NDSU Football Dominates Sacramento State in 31-10 Mountain West Victory
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The North Dakota State Bison wasted no time establishing their dominance in their new Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) era, dismantling the Sacramento State Hornets 31-10 at Hornet Stadium. Coming off a late-night road win at Air Force, the Bison showed zero signs of travel fatigue, scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter alone to secure a perfect 4-0 record.
The victory was a statement win for the Bison, who are now 1-0 in Mountain West Conference play. The Hornets, competing as members of the Mid-American Conference, fell to 1-3 on the season. The game effectively shattered Sacramento State’s early-season reputation as a team that could hang tough with FBS opponents in the first quarter.
Fast Start Propels the Bison to a 4-0 Record
Head coach Tim Polasek emphasized a fast start, and his team delivered exactly that. NDSU won the opening coin toss and aggressively elected to take the ball. Taking a cue from Fresno State’s aerial success against Sac State the previous week, the Bison immediately attacked through the air.
A 38-yard pass from quarterback Nathan Hayes to Mekhi Collins set the tone. Three plays later, Hayes connected with Jackson Williams on a 32-yard touchdown strike on a third-and-5 play. By the end of the first quarter, the Bison had put up staggering numbers: Hayes had 151 yards passing, NDSU outgained the Hornets 194-27, and Sacramento State was held to minus-16 yards rushing.
“We got some things accomplished today that we wanted to emphasize: a fast start, handling the trip, start fast and come out on the attack. Very positive as far as our schedule today and the only thing I have to go off is we were ready to play.”
— Head Coach Tim Polasek
Hayes and Williams Lead the Offensive Charge
The NDSU passing game was firing on all cylinders. Hayes finished the afternoon completing 14 of 24 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. His primary target, Jackson Williams, enjoyed a career day with seven receptions for 134 yards. The Bison offense confidently relied on their outside matchups, a strategy Hayes fully endorsed.
“Fresno dialed some things up in the second quarter, and we just liked our matchups on the outside. That’s something we were going to live and die by today and Jackson had a heck of a game, there were a lot of opportunities out there. That was our game plan coming in and that’s what we wanted to do.”
— Quarterback Nathan Hayes
The Bison ground game also contributed heavily. Running back Myles Mitchell capped off an early scoring drive with a 10-yard run off the right side. Later in the second quarter, running back DJ Scott bounced through the middle of the Sacramento defensive line, shed a tackle, and broke free for a 42-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 28-0.
NDSU Defense Creates Turnovers and Shuts Down the Hornets
Not to be outdone by the offense, the Bison defense struck quickly and ruthlessly. Linebacker Gavin Sell forced a fumble from Hornets running back Jamar Curtis. What followed was a remarkable display of hustle: defensive end Kelton McCaslin and linebacker Ray James Jr. both dove to keep the bouncing ball in bounds, with James Jr. getting a crucial hand on it just before hitting the ground on the Sac State sideline.
Safety Darius Givance scooped up the loose ball and scored easily from 24 yards out, making it 14-0 with 11:49 still remaining in the first quarter. The defensive highlights continued into the second quarter when safety Taylen Eady recorded an interception to stall a Hornets drive.
“Gavin had that strip fumble, we always have our mind on the ball because that can change a game. Really selfless and a really smart play by Ray.”
— Safety Taylen Eady
Second Half Sees Bison Maintain Control
Heading into halftime with a 28-3 lead, the Bison had already firmly established control, though they left a few points on the board after a failed fake punt and a dropped deep ball in the end zone by Collins. The third quarter featured a series of non-productive possessions for both teams, but the NDSU defense continued to make pivotal plays.
The biggest defensive stand of the half came when the Bison stopped a fourth-and-1 Hornets running play up the middle at the NDSU 36-yard line. This turnover on downs set up a 29-yard field goal by Drew Klein early in the fourth quarter, extending the advantage to 31-3.
Sacramento State finally found the end zone halfway through the fourth quarter on a 21-yard pass to Onterrio Smith Jr., providing the final 31-10 margin. Despite the late score, the Bison defense remained stout, capping off a comprehensive road victory.
| Team | Record | Conference | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State | 4-0 (1-0 MW) | Mountain West | 31 |
| Sacramento State | 1-3 | Mid-American | 10 |
Looking Ahead: Wyoming Cowboys Await After the Bye
The Bison now head into a much-needed bye week, sitting at an impressive 4-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play. The rest will be brief, as NDSU is scheduled to host the Wyoming Cowboys in a highly anticipated Mountain West homecoming game on Oct. 3 at 2:30 p.m.
For running back DJ Scott and the rest of the squad, the focus remains on internal improvement as they transition into the heart of their conference schedule.
“The o-line made a hole and I beat my one-on-one. We’ve been working on ourselves making sure we go 1-0 into the bye week, so we’re feeling good.”
— Running Back DJ Scott
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