Utah Tech quarterback Koby Tracy throws in opposition to the Sacramento State protection, Sacramento, Calif., Sept. 3, 2022 | Picture by Amanda Aleman, Utah Tech Athletics
ST. GEORGE — Utah Tech fell into an early gap and couldn’t recuperate because the Trailblazers opened the 2022 season with a 56-33 loss at No. 7 Sacramento State on Saturday evening at Hornet Stadium.
The Hornets bolted out to a fast 21-0 first quarter lead, which was aided by three UT turnovers.
Sac State (1-0) capitalized on the Blazers’ first miscue on their first possession with a six-play, 52-yard drive to open the scoring with a Jake Dunniway 7-yard scoring move to Marshel Martin.
Utah Tech perceived to shake off the dangerous begin when Victor Gabalis connected with David Fisher for a 72-yard completion to get the Blazers within the crimson zone on the Hornet 4-yardline.
Nonetheless Sac State would deny the scoring probability when Hornet nook Caleb Nelson stepped in entrance of a Gabalis fourth-down move on the two and returned it 98 yards for a pick-six to increase the result in 14-0.
Utah Tech cracked the scoreboard with a Connor Brooksby chip shot 19-yard discipline to make it a 21-3 sport on the 9:48 mark of the second quarter.
After Sacramento State pushed its result in 28-3 with 2:27 to go within the half, the Trailblazers struck for his or her first landing of the season on the power of two massive performs in simply 34 seconds.
Kobe Tracy linked with Joey Hobert for a 46-yard catch-and-run, which was adopted one play later with Tracy throwing a 29-yard strike to a sliding Deven Osborne within the endzone to chop the deficit to 28-10.
Nonetheless the Hornets shortly countered with one other TD simply earlier than the halftime horn when Martin hauled in an Asher O’Hara move from 11-yards out to take a commanding 35-10 lead into the intermission.
After each groups traded empty possessions to start out the second half, the Utah Tech protection stepped up and compelled its first turnover of the sport when Syrus Webster strip-sacked Dunniway on the Blazer 47 yard line. Justin Kirkland then fell on the free ball, which arrange the UT offense with nice discipline place.
Utah Tech took full benefit of the Hornet miscue by protecting 53 yards on 9 performs, culminating with a Quali Conley 5-yard landing run. UT went for 2, however Tracy’s move fell incomplete within the endzone, however the Blazer did handle to make it a 35-16 sport halfway by way of the interval.
Sacramento State answered with a sustained 10-play, 72-yard scoring drive to increase to a 42-16 lead with 3:48 to play within the stanza.
UT would tack on a Brooksby 44-yard discipline purpose with 57 seconds left within the interval, however the Hornets would put an exclamation level on the evening with a Cameron Skattebo 57-yard scamper because the clock hit 00:00 on the finish of the third to make it a 49-19 sport.
Utah Tech completed with 579 yard, together with 506 yards within the air. Tracy completed with a career-high 339 yards on 23-of-40 passing with two touchdowns.
Hobert shined in his Trailblazer debut as he hauled in 11 catches for 183 yards and a fourth quarter landing, whereas Osborne caught six balls for 113 yards to go along with his TD. The receiver duo’s mixed effort marked the primary time for the reason that 2019 season that Utah Tech had two 100-yard receivers in a single sport.
Utah Tech simply missed having three receivers eclipse the 100-yard plateau for the primary time in this system’s NCAA period as David Fisher completed with 96 yards on three receptions. In the meantime, Conley carried the ball 13 instances for 48 yards.
Sacramento State racked up 589 yards on the evening, with 378 of these yards approaching the bottom. Skattebo rushed for a game-high 153 yards on 10 carries, whereas O’Hara had 12 rushes for 101 yards. Dunniway handed for 141 yards and two touchdowns.
Utah Tech opens its five-game residence slate in opposition to former RMAC rival Chadron State subsequent Saturday evening, Sept. 10. Kickoff at Better Zion Stadium is about for 7 p.m.
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