A BRIEF PREVIEW
After the biggest victory in school history, the Sacramento State football team will have to quickly refocus its efforts as it travels to Cedar City, Utah, to take on Southern Utah on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 12 p.m. PDT.
The Hornets come into the game 1-0 for the for the first time since 2001 after a stunning 29-28 overtime victory at Oregon State. The win vaulted Sacramento State into 12th in the latest The Sports Network/Fathead.com top 25. The team also debuted in the FCS Coaches Poll at No. 18.
There will be multiple ways to follow this week’s game. Hornet fans can tune in to Classic 93.1 FM and KAHI 950 AM in the foothills to hear the radio call of Jason Ross, Steve McElroy and Danny Sullivan. Live audio streaming is also available via www.hornetsports.com. The broadcast will begin at 11:45 a.m.
The game will also air on television on KCRA 3.2 in Sacramento For a complete list of cable channel locations of KCRA 3.2 click here.
Sacramento State showed its offensive firepower against the Beavers, striking for four touchdowns during the game, including three from quarterback Jeff Fleming. The senior threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns to earn Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week. He was also a national player of the week by College Sporting News and College Football Performance Awards. Receivers Chase Deadder and Brandyn Reed each caught a pair of touchdowns.
The victory over Oregon State marked the first against a Pac-12 team in school history and provided Sacramento State its first season-opening win since it defeated Saint Mary’s in overtime to start 2001.
Southern Utah, which was picked to defend as Great West Conference champions, rallied back from a 29-7 deficit but lost at South Dakota State, 29-28. The Thunderbird offense is led by quarterback Brad Sorensen who threw for 3,163 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2010. In the season opener, Sorensen passed for 340 yards and three touchdowns but was also intercepted three times. While SUU was effective through the air, the T-Bird offense amassed only 53 rushing yards.
THE SERIES
The two teams first began playing in 1986 and Sacramento State holds a 6-5 lead. The Hornets have won the last three meetings, including a 23-17 win in 2004 which was the last time the two schools met. In games played in Cedar City, SUU holds a 3-2 edge.
QUICK HITTERS
• Sacramento State defeated a Bowl Subdivision opponent for the first time since winning at Pacific in 1991.
• The Hornets are looking to open the season 2-0 for the first time since 2000.
• Southern Utah will join the Big Sky Conference in 2012. The Thunderbirds will be joined by UC Davis, Cal Poly and North Dakota giving the league 13 football playing schools.
MUCH ADO ABOUT THE HORNETS
Below is a list of the some of the accolades that have been given to the Hornets since the team defeated Oregon State.
TEAM HONORS
FCS Team of the Week by The Sports Network
Appeared as play #8 on ESPN’s top 10 plays of the day on Saturday
Listed in winners in the Yahoo! Sports “Winner and Losers” column
Highlights appeared on ESPN’s College Football Final show Saturday night and Sunday morning
Trended as the third-hottest topic on Twitter immediately following the game
Part of the NCAA’s football weekend recap e-mail blast
INDIVIDUAL Jeff Fleming
Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week
One of five FCS All-Stars by College Sporting News
FCS Player of the Week and QB of the Week by College Football Performance Awards
FCS Player of the Week by College Sports Madness
Interview on Sirius satellite radio on Saturday night
Coach Sperbeck
Coach Sperbeck was a guest of Jack Arute and Mike Leach on Sirius satellite radio on Monday
Interviewed on Good Day Sacramento on Sunday morning
Has appeared on all four Sacramento TV stations
FLEMING NAMED POW
• Quarterback Jeff Fleming was named the first Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week in 2011, it was announced on Monday.
• Against Oregon State, Fleming completed 22-of-35 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns.
• He has now passed for at least two TDs in five consecutive games and nine of his last 10 contests.
• Fleming also moved into a tie for eighth in program history with 26 career touchdown passes. He now trails Greg Knapp by one TD for seventh.
DOUBLE VISION
• Part of Fleming’s success has been an incredible corps of receivers.
• Against Oregon State, six Hornets caught at least one pass, including the trio of Morris Norrise, Brandyn Reed and Chase Deadder.
• Deadder and Reed did most of their damage in the end zone as each caught a pair of touchdowns. Deadder caught 19- and 4-yard touchdowns in the second quarter while Reed hauled in TDs of 39 and 6 yards.
• Deadder’s only other multi-touchdown game came at Idaho State on Nov. 13, 2010.
• Reed, who also caught the game-winning two-point conversion, last scored twice against UC Davis in the 2009 Causeway Classic. When he helped the Hornets rally in the fourth quarter with a pair of late TDs.
NOT A COMMON CHEER
• It’s not very often Hornet fans are excited about anything associated with Davis. In the case of Todd Davis, things are a little different.
• The sophomore made his first career start at Oregon State and responded with a career high 12 tackles against the Beavers. That total also included six solo stops which also set a career mark.
• As a true freshman, the Palmdale, Calif., native played defensive end and totalled 21 total tackles, including one tackle-for-loss.
• Davis’ previous high for tackles was four set against Western Oregon, Montana State and Portland State.
NOTHING NEW IN DEBUT
• Junior Ryan McMahon played his first two collegiate seasons at USC before transferring to the Hornets during the summer. Despite being a special teams standout for the Trojans, McMahon had never played in Corvallis, Ore. However, playing in front of a large crowd did not slow McMahon who had 10 tackles from his spot at safety.
• Two other Hornet defensive players made their collegiate debuts on Saturday. Marques White recorded a pair of tackles, including a sack, from his defensive end spot.
• Fellow DE Ben Cowger had two tackles and was credited with a team-high two pass breakups.
VETERAN LEADERSHIP
• The Hornet newcomers were impressive against Oregon State but it was the veterans that showed them how to change the flow of the game.
• Osagie Odiase captured the first turnover of the year for the Hornets, intercepting Ryan Katz at the Hornet 24-yard line to thwart OSU’s opening march.
• Odiase, who has now started nine straight games on the corner, finished with six tackles and a PBU.
• In the fourth quarter, safety Joe Larche scooped up a Malcolm Agnew fumble and showcased his speed during a 58-yard fumble return.
• Larche ranked third on the team in tackles at OSU with eight stops.
QB CLUB LUNCHEONS RETURN
• Each Monday during the season, the Quarterback Club will host a luncheon at El Patron (6601 Folsom Blvd.). Coach Sperbeck will address the crowd as well as selected players. A buffet lunch is available for $10.
