Things Go From Bad to Worse for CSUN

The bright side for Cal State Northridge is things can’t possibly get any worse than they are right now.

Can they?

Saturday night’s 38-8 nonconference loss at UC Davis was the Matadors’ fifth in a row. In those games, Northridge (1-5) has been outscored, 228-37.

Moreover, this one was the Matadors’ second loss in a row to a Division II team with a losing record. Northridge was defeated, 27-8, by Western New Mexico last week.

Northridge’s primary problem, as it has been for much of the season, was holding on to the football. The Matadors turned the ball over five times. They have given the ball up 24 times this season and taken it away only 10.

The turnovers made the score more lopsided than the rest of the statistics sheet would indicate. Davis outgained Northridge, 344-247. The Matadors held the ball for 32 minutes 1 second.

Northridge’s Clayton Millis completed 17 of 38 passes for 128 yards and two interceptions. Both interceptions, though, came after Millis hit his receivers and the ball popped into Aggie hands.

“It’s tough for a quarterback to have that happen but I really didn’t hang my head,” Millis said. “I tried to encourage the guys. I went right up to each one and said, ‘You are bound to make a big catch for me later.’ ”

Jermaine Rucker rushed for 117 yards for Davis (3-3-1), which extended its Toomey Field unbeaten streak to 25 games.

For the third time in six games, Northridge allowed an opponent to score a touchdown on its opening drive. Davis drove 80 yards in 12 plays, scoring on Rucker’s 20-yard run.

For the rest of the first quarter, the Matadors didn’t make the Aggies work so hard to score. Northridge’s three first-half turnovers were converted into 17 points.

The first came when Millis’ pass hit receiver Scott Chapman in the chest, but the ball popped loose and landed in the arms of Jeremy Veasey of Davis, who returned it 20 yards to the Matador 15. Rucker scored two plays later.

“I was very disappointed in our receivers today,” Coach Dave Baldwin said. “What’s so frustrating is we turned the ball over on plays that should be first downs.”

On the Matadors’ next possession, Northridge receiver Chris Love caught a pass but fumbled at the Matador 36. Two plays later, the Aggies’ Pernell Burgin scored.

Northridge trailed, 21-0, at the end of the first quarter, as the Matadors did last week against Western New Mexico.

Backup Derek Brown led Northridge to its only score, throwing a seven-yard pass to Love with 33 seconds left in the game.

The score was set up when Brown threw an interception to Ryan McClintock, who fumbled. Ron Austin picked up the ball and ran to the Davis seven.