Eastern Michigan takes down Sacramento State 28-17 in season opener

Noah Kim threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Eastern Michigan past Sacramento State 28-17 in a season and Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday night.

The win marked the Eagles' 500th victory as they opened their 135th season.

The game was Sacramento State's debut in the Football Bowl Subdivision and the first for Alonzo Carter as their head coach. The Hornets are a MAC member in football and have joined the Big West Conference in all other sports.

Kim completed 27 of 38 passes for 279 yards. Sacramento State's Carson Conklin went 25-for-46 for 221 yards and was intercepted once.

Although the first quarter was scoreless, the Eagles had driven to the Sac State 6-yard line at the end of the period. At the other end of the field, they finished off their nine-play, 79-yard drive after Kim scored on a 5-yard run.

Kim's 40-yard scoring pass to Santonyo Isaac made it 14-3, and a 7-yard run by Braydon Bennett made it 21-3 with five minutes left in the first half. Kim fumbled while being sacked by Fata Puloka later in the quarter, though, and Xavier Williams returned it 29 yards for a Hornets touchdown.

Eastern Michigan led 21-10 at halftime, and Kim's 31-yard strike to Nick Devereaux made it 28-10 early in the fourth quarter.

Isaiah Ene's 37-yard run was the highlight of a 75-yard touchdown drive that got the Hornets within 28-17, but Conklin was intercepted by Jason Marshall deep in EMU territory on Sacramento State's only remaining possession.

Up next

Eastern Michigan: The Eagles host San Jose State on Friday.

Sacramento State: The Hornets host Mississippi Valley State on Saturday.