BOZEMAN -- Kevin Thomson had five touchdowns -- three passing and two rushing -- to help Sacramento State to a 34-21 win over No. 6 Montana State at Bobcat Stadium on Saturday.
Thomson was sensational in the Big Sky Conference football game, completing 23 of 30 passes for 260 yards and adding 74 rushing yards on 11 carries. Thomson put the Hornets on the board with a 7-yard scoring run in the first quarter, and they would never trail against MSU. The Bobcats tied the game at 7-7 on a Travis Jonsen touchdown run, but Sac State built a 21-7 lead before ultimately taking a 21-14 lead into halftime.
The Hornets took control in the third quarter, outscoring the Bobcats 13-0 in the frame to take a 34-14 lead into the fourth quarter. Both of Sac State's scoring drives in the third quarter were at least 10 plays long, with the second drive covering 94 yards to effectively put the game out of reach.
TURNING POINT: Sac State owned the third quarter, scoring on its opening possession of the half and forcing punts on two consecutive MSU possessions. The Hornets won the quarter 13-0 and then iced the game in the fourth.
STAT OF THE GAME: Third and fourth downs. Montana State struggled to get Sac State off the field, even though the Hornets faced numerous third-and-long situations. Sac State converted nine of 13 third-down opportunities and its only fourth-down attempt.
GAME BALLS: Thomson, the Sac State offensive line, Jonsen. Montana State had no answers for Thomson, who excelled in both the passing and rushing games, behind a dominant Hornets offensive line. The Bobcats' pass rush was nonexistent on Saturday. Jonsen was, again, the bright spot for MSU, totaling 164 yards -- 55 rushing and 109 receiving -- and one touchdown.
WHAT’S NEXT: Montana State (5-2 overall, 2-1 Big Sky Conference) goes into an open week, where the Bobcats will assuredly further evaluate Saturday's difficulties against an impressive Sacramento State team. The Hornets (4-2, 2-0), meanwhile, figure to enter the top 25 of the FCS polls and will host eighth-ranked Montana on Oct. 19 for their Homecoming game.
