive which started in the final minutes of the third quarter when Ketteringham found Jaelin Ratliff for an 18-yard touchdown pass on third down. The Hornets also converted a 3rd-and-9 situation when Ketteringham found Demps for a 15-yard completion. Sacramento State attempted to tie the game with a 2-point conversion but the pass intended for Demps was knocked down in the end zone.

10:31 - WOU responded with a touchdown on the following drive. Reserve quarterback Nick Duckworth lofted a pass to Wesley Gray who got behind the secondary and moved untouched into the end zone.

5:11 - The Wolves scored what would become the game-winning touchdown when Torreahno Sweet cut back against the grain for a 30-yard rush. Sweet began the play by rushing up the middle then broke to his left and down the sideline before diving for the pylon.

2:33 - Sacramento State pulled within one score on Ratliff's second touchdown of the game. The sophomore pulled down the 23-yard pass just inside the left sideline and maintained possession while crashing to the ground.

Notes

• Prior to the game, Sacramento State observed a moment of silence for Kobe Lambdin. The 13-year old passed away on Friday after a battle with brain cancer. Lambdin served as a "Junior Hornet" last season and quickly became part of the team.

• The punt return for a score was the first allowed by Sacramento State since Dominic Gunn also travelled 74 yards for Northern Colorado on Sept. 15, 2012.

• The field goal by Devon Medeiros was the first of his collegiate career.

• Wide receivers Cody Demps and Johnnie Rucker as well as tight end Steely Smith each recorded their first collegiate reception during the game.

• Elijah Wallace chased down Steven Long to save a would-be touchdown on the final play of the first half. Long broke up the right sideline and attempted to cut across the field before Wallace pulled him down at the Sacramento State 18.

• Ratliff caught two touchdowns for the first time in his career. Dating back to last season's Causeway Classic, the sophomore has three touchdowns in the his last two games.

• Ketteringham has now thrown multiple touchdowns in his last three games and has at least one throw in five consecutive games.

• Sacramento State's last loss to a non-Div. I team came against UC Davis in the 2002 Causeway Classic. The team had won seven consecutive games when playing teams from a lower division. During that stretch, the Hornets have also recorded upset wins of their own with victories at Oregon State and Colorado.

• Several projected members of the defensive two deep did not play in the game. Sacramento State was without the services of lineman PJ Johnson and Terrance Jackson as well as defensive backs Austin Clark, Dre Terrell and Jordan Thomas.