‘Throwin’ Idahoans’ beat reeling Sacramento State in OT, crippling Hornets’ playoff hopes

Sacramento State’s up-and-down football season took a decidedly down turn on Saturday night some 700 miles away from the comforts of home.

Kobe Tracy hit Jeff Weimer with a 10-yard touchdown pass to lift Idaho State past the Hornets 30-27 in overtime in the ICCU Dome in Pocatello, a Big Sky Conference setback that cripples the Hornets’ chances of reaching the FCS playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

Sacramento State came in having won more games in Big Sky play over the decades than any other program with 15 victories. The Hornets are 10-1 at home against the Bengals but 5-8 in Pocatello, and this was may have been the most painful defeat.

Sacramento State took a 27-24 lead in overtime on a 41-yard field goal by Zach Schreiner, whose 27-yard kick tied it 24-24 with 11 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to force the extra session, and the Hornets fell to 1-4 on the road, 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the 12-team Big Sky.

Idaho State, coached by former UC Davis offensive coordinator Cody Hawkins, improved to 4-5 and 2-3.

Sacramento State won Big Sky crowns in 2019, 2021 and 2022 and reached the postseason each of those seasons as well as in 2023. At best, the Big Sky hopes to advance five teams to the 24-team playoffs, and this loss all but douses the chances for the Hornets, who knew they had to run the table to have a chance. Four conference games remain.

The Hornets suffered two critical injuries in the first half. Leading rusher and touchdown scorer Elijah Tau-Tolliver and defensive-line leader Brandon Knott of Sacramento’s Inderkum High School went down with injuries. Neither player returned to action. Tau-Tolliver rushed 11 times for 100 yards with a touchdown before his exit, though Curron Borders of Antelope High roots produced his best game, rushing 145 yards on 18 carries. Knott played one of his best games in his career as a Hornet last week, a 51-48 double-overtime victory over Weber State.

The Hornets rushed 42 times for 268 yards. Redshirt freshman Carson Conklin passed for 270 yards and a touchdown, hitting Jared Gipson for a 19-yard play for a 21-21 tie with 20 seconds left in the second quarter. The Hornets had 538 yards of offense, had 82 plays compared to Idaho State’s 72 and were 4-for-4 scoring inside the red zone, but three turnovers especially hurt.

Nathan Reynolds returned a fumble 53 yards for a touchdown for Idaho State to make it 14-14 with 6:04 left in the second quarter.

Idaho State likes to call its passing attack the “Throwin’ Idahoans,” and Tracy delivered, passing for 296 yards and three touchdowns with Christian Fredricksen catching 10 passes for 163 yards and two scores.

Sacramento State hosts Portland State on Nov. 2, visits FCS No. 2-ranked Montana State on Nov. 9, visits Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo on Nov. 16 and hosts UC Davis in the 70th Causeway Classic on Nov. 23 to cap the regular season.