GREELEY — Jeff Fleming ran for 59 yards and a touchdown as Sacramento State defeated Northern Colorado 14-0 on Saturday under a steady downpour of rain.
“The weather wasn’t what we were expecting,” Northern Colorado coach Earnest Collins said. “But you’ve got to be able to adjust and get it done.”
David Coleman scored on a 4-yard fumble recovery return for Sacramento State (3-3, 2-2 Big Sky). It was the first shutout by the Hornets since blanking San Francisco State on Sept. 10, 1994.
Sacramento State did not attempt a pass in a game for the first time since a 2007 meeting with New Mexico.
Northern Colorado (0-6, 0-4) was held to season-low 72 yards of total offense.
Sacramento State managed only 66 yards of total offense in the first half, but led 7-0 at the break.
Sacramento State cashed in a special-teams mistake to score 56 seconds into the second quarter. Northern Colorado long snapper Doug Steele couldn’t get his snap past his blocking wall on a punt, and Kyle Monson scooped up the ball, advancing it to the UNC 20.
Three plays later, Fleming escaped two tacklers and scrambled around right end for a 15-yard touchdown.
Fleming’s fumble set up the Bears with another scoring first-half chance at the Sacramento State 39-yard line. The Bears took over with 1:46 left in the half but could not move the ball.
Coleman increased the lead to 14-0 with his fumble recovery. Osagie Odiase forced the fumble by Robert Holland after a punt by Augie Heath pinned Northern Colorado at its own 3.
Coleman set a school record with his sixth career fumble recovery. He has two touchdowns in his career off of fumbles, both against Northern Colorado.
