Hammond Jr., Smith run for 2 TDs each, Sacramento State beats Eastern Washington 35-13

Updated: Nov 1, 2025, 07:36 pm

CHENEY, Wash. -- — Rodney Hammond Jr. had 208 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 22 carries, Jaquail Smith ran for TDs of 45 and 29 yards and Sacramento State beat Eastern Washington 35-13 on Saturday.

Sacramento State (5-4, 3-2 Big Sky Conference) finished with 376 yards rushing and averaged 6.7 yards per carry.

Hammond took a hand off up the middle, bent it out toward the right sideline and raced 59 yards to the end zone to give the Hornets a 14-10 lead with about five minutes left in the first quarter.

The first play after a 10-yard punt by EWU's Landon Ogles, Smith ripped off a 45-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. A 17-punt gave the Sacramento State possession at the Eagles 35 and five plays later Hammond's 7-yard TD run made it 28-10.

Soren McKee, who made a career-long 51-yard field goal in the first quarter, kicked a 19-yarder as time expired in the first half.

Nate Bell threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Wilson Medina for Eastern Washington (4-5, 3-2). Bell left the game early in the second quarter due to an apparent shoulder injury and finished 6-of-14 passing for 39 yards. Redshirt freshman Jake Schakel replaced Bell and went 24 of 38 for 201 yards.

Quarterback Cardell Williams opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run a little more than two minutes into the game and Smith, who had 12 carries for 117 yards, capped the scoring with 9:47 to play.

------