Capital Performance by CSUN

SACRAMENTO — It was a quiet locker room. The kind you’d expect from a team that was losing, not winning, by four points.

But for Cal State Northridge, a four-point lead against Sacramento State at halftime was not satisfying, particularly with the wounds still fresh from last week’s half-hearted second-half effort in a loss to Montana State.

“You could hear a pin drop [at halftime],” quarterback Aaron Flowers said. “It wasn’t real ‘Rah Rah.’ We just knew we had to execute.”

That they did.

Northridge scored 31 unanswered points in the third quarter, turning a close game into a 52-17 Big Sky Conference laugher before 4,007 on Saturday night at Hornet Stadium.

“We wanted to show people at Northridge and in the conference that we are still a team that can win some games,” Flowers said.

After leading only 21-17 at halftime, largely because of three turnovers and numerous dropped passes, Northridge blew the game open by thoroughly dominating in a nearly flawless third quarter.

Northridge scored each of the five times it touched the ball. The Matadors outgained Sacramento, 177-16. The Hornets had negative yardage and no first downs in the quarter until gaining 40 yards on two plays in the final 13 seconds.

But by then Northridge (5-3, 2-2 in conference) was well on its way to its first victory against Sacramento since 1992, when the schools were both Division II.

The barrage began almost immediately after the teams emerged from the halftime locker room. Northridge took the opening kickoff and returned it to the Hornet 45, then scored four plays later when receiver Cameron Perry was left wide open in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown pass from Flowers.

On their ensuing possessions--each separated by don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-them drives by the Hornets--Northridge scored on Manny Marquez’s 37-yard field goal, a five-yard pass to David Romines, an eight-yard touchdown pass to Perry and a 14-yard pass to Romines.

“I think it just took us a while to get going,” Romines said. “We were still trying to shake off the loss from last week and we didn’t want another repeat.”

Romines’ final touchdown catch was the 18th of his career, tying the school record. Romines, who caught nine passes for 126 yards, also broke the school single-season receiving yards record (1,065).

Flowers completed 20 of 32 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Norman Clarke gained 118 yards in 17 carries, playing much of the game in pain after bruising his left arm on a hit in the first quarter.

Northridge rolled up 495 yards of total offense.

“It’s was fun,” Clarke said. “That’s what you play football for.”

The Northridge defense played well, holding Sacramento (1-6, 0-5) to 285 yards, 124 below its average. The Matadors didn’t have to deal with two of Sacramento’s best offensive weapons for most of the game, though.

Sacramento’s leading rusher Daimon Shelton was out because of a bruised knee. In the second quarter, Sacramento quarterback Tony Corbin went down with a severely sprained right ankle.

Corbin’s replacement, Tyler Jessee, spent most of his time running from the Matadors’ defensive linemen or throwing off-balance passes into the turf. Northridge, the Big Sky sack leader, added five more.

The game began with what has become a staple of Northridge’s offense: scoring on its first possession. For the sixth time in eight games, the Matadors took their first drive for a score. Clarke capped a five-play, 69-yard drive with a 13-yard scoring run.

After that the teams took turns marching the ball down the field, with only their own mistakes stopping them.

And there were plenty.

During one 11-minute span in the first half, there were five turnovers. And on one punt, the officials called four penalties.

Northridge took the ball away on two interceptions, and gave it away on two fumbles and an interception.