Freshman QB makes first start as No. 9 Sacramento State tops Cal Poly in Big Sky shootout
Needing a boost for an offense that was out of sync and out of sorts, Sacramento State turned to its true freshman on Senior Day.
That would be the promising quarterback talent from Orange County who goes by “Conk.” He sports a shock of black hair and throws a pretty ball with poise and precision.
Carson Conklin passed for a club season-high 313 yards and three touchdowns with one interception and absorbed just one sack to spark No. 9 Sacramento State past Cal Poly 41-30 on Saturday afternoon in front of 12,022 fans who saw a wide-open Big Sky Conference contest under clear blue skies.
The Hornets withstood a 483-yard passing day and two touchdowns by Sam Huard to move to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in conference. This effort all but secures an NCAA Division I FCS playoff bid, the fourth in succession for Sacramento State after it managed just one postseason showing from 1954 to 2018. Seven victories is generally the magic number to clinch an FCS playoff berth.
The 69th Causeway Classic at UC Davis next Saturday looms, a regular-season finale magnified by the fact that the Aggies have a chance to muscle into the playoff field with a victory.
Sacramento State was coming off a humbling 34-7 loss at No. 3 Montana in which an early lead turned into an avalanche of missed opportunities and big plays for the Grizzlies. Hornets coaches decided to give Conklin the start against Cal Poly, searching for a new look and tempo. They already witnessed what Conklin could do and have been impressed with his ability since he enrolled last winter as an early Centennial High School of Corona graduate.
Against Idaho State on Oct. 28, Conklin passed for 235 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in a 51-16 rout. The Hornets stuck with Kaiden Bennett at quarterback against Montana, a game in which both signal callers struggled in dealing with nasty weather and a fired-up opponent that inched closer to the Big Sky crown, which Sacramento State had won or shared the previous three seasons.
Conklin may be the new quarterback, but Bennett certainly remains in the Hornets’ plans. The junior from Folsom High School is too talented not to use, including on designed quarterback run plays as he is one of the fastest players in all of the FCS.
The Hornets got what they badly needed here, a bounce-back effort to build on. Sacramento State moved to 7-1 after a regular-season loss since 2019, when the program started its rise to power. The Hornets are 4-1 at home in 2023 and tied the all-time series with the Mustangs of San Luis Obispo at 21-21 dating back to when the series started in 1967.
“Conk did a great job,” said Hornets coach Andy Thompson, who then credited offensive coordinator Bobby Fresques for calling “a great game.”
Huge first half
Conklin has rolled with all of it, not at all awed by the transition from high school ball to this. He did say that players are much bigger, better and faster, and that windows to open receivers close in a hurry. Conklin completed 8 of 13 passes in the first half for 174 yards and those three TD strikes — 7 yards to Devin Gandy, 39 yards to Marshel Martin and 15 yards to Carlos Hill. His 47-yard pass to Jared Gipson set up a Zach Schreiner 32-yard field goal as time ran out in the half for a 31-23 lead.
Conklin had just one pass he’d like to have back, the interception he threw in the third quarter in the face of a heavy pass rush.
“I had a little speed bump in the middle of the game and wish I had one back,” Conklin said. “We’ll take it one day at a time. It was a great team win. It’s football, so work hard and go out and have fun.”
Conklin didn’t have to do all the heavy lifting, not with that stout offensive line under position coach Kris Richardson. The Hornets received 121 yards rushing on 20 carries from Marcus Fulcher, one of 17 seniors who was recognized before the game as the team played its final regular-season game at Hornet Stadium this campaign.
Elijah Tau-Tolliver added nine rushes for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Gipson caught nine passes for 154 yards, and Martin, another senior, caught the 27th touchdown of his career, tying him with Fred Amey for the second most in program history.
Davis-Smith leads defense
Gavin Davis-Smith of Folsom had two interceptions to help the Hornets defense, the most he’s had in a game in his entire life. And he’s played in quite a few.
“I try to help my teammates any way possible and I tried to anticipate routes,” he said.
Thompson said he was pleased for his seniors and also juniors such as Davis-Smith, who has endured injuries in his career.
“Gutsy performance,” Thompson said. “He’s played through different injuries. I couldn’t be happier for him and all the work he’s put in. His shoulder isn’t 100%, but he played every down and made two big plays for us.”
This story was originally published November 11, 2023 at 7:10 PM.