Sacramento State hosts Nicholls in meeting of best winless FCS teams in the country
The Sacramento State football team has experienced the full gamut of emotions and results in starting 0-2.
The Hornets started fast at San Jose State in an opener, leading after three quarters before the wheels fell off. The Spartans of the higher-division, FBS-level Mountain West Conference scored the final 21 points for a 42-24 home victory that was dulled even more when Michael Johnson was crushed on a kickoff return, resulting in a 15-minute delay. He was discharged from a San Jose State hospital within hours.
Last week, Sacramento State started slow at Mountain West member Fresno State, trailing 25-3 after getting burned on two long scoring plays. The Hornets rallied to make a game of it before falling 46-30.
On Saturday, the FCS-ranked No. 11 Hornets host No. 24 Nicholls of Louisiana in a 6 p.m. game between what appear to be the best winless FCS teams in the land.
The game at Hornet Stadium will include free T-shirts for the first 1,000 students and a postgame fireworks show for people of all ages. Of course, Sacramento State aims to create some fireworks before the fireworks.
Hornets were prolific vs. FBS
The Hornets have offered glimpses of their offensive star power behind quarterbacks Kaiden Bennett and Carson Conklin as well as leading rusher Elijah Tau-Tolliver, who has 184 yards. Sacramento State rushed for 177 yards against San Jose State, the most in program history against an FBS team.
What can the Hornets do against a program of their own size and division?
Bennett, the senior starter out of Folsom High School, has had grand moments and bad throws as he’s labored through a tender shoulder. Conklin, a redshirt freshman who showed promise in some starts last season, has again provided the Hornets with a reliable punch.
Bennett hit Jared Gipson for a 78-yard scoring play against Fresno State, the program’s longest since Kevin Thompson hit Elijah Dotson for an 88-yarder against Northern Colorado. That happened in 2019, when the Hornets went on to win their first Big Sky Conference championship and followed with two more and four consecutive playoff berths. The 469 yards passing against Fresno State represents the most for Sacramento State against an FBS team.
The Hornets did not allow any sacks against Fresno State, as the offensive line under position coach Kris Richardson remains a team foundation despite missing two starters due to injury.
Sac State received big checks vs. FBS
Playing up against FBS programs is considered a “guarantee game” for FCS programs that are not as funded as programs in conferences with massive television contracts. Sacramento State received payout checks of $425,000 for the San Jose State trip and $350,000 for the Fresno State experience.
By contrast, Nicholls received $760,000 to play at longstanding FBS name-brand LSU, a 44-21 victory for the home Tigers. Similarly, Sacramento State rival UC Davis was given $675,000 to open at Cal, won by the host Bears, 31-13.
The whopper of all payout games this season was FCS-member Northern Illinois receiving a $1.4 million bonus for playing Notre Dame in South Bend, a stunner that went to NIU, 16-14, last week.
Sacramento State has been hammered by injuries, which happens in this sport, though coach Andy Thompson has raved about his team’s depth since summer camp. He’ll find out for certain this week against a program he knows well. Thompson doubles as the Hornets’ defensive coordinator.
The coaches have stressed that winning at home is paramount for any championship contender. Sacramento State is 18-3 at Hornet Stadium in the regular season since 2019.
Sacramento State beat Nicholls 38-24 on the road to open the 2023 season, Thompson’s first victory as the program’s head coach after serving as defensive coordinator since 2019. In that game, Bennett sparkled, passing for two touchdowns and running for one, and Tau-Tolliver made plays on special teams returns and at running back.
No. 11 Sacramento State (0-2) vs. No. 24 Nicholls (0-2)
When: Saturday, 6 p.m. at Hornet Stadium
On air: ESPN 1320 radio, ESPN+
Of note: This is the second meeting between the programs.Nicholls lost at FBS Louisiana Tech in its opener, 25-17, despite forcing five turnovers, and the Colonels were within three points of LSU before the host Tigers pulled away. Collin Giggenheim has rushed for 224 yards for Nicholls, and returning quarterback Pat McQuiade has yet to throw an interception. Tim Rebowe is in his 10th season as head coach at Nicholls, leading the Colonels to the Southland Conference championship in 2023. Dating back to last season, Sacramento State has played its last five games on the road, including the playoffs. The Hornets have won five of their last six home openers and 12 of their last 14, scoring at least 38 points in their last five victories.