SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento St. (2-2) over Central Ark. (1-3) with a 45-16 victory at Hornet Stadium.
The first quarter saw Sacramento State take an early lead, capitalizing on their opening drive with Rodney Hammond Jr.'s 8-yard touchdown run at 11:11, followed by a successful extra point. The Bears responded with a promising drive, as
Luther Richesson connected with
Malachi Henry and
Landen Chambers for key gains, but a penalty stalled momentum, resulting in a punt. Sacramento State extended their lead with a 9-yard touchdown pass, and later, an 85-yard run by Damian Henderson II, closed the quarter with a 21-0 advantage.
The second quarter kicked off with Central Arkansas enduring a setback as Richesson was sacked early, but the team later found momentum with a strategic fourth-down conversion at 2:13, led by Chambers' pivotal 3-yard rush. Central Arkansas' resilience paid off late in the quarter when Richesson connected with
Tyrell Pollard for an 18-yard touchdown pass with just 17 seconds remaining, narrowing the score to 28-6. Despite the missed extra point, the Bears demonstrated determination, ending the half with a promising offensive drive.
The third quarter began with Central Arkansas securing an early first down. However, Richesson faced pressure, resulting in two sacks and a punt on the drive. Sacramento State capitalized on their possession with Cardell Williams scoring on a 21-yard touchdown run, extending their lead. Later, a strategic timeout by Sacramento State at 6:38 stopped the Bears' momentum, resulting in another punt.
Trace Beard's punting helped shift field position, but Sacramento State added a field goal late in the quarter, concluding with a 38-6 lead.
The fourth quarter began with Central Arkansas making a strong offensive push as Richesson connected with Pollard for a 56-yard pass, setting up Chambers for a 1-yard touchdown run at 12:37.
Caleb Jones added a 38-yard field goal later in the quarter, narrowing the deficit, but Sacramento State responded with a 50-yard touchdown pass, maintaining their lead. The Bears' defense forced a turnover early in the quarter, but the offense was unable to capitalize fully, ultimately concluding the game with a score of 45-16 in Sacramento State's favor.
Chambers led Central Arkansas with 108 rushing yards on 22 carries and scored one touchdown. Richesson completed 17 of 26 passes for 195 yards and connected for one touchdown. Pollard contributed four receptions for 84 yards and added a touchdown. On defense,
Dude Person registered nine total tackles, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble.
The next challenge for Central Arkansas comes on Saturday when they travel to Beaumont, Texas to take on Lamar. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
