MAC Gems: The Sac State Shuffle

Hey everyone, welcome back to MAC Gems, the only column on the internet* that scours the web to bring you some certifiably cool MAC-themed gear available for purchase!

(* that we know of, anyway.)

It's been about a month or so and we're in the dry part of the season currently, so why not look around the bins and see what we can pluck from obscurity to find a new home?

Last time around, we did a MAC-themed edition, to get everyone re-acquainted with how we used to do them before. Today, we're keeping our eyes on one school– Sacramento State, the new kid on the block!

Below you'll find about six items or so (and 1-2 bonus gems I just thought were neat), along with links to buy them directly if you're so interested!

Happy hunting, Hornets fans!

Series of football programs

I don't know about you, personally, but I love having physical programs for games whenever I can afford it. There's something special about capturing a moment in time like that, with rosters, stories, advertisements and photos all available at the flick of a page turn.

The switch to digital everything has been a tragedy in that sense, as it has become increasingly hard to collect memorabilia for our favorite teams and events.

However, we have on offer three programs from different decades for your perusal.

Homecoming 1957 saw the Nevada Wolfpack visit Sacramento State. The Hornets were still a fledgling organization, entering their fourth season as a program and playing their games at the Grant Bowl, their first home. Nov. 2 saw the Hornets bring home a triumphant 7-0 win over Nevada, putting the team at 4-2 with three games remaining on the slate. Sac State lost two of the next three games, but their 5-4 record at year's end would become the team's first-ever winning season.

The program certainly utilized the popular design concepts that marked similar pieces of the time, hiring a graphic artist to make a bespoke portrait. This one features a cheeky reference, as the book the child is begging the player to design is the very same one we're holding. It's a lovely piece of work.

This piece of history goes for about $20 after shipping.

Fast-forward 12 years and Sacramento State was starting to round into form.

Officially a university for two decades, the Hornets football team clinched their second-ever bowl appearance the prior season (1968) and were one of the best teams in the country in 1969, finishing 12th in the AP Poll for the NCAA Colleges Division.

This program features the "Educational Opportunity Program Game Princesses" on the cover, commemorating Sac State's efforts to reach out to first-generation college students. On the field, Sac State pummeled Puget Sound by a margin of 49-24 to finish their commanding 8-2 regular season.

Part of the intrigue here is the shift in design philosophy, going from the fully-commissioned pieces of art to utilizing new technologies in the photography and design space. There is definitely a more concentrated effort to make a design that is simple, yet attractive while using all the space available.

This particular program is $12 OBO, with $5 shipping.

We're now firmly in the late 70's, and you can tell immediately from the font usage on the cover, as well as the material used to make the cover, shifting from a paper base to more of a hybrid one.

The 1977 team was nothing to write home about, to put it lightly. The Hornets finished winless at 0-10-1 in the second (and) last season of head coach Glenn Brady, who replaced program patriarch Ray Clemons upon his retirement.

The game against Cal Poly SLO wasn't great either, taking a 31-7 loss in front of the home crowd.

That said, if you don't have the context of the season in mind, this is a neat addition to a fan cave thanks to its dynamic cover photo and eye-catching coloration. This cover takes the previous design idea and simplifies it even more, resulting in a very pleasing design.

This program is $23 after shipping, but the seller is also taking offers, so you could probably get it for ~$17-20 after shipping.

1968 Junior Rose Bowl Pennant

There are fewer eras of college football more fascinating than the 1960s, as radio, print and television media were blooming into what would create the modern CFB infrastructure.

Postseason bowl games were (and still are!) important for a variety of reasons, but the biggest was exposure to regional and national eyes which might otherwise see your program.

The 1968 edition of what was known as the "Junior Rose Bowl" was the second to feature teams from the NCAA Colleges and Universities level. (Previously, the game was played between the champion of the California Junior College circuit and an at-large from the National Junior College Athletic Association.)

Sacramento State College, then members of the Far Western Conference, finished the regular season 8-2 under Ray Clemons, who was in year eight of a 14-season tenure with the Hornets. The 1968 Hornets were two one-score losses from an undefeated record, taking a tough 20-13 loss to eventual conference champion Humboldt State and a 14-13 loss to San Francisco two weeks later.

Sac State is listed with one home loss on the schedule, but that game (against Humboldt) was technically on a neutral site at Charles Hughes Stadium, as Sac State split their schedule between Hughes Stadium and the university's baseball stadium due to the construction of what would eventually become their current football home in Hornets Stadium.

The Hornets would draw HBCU Grambling State at the height of the legendary Ed Robinson's power, and suffer a 34-7 loss to the Tigers at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Grambling lost their first two games (to eventual #3 D-II team Alcorn A&M and to Morgan State at Yankee Stadium in a neutral-site game) but finished on a nine-game winning streak, including the Junior Rose Bowl.

The pennant itself does show some finer signs of aging, but is otherwise is fairly pristine condition for being over 60 years old. This piece of unique history will set you back $183, but the good news is there's free shipping.

Brennan Marion-era Team-Issued Gear

Brennan Marion's tenure with Sac State was short, but explosive.

The former UNLV offensive coordinator parlayed the creation of his unique take on the pistol into a head coaching job with Sacramento State, looking to prove the Go-Go Offense had the legs to work at the FCS level.

The Hornets certainly figured out at least one aspect of the game, churning out one of the best rushing offenses in the league, picking up 3,151 yards (second-best) and 39 touchdowns (fourth-best) on the ground. Rodney Hammond Jr. who eventually signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent, led the way with 1,216 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The rest of the team unfortunately struggled under Marion's tenure, with the Hornets finishing 7-5 overall, including 5-3 in conference play. Marion would depart at season's end to join Deion Sanders at Colorado as his new offensive coordinator.

This particular short-sleeve hoodie, which some would say is the height of fashion, will run you about $36.60 after shipping if you're an extra-large, while a medium sits at $24.88 or best offer before shipping (with an additional $7.95 after.)

You could potentially try to talk down the seller of the XL size by showing the price of the medium, but considering the rarity, the security of not haggling could be the better move.

If you are a fan of more traditional hoodies, this one is for you.

It features a script and logo which isn't seen very often on team-issued gear, which by itself makes this hoodie very intriguing if you're a die-hard fan. However, what really sets this one over the top is that it belonged to former football general manager Zach Potter, who is now with UConn.

Potter, like Marion, also lasted only one year, but put together a strong roster.

This is an ultra-niche find– one the seller might not even know the value of. At $22.99 OBO before shipping, it's a great option if you're looking for a one-of-a-kind outfit to show your fandom. Be warned, however: it's a medium, and the shipping is approximately $9.55 to start if you're in Sacramento and more expensive after that.

FIRST BONUS: Pair of cool hats

Bonuses don't really have a lot of history attached to them, but I like to think they're neat.

This first hat here, a bespoke flat-bill snapback hat made of corduroy, is absolutely custom and hand-sewn by a local haberdasher. By their own admission, these are limited run and could be pulled out of the rotation at any time. For the price of $36.99 before shipping, it could be worth pulling the trigger to support a local artist and sport a pretty wicked neo-retro lid.

This next hat is a true mystery item as an outsider to Sacramento; I can only assume this must have been some kind of promotional giveaway at some point.

However, it is extremely cute and deserving of a good home that will don it when the time is right. It's a bit of an investment at about $27 after shipping, but this hat is perfect for attending football events! That's gotta be worth the price of admission I would think.

SECOND BONUS: This Shirt

I mean, c'mon, just look at this thing!

It is an astounding piece of memorabilia to consider if you look long enough. This piece was part of a Carl's Jr. promotion (?) and came with a bobblehead (??) ... or maybe it was without a bobblehead because very clearly, the mascot is atop a freighter, philosophizing about not being in the warm embrace of Sacramento???

Thankfully, despite its extremely odd origins, this shirt is very cheap, currently available for $9.99 before shipping and about $16 overall due to some very visible wear. The seller is unsure of what size it is, but it looks to be about a large or extra large, as most promo shirts tend to be.

This is a truly iconic shirt which deserves an owner who 1) appreciates the eccentric and 2) loves Sac State despite logistical issues with promotion items in years past.

If you have your own suggestions for themes or gems to be featured, or want to show off your cool MAC swag, let us know on Twitter @ByTheBelt, Bluesky (bythebelt.bsky.social) or using the tag #MACGems! We are working on getting an email set-up for this as well.