Gallery: (10-26-2024) Idaho State vs Sac State
POCATELLO, Idaho – After two consecutive heartbreaking games, the Idaho State Bengals once again had the chance to close out the game against Sacramento State on Saturday afternoon. With the game in overtime, the Bengal defense and offense stepped up capped with a touchdown pass to Jeff Weimer to win the game for the Orange and Black in front of the Pocatello faithful.
Postgame Remarks
After the Game members of the Idaho State offense and Defense spoke followed by Head Coach Cody Hawkins. On defense, Adonijah Richards, Tylor Bohannon and Nathan Reynolds represented the Bengal defense. On offense, Kobe Tracy, Christian Fredericksen and Jeff Weimer spoke for the Bengal offense.
The Game, Written by Idaho State SID Glenn Alford
Nothing has come easy for this 2024 Idaho State football team. Its last four games have all come down to the closing seconds—none decided by more than four points.
Today's game with Sacramento State was no different.
Kobe Tracy threw a 10-yard pass to Jeff Weimer in overtime on the last play of the game and ISU defeated the Hornets 30-27. Both teams combined for 966 yards, 538 by Sacramento, yet this win belongs to ISU's big-play defense.
Sac marched 75 easy yards its first possession to lead 7-0. ISU evened it 7-7 early in the second on a 24-yard Tracy-Christian Fredricksen pass ending a 76-yard drive.
Sac went another 75 yards to lead 14-7 and was cruising. However, the Bengal D kicked in when Jabari Boone got a 22-yard QB sack, forced a fumble and Nathan Reynolds picked up the loose ball and ran 53 untouched yards to tie it up.
Sac was marching to go ahead when Adoniyah Richards got an end zone pick with 1:20 left in the half. Tracy marched ISU 80 yards in three plays, hitting Fredricksen on the fly for a 42-yard TD, 21-14. But that left 0:53 left and Sac scored on a TD pass for a 21-21 halftime tie.
Starting the second half, ISU had a pick on its own 23 and Sac scored on its first play but wait…Tylor Bohannon forced a fumble on the two and Adrian Gonzales recovered it in the end zone. A series later, Tracy's 43-yards passing set up Gabe Panikowski's 35-yard field goal late in the third, 24-21. It looked like that might be enough, but the Hornets got the ball with 1:46 left in regulation and moved for a 27-yard field goal with 0:11 left.
OT arrived. Sac got the ball first and went nowhere but kicked a 41-yarder.
ISU got the ball and in three plays the game was over.
The Hornets ran wild in the first half, 358 yards, but gained just 180 in the second. ISU gained 428 yards, 296 of them on Tracy's 24/38 passing. ISU split 149 rushing yards among four tailbacks.
Fredricksen caught 10 balls for 163 yards, Weimer 6/95. Defensively, ISU had some big hits and big numbers. Jayden Bell made 13 stops, Mason Young 11, Kris Sanchez's six included a sack, Logan George's five numbered three tackles for loss and a sack.
ISU delivered eight QB hits. The Bengals, 4-5, 2-3 Big Sky, 3-2 at home, have a bye before a Nov. 2 road game at Weber State.
Bengal Bites
· This was the first OT game for the Bengals since the 2018 season and the first OT win for the Orange and Black since the 2008 season when the Idaho State Bengals defeated the Sacramento State Hornets 36-33.
· The Bengal defense showed up huge in the game. ISU had five tackles for loss, and three sacks on the Sac offense.
· Gabe Panikowski continues to be perfect kicking field goals, he is now 13-of-13 on the year.
· The Bengals had consecutive weeks with successful fake punt conversions.
Next Up
It's a much needed bye week for the Bengals this coming Saturday. The week after, Idaho State travels to Ogden to take on the Weber State Wildcats.
