CSUN Bids Adieu With Whimper in 55-12 Defeat

SACRAMENTO —  Any chance of Cal State Northridge’s seniors gaining a pleasant memory of their last game in a Northridge uniform or the underclassmen developing momentum for next season died the first time CSUN’s defense took the field Saturday night.

Cal State Sacramento moved the ball with ease on a 10-play, 70-yard scoring drive that set the tone for what would become a long and miserable night for the Matadors, losers by a 55-12 score before 2,230 at Hornet Stadium.

The 43-point deficit was the largest since Sept. 9, 1985, when Nevada pounded CSUN, 56-12.

With their fourth consecutive loss, the Matadors ended their season with a 3-7 record, 1-4 in the Western Football Conference. It is their worst record since 1984 when they went 2-8.

After tying for the WFC championship and advancing to the Division II playoffs for the first time in 1990, Northridge had high hopes this season.

“It was the little things that hurt us,” said senior linebacker Ken Vaughn. “Not listening to coaches. Not getting to meetings on time.”

Senior wide receiver Cornell Ward came to the realization that the Matadors played as individuals, instead of a team.

“Its been in the closet,” he said of the lack of team unity. “The coaches can’t go out and win, we have to do that. When a coach calls a certain play and the players do something else you have problems.”

After his first losing season in his six-year career at Northridge, Coach Bob Burt said: “For whatever reason we’re not the same football team we were the last four to five years--that will change.”

Sloppy tackling and poor pass coverage--Northridge defensive backs allowed touchdown passes of 75, 61, and 37 yards--enabled the Hornets to gain a 35-0 halftime lead.

A razzle-dazzle offense and a better effort by the Northridge secondary made the second half more bearable for the visitors.

With the no-huddle, “Daffy Duck” alignment in which four offensive linemen positioned themselves just inside the sideline, the Matadors scored on their first possession after intermission.

Out of the shotgun formation, quarterback Damone Scott completed three consecutive passes for the first time all season--an 18-yarder to junior tailback Bill Harris and completions of eight and 11 yards to Ward.

On the ensuing play, Ward changed roles, taking a lateral from Scott and firing downfield to a wide-open Adam McKinney for a 49-yard touchdown.

It was Ward’s sixth touchdown pass of the season--on seven attempts--for 236 yards.

“I’d rather give it all back and have a winning season,” Ward said.

With 3 minutes 8 seconds left in the third quarter, Ward threw for yet another score.

He took a pitch from Scott and eluded a rush, then delivered a 23-yard strike to Scott who made a leaping catch over a Hornet defender.

With his seventh touchdown pass of the season Ward surpassed the total of Marty Fisher, Northridge’s regular quarterback, who missed the last two games with a broken leg.

Sacramento rolled up 614 yards and Harlon Hill Trophy candidate Troy Mills scored three touchdowns to run his season total to a WFC-record 21.

Vaughn also rewrote the CSUN record book with a 16-tackle effort that gave him 216 in his career, eclipsing Reggie Wauls’ 208.