SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Second-ranked Montana State rushed for 328 yards and was able to hold off several charges from third ranked Sacramento State for a 42-30 victory in front of one of the largest crowds in Hornet Stadium history.

The Bobcats improved to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big Sky Conference. The team's only loss this season came against top-ranked South Dakota State. The Hornets dropped to 5-2 overall and are now 2-2 in league games.

Sacramento State's defense held Montana State to a field goal attempt on its opening drive and the 33-yard attempt missed wide right. The Hornets responded with an 11-play, 80-yard drive to score the game's first points on a 16-yard reverse from wide receiver Danny Scudero. The true freshman started on the right sideline, took the pitch well behind the line and swept around to the left before cutting up the middle of the field. Scudero became the 13th Hornet to score a touchdown this season.

The Bobcats tied the game early in the second quarter. After the Hornets forced a punt, MSU pinned Sacramento State inside its own 10-yard line. Kaiden Bennett's pass attempt to the left sideline was intercepted by Jon Johnson at the 16-yard line and he traveled untouched into the end zone.

Montana State pushed its lead to 14-7 into halftime after a 21-yard pass from Sean Chambers to Ty McCullough with 3:36 left in the second quarter.

Both defenses had big plays early in the third quarter but only Montana State was able to turn it into points. Dillon Juniel halted MSU's opening drive of the half with an interception but the Bobcats recorded their second interception of the game two plays later. That turnover led to an 11-yard rush by Tommy Mellott.

The Hornets pulled closer with a career-long 53-yard touchdown from Elijah Tau-Tolliver to make it 21-14. Sacramento State recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and drove to the MSU 1-yard line before a fumbled pitch on third down forced the team to settle for a 26-yard field goal from Zach Schreiner.

The teams traded touchdowns early in the fourth quarter with Mellott rushing in from 9-yards out just seven seconds into the period and Tau-Tolliver scoring his second TD of the game on a 10-yard dash up the middle to keep it a four-point game.

Montana State gained some separation midway through the quarter when Julius Davis scored on a 1-yard carry which was set up by a 49-yard gain of his own. The Hornets rolled the dice on 4th-and-7 from their own 28-yard line on the next series and came up empty. MSU capitalized on the good field position to score on a 12-yard rush from Jared White to make it 42-24.

Sacramento State closed the game's scoring with an 11-play, 75-yard drive which was capped by a 7-yard touchdown pass from Bennett to Devin Gandy.

Montana State entered the game as the top rushing team in the FCS and lived up to the hype with 49 carries for 328 yards four scores. The Bobcats had a pair of 100-yard rushers in Davis (110) and Mellott (105). The team finished with 448 yards of total offense.

Sacramento State gained 434 yards in the game with 200 on the ground and 234 through the air. Tau-Tolliver rushed for 100 yards on just eight carries to easily surpass his previous high of 71. He also scored two touchdowns in a game for the first time at Sacramento State. Bennett completed 26-of-42 passes for 234 and a score. He also rushed for 22 yards.

The Hornet defense was paced by Armon Bailey who had 10 tackles to give him double-digit stops in four of the last five games. Darian Pollard and Dillon Juniel each had eight tackles.

Sacramento State will next host Idaho State for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 6 p.m.

NOTES

• The announced crowd of 16,122 was the eighth largest in school history and the third biggest in a non-Causeway Classic game.
• The point totals were the most allowed by both teams this season.
• Both teams were also held below their season scoring average.
• Gandy became the third Hornet to have two touchdown receptions this season joining Carlos Hill and Marcus Fulcher.
• Sacramento State had won 10-consecutive Big Sky home games prior to Saturday. The team's last home Big Sky loss came against Weber State, 36-17, on Nov. 2, 2019.
• The Hornets' last home regular season loss to any team was against UNI, 36-14, on Sept. 11, 2021.