SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento State quarterback Ricky Ray threw for 344 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for three more TDs to lead the Hornets to a 64-61 victory over Cal State Northridge Saturday evening at Fred Anderson Field. In the game, the two teams combined to set a new NCAA Division I-AA record with 125 points. They also broke the I-AA mark with 18 combined touchdowns.

Sacramento State improved to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the Big Sky Conference. The Matadors dropped to 3-6 overall and 2-5 in league play.

Senior running back Charles Roberts tallied 157 rushing yards to move into fifth place all-time in NCAA history. The Montclair, Calif., native now has 6,366 career yards which moved him past former Texas running back Ricky Williams.

Northridge began the scoring after intercepting a Ray pass on the game’s first drive. Bruce Molock scored from one yard out but a missed extra point gave the team a 6-0 lead. Sacramento State answered back with a 17-yard strike from Ray to senior Scott Towne. The two teams then alternated touchdowns until the end of the first half where Sacramento State led, 29-26.

The scoring frenzy continued in the second half as Ray scored his second rushing TD of the game. With 5:17 left in the third quarter, Terrelus Wright scored on a two-yard run to cut the Sacramento State lead to 36-33. Senior Lamont Webb then returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a score. Webb’s return was the first Sacramento State kickoff for a touchdown since Tyrone Taylor scored from 89 yards against Cal State Northridge on Oct. 25, 1997.

The Matadors responded with a five-play, 62-yard drive which resulted in a 23-yard pass from Marcus Brady to DJ Hackett. The Hornets, however, quickly answered back when Gary Austin, Jr., grabbed a tipped pass out of the air and sprinted 39 yards for a score. Austin’s TD ended a stretch in which four touchdowns were scored over nine plays.

The fourth quarter proved even more bizarre as the two teams combined for 36 points. Roberts began the barrage with a three-yard TD run. Jason Stone then caught a 32-yard pass from Brady before Ray added another one-yard run. Junior Julien Sells then scored his second rushing TD of the game to make the score, 64-54.

After stopping the Hornets on fourth down, Cal State Northridge drove down the field but sophomore Brandon Coleman intercepted Brady inside the one-yard line to stop the drive. The Matadors then forced Sacramento State to punt before Brady found Drew Amerson for an eight-yard TD to close the scoring at 64-61. Northridge attempted an on-sides kick but Hornet tight end Jon Morrissey came up with the ball to seal the game.

The Hornets ended the night with 535 yards of total offense while the Matadors tallied 611. Cal State Northridge was led by Brady who ended the night with 493 yards passing and four touchdowns. In all, 13 players scored a touchdown in the game. Ray (three), Roberts (two) and Sells (two) each had more than one score.

NCAA RECORDS

• 125 combined points breaks the Div. I-A, I-AA and III records for most combined points in a game. Breakdown of combined points for all divisions is below:

  Div. I-A (124 pts.) Oklahoma 82, Colorado 42 (set in 1980)

  
  Div. I-AA (122 pts.) Weber State 63, Eastern Washington 59 (set in 1991)

  Div. II (136 pts.) North Park 104, North Central 32 (1968)

  
  Div. III (123 pts.) Set two times previously.

• 18 combined touchdowns for both teams breaks the Div. I-AA record of 17 combined touchdowns, set three times previously. It ties the I-A record of 18 set by Oklahoma (12) and Colorado (6) in 1980.

• 61 points scored by Cal State Northridge breaks the Div. I-A, I-AA and II records for most points scored by a losing team. The I-AA record was set by Eastern Washington (59) in a 63-59 loss to Weber State in 1991. The I-A mark was set by Purdue in a 59-56 loss to Minnesota in 1993. The Div. II record was set by New Haven in a 64-60 loss to Southern Connecticut State in 1991. The 61 points ties the Div. III record, which was set twice.

• With 157 yards rushing tonight, Charles Roberts is now fifth all-time in NCAA history with 6,366 career rushing yards.

SACRAMENTO STATE SCHOOL RECORDS

• 125 combined points breaks the Sacramento State school record. Previous record was 101, set in a 52-49 loss to Weber State in 1999

• Five rushing touchdowns ties school record for most rushing touchdowns in a game, set three times previously.

• 64 points scored by the Hornets is second-most in school history - Record is 76 points in 76-0 win over San Francisco in 1968.

• Lamont Webb now has 15 career touchdown receptions, tying the school record set by Eric Harrington (1992-93).