UMass stays unbeaten with dominant win over Sac State

Sacramento State’s (1-4, 0-2 MAC) games against FBS opponents have had a common theme.

Allow points early, struggle to establish the run, fail to protect the quarterback, then force the quarterback to play far beyond his means.

For the third consecutive game, this time against the upstart undefeated UMass (4-0, 1-0 MAC), the Hornets followed that script.

Minutemen quarterback Pop Watson took no time to get into rhythm. On the game’s first drive, the dynamic senior orchestrated five straight positive plays before finishing the six-play, 75-yard march himself with a 13-yard touchdown run.

His speed was on full display as he broke the Hornets’ best containment efforts, zone or man.

Sac State’s offense couldn’t offer an immediate answer. After picking up just two yards on its opening possession, senior quarterback Jackson Sharman was sacked on third down and the Hornets were forced to punt.

That would become another familiar sight.

Sac State surrendered four sacks for 32 yards and struggled to establish anything on the ground, finishing with just 102 rushing yards on 34 attempts. Take away Sharman’s four sacks and scrambles, and the Hornets’ running backs combined for 134 yards on 30 carries, but no individual back emerged as a consistent answer. 

The Hornets finally responded early in the second quarter, putting together their best drive of the game. Sac State moved 76 yards in 16 plays and chewed more than seven minutes off the clock, but stalled in UMass territory and settled for a 29-yard Grant Meadors field goal.

It brought Sac State within four, the closest it would get all night.

UMass immediately answered.

Watson and the Minutemen marched 75 yards in eight plays, capped by Watson bursting free for a 32-yard touchdown. The senior quarterback was responsible for all three of UMass’ offensive touchdowns, rushing for two and finding senior tight end Max Dowling for another through the air. He finished 11-of-16 passing for 101 yards while adding 72 yards on seven carries. 

TY Harding and Curtis Kimmons IV led a rushing attack that Sac State struggled to contain throughout the night. Harding totaled 65 yards from scrimmage, while Kimmons added 61 rushing yards on 11 carries. As a team, UMass ran for 232 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry, more than double Sac State’s 3-yard average. 

Sac State managed to score again via another Meadors field goal, but UMass kept the Hornets at arm’s length with another touchdown drive to extend the lead to 21-6.

In the dying seconds of the first half, the Hornets had a chance to cut into the deficit.

Meadors initially appeared to connect from 40 yards, only for a penalty to wipe the kick away. After another good attempt was negated by a flag, his third try sailed wide right, sending Sac State into the locker room without anything to show for the drive.

The missed opportunity became even more costly almost immediately after halftime.

Just two plays into the third quarter, Sharman’s intermediate pass was intercepted by UMass senior linebacker Timmy Hinspeter, who took it 49 yards the other way for a touchdown.

Instead of potentially cutting into a 15-point deficit, Sac State suddenly trailed 28-6.

From there, the Hornets were forced almost entirely onto Sharman’s right arm.

The senior finished 24-of-43 for 221 yards and an interception, accounting for more than two-thirds of Sac State’s 323 yards of total offense. The Hornets once again struggled to protect their quarterback when the game script forced them into obvious passing situations. 

The final yardage totals hardly reflected the gulf on the scoreboard. UMass outgained Sac State by only 10 yards, 333-323, while the Hornets actually recorded seven more first downs and held the ball for nearly 32 minutes. But Sac State repeatedly failed to turn possession into points.

The Hornets reached UMass territory on 42.6% of their offensive snaps and converted six of 15 third downs, yet came away with only two field goals. They finished 0-for-3 in the red zone and failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season. 

UMass didn’t have the same problem.

Kezion Dia-Johnson added a four-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, putting the finishing touches on a 35-6 win and dropping Sac State to 1-4. The Hornets will have a bye week before taking on Bowling Green away. 

"Physically, we don't look like the teams we're playing," head coach Alonzo Carter said. "That's the hand I was dealt. The hand I'm playing is the hand I'm playing, and I'm gonna play it."

UMass continues its undefeated season and will aim to carry the momentum to their home matchup with Eastern Michigan.