Sacramento State

MUNCIE, Ind. — Jackson Sharman threw two touchdown passes and Boogsie Silvera had a pair of interceptions but Sacramento State could not contain Ball State quarterback Keldric Luster in a 34-17 loss on Saturday afternoon at Scheumann Stadium.
 
Sacramento State dropped to 1-7 overall and 0-5 in Mid-American Conference games. Ball State improved to 3-5 overall and evened their MAC record at 2-2.
 
The Hornets led 3-0 after the first quarter following a career-long 47-yard field goal from Grant Meadors with 2:36 left in the period. The second quarter saw explosive teams by both teams beginning with a 65-yard pass from Luster to Isaiah Thacker down the middle of the field.
 
The Hornets responded with a 65-yard touchdown of their own when Sharman found Jace Wilson along the sideline and the senior darted down the field for his second score of the season and give the team a 10-7 lead. That advantage held for just 54 seconds as the Cardinals answered with a 55-yard TD from Luster to Jamarion McDougle.
 
The game swung in the final minutes of the first half when the Hornet defense forced a punt and took over down three with 1:47 remaining. With just 38 seconds left, Kaleb Stewart shed a block and knocked the ball free from Sharman and it was recovered by Ben Marsh at the Hornet 26 yard line. BSU needed just two runs from Luster (14 and 11 yards) to set up a 1-yard TD rush from TJ Horton to lead 20-10 at the break.
 
Luster called his own number on the team's first drive of the second half, scoring on a 6-yard run to make it 20-unanswered for the Cardinals. That streak was snapped when Sharman threw a laser to the front right corner of the end zone which was grabbed by Matt Coleman as he fell out of bounds. The call went to review and was upheld for Coleman's team-leading fifth touchdown of the season.
 
Silvera's second interception came in the end zone in the closing seconds of the third quarter. The Hornets had a chance to pull within one score on the ensuing series but instead had to punt and it turned into a 6-yard score from Horton on the ensuing drive.
 
Ball State finished the game with 417 yards of total offense with 183 coming on the ground. Sacramento State had 266 total yards on 12 fewer plays but saw the bulk of its yards (212) come through the air.
 
Sharman completed 17-of-27 passes for 187 yards and two scores. He completed passes to eight different receivers led by three catches from Wilson and Coleman. Wilson led the team with a career-high 89 receiving yards. Isaiah Ene was the leading rusher for Sacramento State with 57 yards.
 
Luster had over 300 yards of total offense as he passed for 234 yards (14-of-27) and rushed for 68.
 
Sacramento State will return home to host Kent State on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2. Today's game marked a stretch where the team will play three games in 12 days.
 
NOTES

• Meadors' field goal broke his previous career-best of 42 yards by five yards.
• Silvera is the first Hornet to have multiple interceptions in a game since Koa Akui had a pair at Nevada on Sept. 6, 2025.
• After not having a penalty in the first half, the Hornets were flagged seven times for 68 yards in the second half, including two flags on defensive third down.
• Silvera and Caleb Reese tied for the game-high with 11 tackles. The game was the eighth for Silvera with double-digit tackles and the first for Reese.