Sacramento State Hornets 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the Sacramento State Hornets 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down the 2026 Sacramento State Hornets roster and what to expect in the Mid-American Conference this season. Can Sacramento State make a clean jump from the FCS Big Sky to FBS football in the MAC after a 7-5 finish in 2025? Was pulling Alonzo Carter away from Arizona the right hire to lead the Hornets into their new league?
Can new offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau get quarterback Carson Conklin firing after the junior returned from Fresno State? Will defensive coordinator Adam Clark patch up a group that returns just 42 percent of its production? How does a roster with only 21 percent of its offense back hold up in year one at the FBS level? Did a recruiting class ranked 122nd nationally with 50 commits bring in enough bodies for the MAC grind? Which games on the 2026 schedule give the Hornets their best shot at a bowl? And where’s the betting value on the Sacramento State win total, MAC odds and College Football Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Alonzo Carter Leads Sacramento State Into The MAC
The Sacramento State Hornets 2026 preview opens on a program taking a huge swing. First, Sac State forced its way out of the FCS Big Sky and into FBS football in the Mid-American Conference. Then it handed the keys to Alonzo Carter, pulled away from Arizona to run the show. The deck puts Carter’s hot seat at a cool 1 out of 10, so nobody expects miracles in year one. Because this is a first-year FBS jump, the guys frame patience as the smart play. From there they weigh how fast Carter can build a winner in Sacramento.
The backdrop makes the move feel even bigger. Sac State went 7-5 in 2025, its final season down in the FCS. Then it got denied a clean path to FBS independence before the MAC finally opened the door. That history gives this jump real weight, so the guys spend time on how the Hornets got here. Meanwhile they stress that a proud Sacramento program has earned its FBS shot. Next they map the close-game math from last fall. Because the Hornets went 2-3 in one-score games, small margins decided their whole season.
The Offense And Carson Conklin
The offense resets almost completely in 2026. Because Sac State played in the FCS last year, its 2025 FBS rankings come back as not applicable across the board. First, new coordinator Eric Kiesau has to install his system on a short runway. Then he has to do it while returning just 21 percent of last year’s offensive production. That number is tiny, so the guys treat this side of the ball as a near-total rebuild. From there they dig into how Kiesau, fresh off stops at Boise State and Florida, gets this group functional in a hurry.
At quarterback the guys like the anchor. Carson Conklin returns after a junior-year detour to Fresno State. He already owns the most passing yards by a freshman in Sac State history at 2,758. That resume gives Kiesau a real starting point, so the room does not begin from zero. Next the guys weigh whether Conklin can carry a young offense against FBS defenses. They also flag the thin returning production around him. Because so many pieces are new, the guys expect early bumps before this attack settles in.
Adam Clark’s Defensive Rebuild
The defense carries a bit more continuity, though not much. Sac State returns 42 percent of its defensive production, so the floor sits higher than the offense. First, new coordinator Adam Clark inherits a linebacker room led by Fata Puloka, Alex Rocha and Xavier Williams. Then he has to blend that core with a heavy wave of newcomers. Because the class ranks 122nd nationally with zero transfers above a .85 grade, the talent bar stayed modest. From there the guys weigh whether Clark’s group holds up against the MAC’s passing attacks.
The portal math shapes the whole two-deep. Sac State signed 50 additions, split as 30 recruits and 20 transfers. Then it added corners like Amari Wallace from Miami and Noah King from Colorado to patch the secondary. That churn brings upside, but it also brings real questions about chemistry. Because a first-year FBS defense faces firepower every week, the guys stress fast bonding. Meanwhile they note that Clark’s track record at Northern Arizona gives them some faith. Finally they call this unit the season’s biggest swing factor.
The 2026 MAC Schedule And Win Total
The 2026 slate is a proper welcome to the FBS. First, Sac State opens on the road at Eastern Michigan before the non-conference tests pile up. Then come dates with Mississippi Valley State, the Fresno State rivalry and FCS power North Dakota State. From there the MAC grind takes over with Bowling Green, Ohio and Ball State. That Ball State trip carries the self-styled Ball Sack Rivalry, so the guys have fun with it. Next they hit Kent State, Toledo and Central Michigan. Finally the Hornets close the year out in Hawaii.
Then they close it out where the betting value lives. The Sacramento State win total sits at 5.5 games, so the guys dig into that number hard. First they weigh a 7-5 FCS team against a brand-new FBS schedule. Then they note the deck lists no real MAC title or College Football Playoff odds yet, which fits a transition year. Because the unknowns run so deep, the guys lean toward caution on the total. Finally they hand you the read they trust on the Hornets heading into the fall.
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
02:00 Welcome To The Sacramento State Hornets Preview
06:08 The NCAA Fight And Sac State’s Jump To The FBS
09:21 2025 Season Recap: A 7-5 Debut Campaign
11:24 Sacramento’s Sleeping Giant Potential
14:41 Alonzo Carter Takes Over As Head Coach
16:50 Grading The Hire And MAC Conference Fit
18:42 A Proud Program Compared To Missouri State And JMU
20:13 New Coordinators: Eric Kiesau And Adam Clark
22:31 Carson Conklin Leads A Retooled Offense
25:19 New Stadium Buzz And Sacramento Pride
29:35 2026 Schedule: Fresno State Rivalry & North Dakota State
35:04 The Ball Sack Rivalry And Locking In The Win Total
41:21 Dream Schedule, Socials And The Fight Song
