‘Scary hit’: Sacramento State falls to San Jose State after player taken away by ambulance

Early in the fourth quarter on Thursday night, the focus of the game between Sacramento State and San Jose State abruptly shifted.

During a kickoff return, Michael Johnson of Sacramento State took a severe, yet legal hit that left him flattened on the field. The collision, which occurred in the season opener at CEFCU Stadium, was both jarring and silent as players from both teams knelt while medical personnel attended to Johnson.

After several tense moments, Johnson, who remained conscious and alert, was wheeled off on a stretcher and taken to a waiting ambulance. As he was being escorted away, the entire Sacramento State team gathered to offer their support and well wishes.

The hit had a palpable impact on the Hornets, who soon found themselves trailing by 11 points when San Jose State quarterback Emmett Brown threw his third touchdown pass of the game. The Spartans eventually secured a 42-24 victory in their second-ever matchup with Sacramento State, the first since 2013.

Despite the Hornets’ disappointment over losing a game they had led 24-21 at the start of the fourth quarter, their thoughts were primarily with Johnson, who was being treated at a nearby hospital while his team struggled on the field. The Spartans took advantage, scoring 21 unanswered points in the final quarter.

Before his departure, Johnson managed to give his teammates and coaches a moment of relief, knowing he was responsive and in good hands.

“He was moving his arms and legs, and they were just taking all the precautions for his neck because it was a really physical hit. It was scary,” Sacramento State coach Andy Thompson said. “I did get to speak with him, and he asked, ‘Coach, can I just get up and play?’ I told him, ‘No, Mike. They need to check you out.’ I’m hoping he’ll be alright.”

Thompson expressed his admiration for how the Hornets rallied around their injured teammate, noting, “I feel like our team is really connected.”

Reflecting on the game, Thompson admitted, “It wasn’t our best performance. Congratulations to San Jose State. They made more plays, especially in the fourth quarter. We’ll learn from this and get better. It’s a long season with 12 weeks ahead.”

Elijah Tau-Tolliver had a standout game for the Hornets, rushing for 110 yards and two touchdowns, which helped Sacramento State jump out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The Hornets demonstrated their offensive prowess as they aim for their fourth Big Sky Conference championship and a fifth consecutive FCS playoff appearance since 2019.

Sacramento State’s offensive line dominated for most of three quarters, showing they could compete with San Jose State, the defending co-regular-season champions of the Mountain West Conference. However, the Hornets struggled with turnovers, including a crucial fumble on a goal-line play. Sacramento State had five turnovers in total—three fumbles and two interceptions—and suffered its sixth consecutive season-opening loss.

Tau-Tolliver was pleased with his individual performance and his team’s effort but was most relieved that Johnson seemed to be okay. “I prayed when Johnson was down, and thank God he’s alright,” Tau-Tolliver said. “He kept telling us he wanted to get up, so we’re grateful for that.”

The game was physically intense, and Sacramento State’s starting quarterback, Kaiden Bennett, was sidelined for two series after a hard hit in the third quarter. Backup Carson Conklin stepped in and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Danny Scudero, giving the Hornets a 24-21 lead with 2:24 left in the third quarter. From there, San Jose State took control.

San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is a longtime friend of Bennett and a Reno native, attended the game and chatted with Bennett before kickoff. Aiyuk, who previously starred at Sierra College and then at Arizona State, was in the stands to support his friend.

Looking ahead, Sacramento State will face Fresno State on September 7.

“We saw some glimpses of our potential on both sides of the ball and the areas we need to improve,” Thompson said. “It was a very physical game with a lot of injuries, so we’ll need to rely on our depth. I really appreciate how hard our guys compete.”

In his first career start, San Jose State quarterback Emmett Brown overcame a rough start to finish with 298 passing yards. He threw two touchdown passes to Nick Nash, who also connected with tight end Jacob Stewart—a Woodland native and former Sacramento City College player—for a scoring strike.