As Sacramento State's football season hung in the balance on a hot afternoon, Jason Smith and Tony Washington hooked up to keep the Hornets moving forward.
An announced crowd of 8,437 watched Smith throw for 307 yards and two touchdowns and Washington catch nine passes for 158 yards and a score to lift Sac State to a 41-31 Big Sky Conference victory over Portland State Saturday at Hornet Stadium.
The Hornets improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big Sky. The Vikings fell to 1-3 and 0-1.
Sac State delivered a clutch fourth-quarter drive, marching 79 yards to take a 41-31 lead with 4:11 left on a two-yard run by Bryan Hilliard, who accounted for 69 yards in the drive.
A 48-yard pass from Smith to Washington helped set up a six-yard touchdown run by Hilliard that gave the Hornets their first lead, a 27-21 advantage with 11:39 left in the third quarter.
Sac State stretched the lead to 34-21 on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Washington with 5:26 to go in the third quarter. But the Vikings closed to 34-28 on a 47-yard pass from Tygue Howland to Ty Coleman with 1:12 left in the third quarter.
A fake punt helped Portland State on its next drive, which ended when Danny Urego converted a 30-yard field goal to cut the Hornets' lead to 34-31 with 9:37 left.
Portland State took advantage of two Sac State fumbles to take a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Smith fumbled while being sacked, with the Vikings' Deshawn Shead recovering at the Hornets' 21. Three plays later, Howland found Daniel Wolverton for an eight-yard score with 9:50 left in the first quarter.
Hilliard fumbled three plays later at the Sac State 27, leading to a six-yard touchdown run by Bobby McClintock and a 14-0 lead with 7:20 left in the opening quarter.
But the Hornets stormed back, scoring the next 20 points to take the lead.
Smith capped a five-play, 78-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run, then connected with Evander Wilkins for a 30-yard touchdown. But Juan Gamboa missed the extra point and Wilkins left the field limping as the Hornets pulled within 14-13 with 40 seconds left in the first quarter.
Freshman Deionte Gordon's 15-yard interception return and Gamboa's extra point gave Sac State a 20-14 edge with 9:12 left in the second quarter. The Hornets missed a chance to pad the lead whern Gamboa's 30-yard field-goal attempt hit the left upright.
Portland State took advantage, with Howland finding Aaron Woods open over the middle for an 80-yard touchdown that helped the Vikings take a 21-20 lead into the locker room.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.