Despite four interceptions by quarterback Eric Gibson Jr., the University of Northern Colorado football team was a yard away from beating Sacramento State in the final minute Saturday night in Sacramento, Calif.
In a back-and-forth, high-scoring game, UNC weathered the interceptions, including three in the fourth quarter, and Sacramento State’s mighty rush attack to get to a final play in a 40-35 loss at Hornet Stadium.
Trailing by five with 30 seconds to play, the Bears had fourth-down at the Hornets’ 1-yard line.
Gibson Jr. couldn’t connect with wide receiver Carver Cheeks — who had the night of his college career — in the end zone and Sacramento State hung on for the Big Sky Conference win in front of more than 20,000 fans on homecoming.
A defensive lineman tipped Gibson Jr.’s pass headed for Cheeks running a slant route from left to right, spoiling UNC’s chance for a second Big Sky Conference win in three games.
“They’re all difficult to take and they’ve stacked up over the years,” UNC head coach Ed Lamb said of the loss. “They’ve stacked up this year with one-play losses, one call losses and that’s frustrating.”
He added the team is much different this year in its resilience, allowing the Bears to hang in games late.
“The team has flipped and is competing to the end and I’m proud to coach them,” Lamb added.
Cheeks had nine catches for 223 receiving yards with three touchdowns for his best game since switching from defensive back midway through last year. The 223 yards are the second-highest, single-game total in UNC’s Division I era and fourth all time.
Cheeks is the team’s top receiver, averaging 103.5 yards per game. He has 725 yards this season on 44 catches with five receiving touchdowns. Cheeks also has a rushing touchdown this year.
Cheeks caught a 75-yard pass from Gibson Jr. to get UNC on the board early in the second quarter. The duo hooked up for 62 yarder early in the fourth quarter.
Gibson Jr. was 21 of 33 passing for 321 yards with the touchdowns to Cheeks and four interceptions. He has nine touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 65.6% of his passes. Running back Brandon Johnson scored a pair of 2-yard touchdown runs as UNC scored its second most points this season.
The Bears (3-4, 1-2) put up 49 points in a win over then-nationally ranked Idaho on the Vandals’ homecoming last week.
Gibson Jr. threw for at least 300 yards for the fourth time in six starts. He took over at quarterback after Peter Costelli was injured in the opener against Chadron State.
Sacramento State came into the game third nationally in FCS in tackles for loss and tied for first in sacks (24, 4 per game). UNC’s offensive line kept Gibson Jr. out of trouble. The Hornets had one sack for three yards while the Bears sacked Cardell Williams three times for 17 yards.
The game against the Hornets was highly anticipated between two improved programs that both came up with key road wins last week to even their Big Sky records at 1-1 and overall records at 3-3.
Sacramento State (4-3, 2-1) managed only 10 points off the Gibson Jr. interceptions, but the final pick set up the game-winning points on a 42-yard field goal by Grant Meadors with 2:01 to play.
Another interception was returned for a go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Gibson also threw two interceptions for touchdowns in the first half of a win over Houston Christian on the road last month.
Even after Meadors’ kick, UNC had chances in the final 43 seconds at Sacramento State’s 1-yard line.
The Bears outgained Sacramento State in total offense, 484-434. UNC turned in another solid effort in its run game with 163 yards.
The Hornets, the Big Sky’s top rushing team, ran for 323 yards — led by two guys with at least 100 yards. They came into the game averaging 234.7 per game on the ground. Rodney Hammond Jr. had 134 yards on 21 carries with a touchdown. Freshman JaQuail Smith ran for 103 yards on 17 attempts.
Last week, Hammond, Smith and Williams all ran for at least 100 yards in a win over Weber State.
Linebackers Hudson Voggesser and Zach Nowatzke led UNC with 16 and 13 total tackles, respectively. Both players each had four solo tackles. Linebacker Keenan Guthrie and safety Cam Chapa each had nine tackles (6 solo) and safety Darrell Bryant Jr. added eight.
Gibson’s third and fourth interceptions came on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter. Trailing 37-35 with 9:30 to play, Jason Oliver grabbed Gibson Jr.’s third interception on a ball intended for receiver Brayden Munroe at the Hornets’ 35.
The turnover didn’t harm the Bears, who forced Sacramento State to punt after a tackle for loss by defensive lineman Makur Abram put the Hornets into third-down and long near midfield.
Sacramento State’s punt pinned UNC inside its 10-yard for the Bears’ next drive. Oliver gave UNC a first down on a 15-yard pass interference call on Cheeks at his 40.
The penalty moved the Bears to their 28. Lono Chouteau later stepped in front of a Gibson Jr. pass intended for tight end Brody Judd and returned the ball 16 yards to the UNC 30.
Three plays later, Meadors hit his fourth field goal and his longest of the night for the 40-35 lead.
UNC took the ball with 1:50 left, starting its wild 9-play, 72 yard-drive to the Hornets’ 1.
The series included overturning a 75-yard touchdown pass from Gibson Jr. to Munroe, who apparently stepped out of bounds near midfield.
Sacramento State’s Oliver was called for another pass interference on the sideline play. After a lengthy review on where Munroe’s feet were on the field, UNC picked up 15 yards for an automatic first down at its 40. Munroe had six catches for 73 yards.
Gibson Jr. connected with Cheeks at the Hornets’ 48, and the receiver chugged toward the red zone with three defenders on him.
Gibson Jr. found running back Mathias Price on a 6-yard swing pass from the Sacramento State 30-yard line. Price picked up six more on a first-down run to the Hornets’ 12. Price earned nine more on second down, giving UNC a prime chance to win the game with 43 seconds remaining.
The Bears called out, and went back to Price on a run for no gain. Price led UNC in rushing with 102 yards on 16 carries.
UNC called another time out and choose a play call with a run option. Lamb said Sacramento State showed blitz and was dedicated to the run, so UNC went to the pass to an open Cheeks. He slanted into the end zone from the left side of the formation.
The ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage by defensive lineman Malik Tullis, altering its direction out of reach of Cheeks.
“We thought we had a play we liked, we just had to execute it a little better,” Lamb said.
UNC returns home for the first time in almost a month next weekend. The Bears host nationally ranked No. 6 UC Davis at 1 p.m. Saturday at Nottingham Field.