CSUS vs. CSU Running Commentary

Optimism proves hard to muster before games against 1A foes. With the Hornets having lost to UTEP, Oregon State, Cal, New Mexico and Boise State, and Fresno State over the last few years; one can expect a beating today. Though these games can fatten the program’s checkbook – $200k, it is also an annual reminder to those who harbor feelings moving up to 1A that Sac State has a loooooong way to go both in talent and facilities. Sadly, not even staying at a Holiday Inn Express will help the Hornets win. Of course, I would love to be proven wrong, but the Rams’s depth and physical play will have them winning big.

Settling in to listen to the Voice of the Hornets Jason and Steve. No live video stream as there is only one Big Sky TV game today; Northern Arizona vs. New Mexico Highlands.

12:32 Sixy-eight degrees and no wind.

12:33 More Sac State fans at Hughes Stadium than those who read this blog.

12:35 Hornets will receive with Evander Wilkins back for the return. Men’s football and basketball undefeated in Colorado, per Steve.

12:36 Rocklin High alum Dylan Lane brings it to the 25 yard line.

12: 37 Hillard picks up 8 yards on first carry.

12: 38 Wilkins picks up first down. Hornets have their own version of thunder and lightening.

Hillard runs into own man, former Colorado State now Hornet Brett Willis. Hope he hasn’t forgotten who he plays for.

12:40 Hornets facing 3rd and 7 and Smith completes pass for first down on Rams 46 yard line. 2nd first down.

Steve and Jason reminding listeners that Hornets never passed Boise State 50 yard line. Progress!

12:42 3rd and 2 and Hillard picks up another HORNET FIRST DOWN!

Steve is getting excited and feeling something tingly running down his leg.

Hornets on Rams 21st yard line. Hillard gets stuffed losing two yards. No thunder there.

Sperbeck going for it on 4th down. He did that at least three times last week. And just like last week Smith connects with Kiel Hill for a 24 yard TOUCHDOWN! Good call. What do we have to lose? Nothing.

Hornets draw first blood, also took about seven minutes off the clock.

12:47 Gamboa kicks off and Rams’ Mike Meyers return to their own 37 yard line. Sac State picks up a personal foul. Rams in Hornet territory.

Rams return the favor with a personal foul.

12:51 Rams facing third down and complete a pass on Hornets 3 yard line. 1st and goal.

12:53 Rams lose yardage on 3rd and goal. Mulitalo stuffs the run! Rams fans booing! 4th and goal and the Rams will go for it. DENIED!!!!!!!!!!!! Boobirds getting louder!

12:57 Hillard breaks out to the 11 yard line. Yellow flag on Hornets. Steve is scolding those who are now just joining broadcast.

Hornets on 3 yard line. Willkins pops out to 9 yard line.

Facing a 3rd and long, Smith almost gets picked off. Hornets avoid disaster as Ram db drops ball. Bring on the punting team.

1:00 Rams take over on Hornet 37 yard line. What Hornets can do, so can EWU Eagles as they lead the Buffs 7-0.

Rams facing 3rd and 6. Shout out to Danny Sullivan, Brian Berger, Alex et. al. Hey, where is the love?

First down for Rams on Hornets 22 yards line. Touchdown Rams. 7-7. 6′6″ 250 Tight End Corry Sperry with a magnificent catch. Say he is an NFL prospect.

1:07 Hornets start at the 20. Hilliard gets 2.

Dylan Lane gets enough for a first down and fumbles ball off the field.

End of first quarter; 7-7.

Hopefully, they will continue ball control. 94 yards and 5 first downs.

Trick play is a bust as they failed to execute with an errant pass.

1:12 Smith scrambles out to 42 yard line.

Dylan Lane catches pass, breaks first tackle and get another HORNET FIRST DOWN.

Hilliard pounds his way up the middle for an eight yard gain.

Hornets facing 3rd and 3. Blitz coming and Washington catches pass for another HORNET FIRST DOWN.

A moose, duck, or dog key chain for $1.50 at Aime Hardware. Yeah, that is what I really want. Now Gorrilla Glue, that sounds, sniff-sniff, interesting.

1:18 Washington with another catch and on Ram 22 yard line.

3rd and inches. Hilliard falls short. Will Sperbeck go for it again on 4th? Smith falls forward and another HORNET FIRST DOWN! More boos.

1:21 Smith throws and wide-receiver throw to Hill’s wrong shoulder and he can’t bring it in.

Hilliard on the draw gets to Rams 13 yard line.

Hornets facing 3rd down and Washington can’t bring it in. Well, another 4th down. Sperbeck will go for it again. Love it!

Hornets call timeout to ice the defense. Here comes Gamboa. He nails 31 yarder. 10-7 Hornets. Nice clock-eating drive.

1240 AM is a joke. Amateur hour.

1:28 Rams will start around the 29 yard line.

On 2nd and short, Gartrell Johnson, the human bowling ball picks up 13 yard run – longest of the day – previously held to 1 yard rushing.

First down Rams on Hornets 27 yard line. Big play. Rams moving the ball.

Peter Buck picks off the ball at Hornet 7 yard line!! Another HORNET FIRST DOWN!

REMAIN CALM. EVERYONE REMAIN CALM.

Hornets facing 3rd and 8. Smith avoids sack and jitterbugs (Jason’s words) for another HORNET FIRST DOWN. Steve compares it to running with the bulls.

On 36 yard line, Hornets fumble and recover for two yard gain. Dylan Lane gets a yard within first down marker. Smith gives to Willkens who picks up another HORNET FIRST DOWN.

1:37 Close to two minute mark. Torrell Baker with a sliding catch. Incomplete. Hornets take final time-out.

Washington drops pass at Rams 10 yard line! No first and goal. 3rd and 15.

Smith rolls right and gets laid out 7 yards short of first down. 4thd down at midfield.

1:43 Punt pins Rams at their own 13 by Brannon. Illegal formation called and Hornets will have to do it again. 1:33 left in game.

High and short kick rolls to Ram 1 yard line. Boos come hurling down again.

1:45 Rams in hurry up offense. Gartrell Johnson takes ball in endzone on deep draw and busts out to 7 yard line.

Rams qb airs it out and Hornets get called for pass interference despite defender getting pushed down.

34 seconds on clock.

TE Sperry tackled and kept in bounds.

3 seconds. More boos.

Steve and Jason are remarkably poised with Hornets leading 10-7 at halftime. Surprisingly, so am I for that matter. Why? Harken back a couple of years to the Cal game when Da Bears led Sac State 3-0 at halftime. After a 10-3 Cal lead in 3rd quarter, it ended up being a blowout.

END OF SECOND QUARTER

24 carries for 92 rushing for Hornets. Their time of possession is 20:36.

Brian Hilliard comes out of locker with no shoulder pads and helmet. Bummer. Berger heads down to field to find out what is wrong and now Steve will have to provide color while eating his fajitas. I think he is at his finest when eating, talking about eating, and who will pay for his eating. Danny Sullivan isn’t with them so he can’t pick up the tab. They will probably hit up Berger.

And this from The Coloradoan; Rams, Hornets tied after one quarter

CSU trails Sacramento State at halftime Enjoy that headline from the Greely Tribune while it lasts.

And from the Sac Bee? Nada. Zip. Zero. We might be lucky if they even write up the game tomorrow rather than the AP wire story. Oh wait, maybe Qwan Spears can write article from home.

2:09 Gamboa kicks it out of endzone. Here come the Lambs.

Hilliard has shoulder injury. Brannon wraps up Gartrell after two yard gain.

Rams qb Ferris has all day to throw and wide receiver drops the ball. 3rd down.

TE Sperry picks up 20 yards for first down.

Hornets give Rams first down with pass interference.

2:13 Rams on Hornet 40 yard line. After dropped passes, they face 3rd and 12.

Pass over the middle and first down at Hornets 20 yard line.

Rams moving ball with ease in air and now have 1st and goal. Touchdown. Just like that. 14-10 Rams.

2:22 Willins picks up 7 on first down.

Kiel Hill makes sideline catch for another HORNET FIRST DOWN! Steve and Jason say he wasn’t in.

Elon Paige shows up and catches a pass on the Rams 47 yardline. 2nd and 3.

Willkins breaks through for another HORNET FIRST DOWN.

Smith scrambles and gets back to line of scrimmage. 3rd down on Rams 35 yard line. Washington catches ball on 30 yard line. 4th and 5. Marshall says? Go for it.

Washington gets another HORNET FIRST DOWN at Lambs 17 yard line.

On 3rd and 10, Smith from shotgun gets sacked at 27 yard line. Marshall says? GAMBOA TIME! He nails it.

Rams lead 14-13.

I am going to go cut down the Ross and McElroy balloon tree. I will show Cal how to handle these situations.

They must be sucking helium. Gorrilla Glue has to be better.

2:33 Rams at 21 yard line. Incomplete pass. Looking at 3rd down and 8. I guess Ussain Bolt is now on the field for Rams. Open space running and Gartrell gets first down.

No pressure again on Ferris but another incomplete pass.

Ferris finally completes pass and Greer/Bolt gets down to Hornets 40 yard line or so. Rams are abandon run and go with pass game. Hornets struggling.

2:37 Hornets blitz and Gartrell blows up middle to Hornet 27 yardline.

Ferris escapes three Hornet defenders and picks up first down.

Rams facing 3rd and 6. Gartrell the bowling ball gets first down.

END OF 3RD QUARTER. RAMS 14 – 13 HORNETS

2:44 Rams score touchdown on first play of fourth quarter. Hornets penalized for roughing passer and Rams have illegal player down field and negates touchdown.

Gartrell picks up 5 and Rams on Hornets 10 yard line. Gartrell stuffed. 3rd down and 4. Gartrell only has 42 yards rushing.

Hornets stop Gartrell short of first down. Kicking team comes out and more boos. BLOCK THAT KICK.

It’s good. Rams 17 and Hornets 13.

EWU leading the Buffs 21 – 14 in 3rd quarter. Unbelievable.

2:49 Hornet ball, 1st and 10 at their 20 yard line.

Washington over shoulder catch at the Ram 45 yard line!!

Willkens busts loose for 17 yard gain.

Hornets at Rams 27 yard line. Smith gets sacked. Now on 35 yard line facing 3rd and 18.

2:55 False start. What is another 5 yards? 3rd and 23.

WASHINGTON SCORES! WASHINGTON SCORES! WASHINGTON SCORES!

REMAIN CALM … REMAIN CALM … WASHINGTON IS RANDY MOSS IN COLORADO.

I have to go to the bathroom before I soil myself.

10:03 to go. Hornets 20 – 17 Rams.

2:59 GAMBOA kicks out of end-zone again. Steve questioning whether Gamboa is juiced.

Rams pick up 16.

3:02 On 2nd and 1, Rams get stuffed. 3rd and 1. Clock continues to run. First down, shy of the 50.

6:00 to go. Another first down. On Hornet 42 yard line.

3:45 to go and Rams get stymied at Hornet 30 yard line.

Ferris completes pass and Rams are looking at 3rd and 4.

2:20 to go. My fingernails are gone. Ferris gets it off and Rams get first down at 19 despite Hornet blitz.

Under two minutes to go. Hornets call timeout, using their first. Fans starting to show up at SacBuzz to be part of history.

Incomplete pass in Hornet endzone.

1:46 left. 2nd and 10. Another incomplete pass. 3rd and 10. Hornets blitz, drop qb and Rams face 4th and 10.

Here comes kicker. 36 yard attempt. Kick is good. Tied at 20.

Hornets have two timeouts. Willkens gets up to 25 yard line and gets the snot knocked out of him and sends his helmet flying.

1:21 1st and 10 Hornet 27 yardline. Incomplete pass. Willkens fumbles ball. Rams recover. Why does this sinking feeling feel so familiar? I recognize this pain. I have lived with this pain.

Rams on Hornet 25 yard line and call timeout without 33 seconds to go.

Ugh. Rams first and goal. Rams stop clock with 2 seconds and will go for field goal.

20 yard field goal attempt is good.

Rams 23 – Hornets 20.

END OF FOURTH QUARTER

Not the game I expected. Congrats to the Hornets for putting up such a fight.