SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The No. 12 Sacramento State football team won its seventh consecutive game behind a complete team effort which saw the offense compile 543 yards, the defense force four turnovers and the special teams score on a long kickoff return in a 49-20 win over Portland State on Saturday night at Hornet Stadium.

The win improved the Hornets to 8-2 overall and 7-0 in the Big Sky Conference. The team's seven-game winning streak is the longest since the program moved to the FCS in 1993 and the longest overall since 1966 team won its final eight games. The Hornets remain tied with Montana State as the only two unbeaten teams in the Big Sky and will control their own destiny next week for a second consecutive Big Sky title.

The Hornets took the opening kickoff and jumped on the board with a 30-yard field goal from Kyle Sentkowksi. The team had a couple of chances to add on to put the game out of reach early but settled for field goal attempts and only led 6-0 midway through the first quarter.

Portland State scored its first points on a 7-yard pass from Davis Alexander to Darien Chase and the extra point gave PSU a 7-6 lead with 7:04 left in the first half. The score snapped a stream in which the team didn't trail for 216 minutes, 24 seconds.

The deficit, however, did not last long as Devin Gandy took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 94 yards for a score 14 seconds later. The touchdown was the first for Sacramento State on a kickoff return since Isiah Hennie scored on an 89-yard return against Menlo on Sept. 20, 2014.

From there, the Hornets scored 21 unanswered points to build a 35-7 lead halfway through the third quarter. Cameron Skattebo started the streak with a 4-yard reception from Jake Dunniway just before halftime. That score came after a wild stretch in which the Hornets had a pair of pick sixes called back and a third interception negated by penalties.

Marshel Martin had the first score of the second half with an 8-yard catch from Asher O'Hara and Skattebo added a 38-yard touchdown run up the middle with 7:22 left in the third quarter.

Portland State snapped the Hornet run with a 1-yard touchdown rush from Malik Walker to make it 35-14 at the end of the third quarter. The Viks continued to add points against the a young group of Sacramento State players when Alexander connected with Beau Kelly for a 34-yard pass with 5:20 left.

Freshman Elijah Gable capped the game's scoring with a 33-yard rush for his first collegiate touchdown.

The Hornets finished the game with over 500 yards of offense for the second time this season. The team rushed for 235 yards — 205 of which came in the second half — and threw for 308 yards. O'Hara had his first 100-yard rushing game at Sacramento State and the QB scampered for 102 yards on 13 carries. He also threw for 18 yards and a TD. Skattebo had 125 all-purpose yards with 85 rushing and four receptions for 40 yards receiving.

Jake Dunniway completed 16-of-24 passes for 281 yards and a score. Martin matched Skattebo for the team lead with four receptions for 42 yards. The freshmen trio of Jared Gipson, Chris Miller and Devin Gandy combined for eight catches for 200 yards.

Portland State's Davis Alexander was 23-of-38 for 231 yards and two TDs but was also picked off three times. The Hornets limited the mobile quarterback to minus-13 rushing yards in the game. Alexander's top target was Darien Chase who caught nine passes for 73 yards. Malik Walker had 97 yards and a score on 16 attempts.

Marcus Hawkins recorded his fifth career game with double digit tackles as he had 10 stops to lead all players. The Hornets had interceptions from Marte Mapu, Muchie Filer III and Dominick Sanders as well as a fumble recovery from Abel Ordaz.

The Sacramento State offensive line did not allow a sack and surrendered just six tackles-for-loss against a Portland State team which boasted one of the top defensive lines in the Big Sky.

Sacramento State will close the regular season at UC Davis on Saturday., Nov. 20, at 1 p.m. The game can be heard on ESPN 1320 AM and viewed on ESPN+.

Notes

• The team honored 16 seniors prior to the game who were appearing at the their final regular season game at Hornet Stadium.
• Kyle Sentkowski made two field goals to push his school record to 17 this season.
• Sentkowski missed a 50-yard attempt which snapped his school record of 11 consecutive makes.
• O'Hara now has six career 100-yard rushing games. His last came on Oct. 20, 2020 where he had 106 at Florida International.