Sacramento State heads to North Dakota for first round of FCS Playoffs. Here’s what to know
(FOX40.COM) — Despite a 31-21 loss to UC Davis on Nov. 18, Sacramento State’s football team was able to clinch a spot in the FCS Playoffs, which marks the team’s fourth straight playoff appearance.
On Saturday at 10 a.m., the Hornets (7-4) will travel to Grand Forks, North Dakota to compete against The Fighting Hawks (7-4) in the first round of the FCS Playoffs.
Here’s everything you need to know to get ready for Sacramento State playoff football.
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Big Sky vs. Missouri Valley
Sacramento State represents the Big Sky Conference while North Dakota is coming out of the Missouri Valley Conference. Sacramento State held a 4-4 record in conference play during the 2023 season. North Dakota finished their season with a 5-3 conference record.
Twenty-four spots are up for grabs in the playoffs, and the Missouri Valley Conference tied a record with six teams earning playoff bids. Meanwhile, the Big Sky Conference will be represented by four teams, including Sacramento State.
Road Trip
According to Sacramento State, the Hornets are the only playoff team traveling through two time zones for their game.
“The eight first round matchups feature regional matchups to help reduce travel costs. While some schools have a short drive, Sacramento State is the only team to have to travel two times zones,” the school said on its website.
Undefeated at home
North Dakota has been dominant when asked to protect home-field advantage at the Alertus Center. The Fighting Hawks improved to 6-0 at home this season after a 22-21 win against Illinois State and has an all-time record of 110-29 at home.
Coincidentally, two of those losses have come against the Hornets behind two 30-plus scoring efforts from Sacramento State (won 31-7 in 2013 and 34-27 in 2017).
Ton of All-Conference talent
While the Missouri Valley Conference has yet to announce their All-Conference teams, the Big Sky All-Conference teams were revealed on Tuesday, and the Hornets boast a plethora of selections on offense and defense.
Below is a list of all Sacramento State football players who received First Team and Second Team mentions.
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First Team
Marshel Martin, Tight End (from Vallejo, CA)
Jackson Slater, Offensive Lineman (Bellevue, Washington)
Armon Bailey, Linebacker (Vallejo, CA)
Cameron Broussard, Defensive Back (Folsom, CA)
Second Team
Jared Gipson, Wide Receiver (Stockton, CA)
Jett Stanley, Defensive Tackle (Brentwood, CA)
The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Fans can also tune in to ESPN 1320 AM to listen to the game.
Live audio streaming is also available via www.hornetsports.com and the Audacy app.
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