Sac State wins thrilling, ‘cardiac-arrest’ game behind QB Cardell Williams
It took Brennan Marion a moment to compose himself, even a good 15 minutes after the final, frantic game-winning drive that may well define this 2025 football season that has included ups and downs and twists and turns.
Sacramento State’s spirited first-year coach was ecstatic at the effort and the results on Saturday night at Hornet Stadium, and he made sure he huddled the Hornets for a team photo with the scoreboard in the background, a tradition after every victory this campaign.
With Cardell Williams engineering the biggest drive of his football life with his arm and then winning it with his legs, Sacramento State rallied to upend Idaho 23-20 in a Big Sky Conference contest in front of 15,467 chilled fans that kept the Hornets in the running to secure their fifth FCS playoff berth since 2019.
A junior transfer from Tulsa, Williams hit Jordan Williams for two big passes in the final minute: a fourth-down conversion to the Idaho 20-yard line with 17 seconds to go, and then, after a timeout by each team, a sideline connection to the Idaho 2 with 12 seconds left. Idaho coaches argued that Williams landed out of bounds on their sideline, but the call was upheld after a review by referees.
Cardell Williams then took the direct snap and raced in untouched for the winner with 9 seconds left, igniting a sideline celebration scene that hit another level when the Hornets held off the Vandals’ Hail Mary toward the end zone. When the dust settled, Sac State was sitting at 7-4 overall and 5-2 in the Big Sky.
Grant Meadors also played a paramount role in Sac State’s most meaningful triumph this fall as the sophomore kicker boomed field goals of 30, 38 and 31 yards to help position Sac State nicely heading into the Big Sky’s final week.
The 5-2 record in the Big Sky ties the Hornets with UC Davis, which lost Saturday night on the road, for third place in the Big Sky behind FCS No. 2 Montana and No. 3 Montana State.
Sac State plays at UC Davis in the 72nd Causeway Classic on Nov. 22, a showdown in which both teams need a victory to enhance their playoff argument.
“No better feeling,” Marion said of the victory and the emotions that come with it.
‘Cardiac-arrest’ feel
Hornets players and coaches were pleased for Williams, who has had good moments and frustrating ones this season. He has been a good teammate through all of it, and he was all in for the Hornets going heavy with the run game out of their “Go-Go” offense. Marion said he has experienced quite a few of what he called “cardiac-arrest” moments in his coaching career, be it as an assistant coach at Pittsburgh or at UNLV.
For this one, Marion and the Hornets savored “cardiac-arrest” joy behind a player named Cardell, and for the Texas native, this was his moment.
Sac State leads the Big Sky in rushing and is third in the FCS in rushing yards and yards per game, and the Hornets kept with their norm against a Vandals team that came in as a dangerous 4-6 team. Sac State ran for 282 yards, just above its average, with senior Rodney Hammond Jr. chugging for 120 yards on 26 attempts and freshman JaQuiail Smith going for 122 on 14 carries. Hammond Jr. eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season in recording his fifth 100-yard effort of the season.
Williams completed 14 of 18 pass attempts for 176 yards and had a touchdown pass to Ernest Campbell for a 13-3 lead in the third quarter.
“He played a clean game and led us to victory,” Marion said of quarterback. “We practice the 2-minute drill, and he didn’t miss any big throws. If you’re going to be a special team, you’ve got to win some of those cardiac-arrest games there at the end.”
Marion said he was either going to go with Hammond Jr. for the winner or Williams. The offensive line wanted to run the ball. Line coach Kris Richardson wanted to run the ball. Or, to put it bluntly, Marion told his guys, “Hell or high water. We’ve got to find a way to win the game.”
The coach said after the game, “We’re putting the ball in the hands of one of our two best players (for the winner). Everyone was screaming for the run.”
‘We was jumping!’
Williams, the 6-foot-5 receiver who had his best game as a Hornet, could not contain his glee when speaking to media. This is a run-heavy team, and any chance a receiver can get the ball, it’s a thrill, and it balances the offense.
As for the jubilant locker-room scene, Williams said, “We was jumping! We were having fun, coaches too.”
As for Cardell Williams, receiver Williams praised the poised quarterback.
“We trusted him from the beginning,” he said. “He came here in January, was a leader on and off the field. We know he’s going to make the right play every time.”
Senior Night for Sac State
Before the game, Sac State recognized 24 seniors on Senior Night, 15 of whom have already earned the bachelors degree. Five of those seniors have played their entire career with the Hornets, including three offensive linemen who played for local high schools in Sawyer Hays of Christian Brothers, Kenndel Riley of Rocklin and Dean Abdullah of Antelope, in addition to right tackle Aidan Meek of Bakersfield.
The offensive line has been the foundation of the team.
“Great group,” Marion said after earning his greatest win of the season.
This story was originally published November 15, 2025 at 11:01 PM.