In a game that could have gone down in the books as a stunning upset, Sacramento State ultimately fell to Nevada in the closing seconds with a harrowing 20-17 loss last Saturday. The tipping point was a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown by Nevada's Jonathan Maldonado, swinging the lead to the Wolf Pack with just 2:17 left on the clock. "The Hornets led or were tied throughout the game until Nevada linebacker Jonathan Maldonado got an interception and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown for the Pack with 2 minutes, 17 seconds left," as reported by RGJ.
Despite the heartbreak, Sacramento State showed undeniably resilience as they nearly closed the game with two touchdowns in the final minute, both annulled by holding penalties, and followed by a missed opportunity to tie the game – a 41-yard field goal attempt that veered wide right with merely 8 seconds remaining. The miss sealed their fate, leaving the Hornets with an even record at 1-1 after an intense battle. According to the Sacramento Bee, Hornets first-year coach Brennan Marion expressed his thoughts, saying the pick-6 late in the game was "a bad decision by me" and that he was impressed by his team’s resolve despite the outcome.
Adding to the drama, Sacramento State had been leading until that momentous interception, with a score of 17-13 at halftime. Hornets quarterback Cardell Williams, a Tulsa transfer, completed 11 of 14 passes for 158 yards during his time on the field. Unfortunately, starting quarterback Jaden Rashada was taken out of the game earlier due to a head injury. "I thought we did a good job going down and scoring twice," Hornets coach Brennan Marion told The Sacramento Bee. "They didn’t count. Obviously, you have to decisively beat a team when you play FCS-FBS games. I thought the guys did a good job responding."
Nevada's performance, though ultimately victorious, was marred by what some would call a lackluster show, with their head coach Jeff Choate acknowledging the team's poor execution across all phases. "It was a sloppy game, in a lot of respects, and that's frustrating when you're coming off an environment like Penn State," Choate commented in a statement obtained by RGJ. Chubba Purdy, younger brother to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and Nevada's quarterback, chalked up 155 passing yards and led with 115 rushing yards, contributing significantly to the team's narrow win.
As the Hornets lick their wounds and Nevada savors their win, both teams look ahead to their next matchups. Nevada is set to face Middle Tennessee State at Mackay Stadium, while Sacramento State hopes to make a comeback in their home opener against Mercyhurst. Regardless of the hard-fought loss, Sacramento State's coach Brennan Marion remains optimistic, stating, "Our team believes that we’re a really good football team," and "Our confidence continues to grow. Our toughness shows every time we step on the field. We’ll be OK. Our goals are still out in front of us. Our goal is to win the Big Sky Conference championship and then go to the playoffs," as he shared with the Sacramento Bee.
