Sacramento State

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pop Watson III rushed for two touchdowns and threw for a third to keep Massachusetts undefeated on the year in a 35-6 win over Sacramento State on Saturday night at Hornet Stadium.
 
The Minutemen continued their turnaround season which has seen the team turn a 16-game losing streak entering the year into a 4-0 start. UMass scored on the opening drive of the game, marching 75 yards on six plays with Watson capping the series with a 13-yard run around the right side.
 
Sacramento State (1-4, 0-2 MAC) closed the gap early in the second quarter with a 20-yard field goal from Grant Meadors. The Hornets had first-and-goal from the 2-yard line but were stopped for no gain on its first try and followed with two incompletions before settling for the field goal.
 
UMass answered with an 8-play, 75-yard series where Watson ran up the middle for a 32-yard touchdown. The drive was kept alive with a couple of long third-down conversions beginning with a 12 -yard pass to Jabari Lewis on 3^rd-and-8 and then a 10-yard stroke to Reece Adkins on 3^rd-and-10.
 
Sacramento State was sparked late in the quarter when Ivan Moore Jr., blocked a punt —the third of the season for the team — setting them at the Minutemen 13-yard line. Again, however, the Hornets struggled in the red zone, before taking a 29-yard field goal from Meadors.
 
"Disappointed," Sacramento State head coach Alonzo Carter said following the game. "We had too many trips into the red zone where we could not score touchdowns and allowed them to stay on the field too many times. We have to use this bye week to figure out what we do best and what puts us in the best positions. We have to get better and that starts with me."
 
UMass stretched its lead to 21-6 with a 7-yard pass from Watson to Max Dowling late in the period and the Hornets were unable to draw any closer in the second half.
 
The Minutemen started the second half with a 49-yard interception for a touchdown by Timmy Hinspeter and later added a 3-yard run from Kezion Dia-Johnson after recovering a muffed punt return by the Hornets.
 
Sacramento State ran 24 more plays that UMass (77-53) but finished with 10 less yards (333-323). The Hornets rushed for 102 yards with 35 coming from Daniel Swinney and 34 from Cincere Rhaney. Sharman finished 24-of-43 for 221 yards with Raiden Brown leading the way behind six catches for 61 yards.
 
The Hornet defense was paced by six tackles from Xavier Williams and Leki Holani.
 
Watson was 11-of-16 for 101 yards and a touchdown and led the team with 72 rushing yards.
 
Following a bye week, Sacramento State will play at Bowling Green on Oct. 10. The team's next home game will be Homecoming against Ohio on Oct. 17.
 
NOTES

• The scoreless fourth quarter marks the ninth-straight game where the Hornets have held the opposition to zero points for at least one period.
• Tight end Jordan Williams caught a career-high five passes for 41 yards.
• Eight Hornets caught at least one pass in the game.
• The team made changes up front with Shaan Lathan making his first start at center and Jaxon Moore at left guard.
• The six tackles for Williams was a career-best and included a half-sack. He also had a pass breakup and a QB hurry.