2026 MAC Football Week 3 Game Preview: North Dakota State Bison at Sacramento State Hornets

Sacramento State’s (1-2, 0-1 MAC) first appearance on ESPN’s flagship network comes against their fellow FBS newcomers, North Dakota State (3-0, 1-0 Mountain West). The Bison, who were added to the Mountain West after winning 10 FCS titles since 2011, have rolled through their schedule thus far. The Hornets have had less luck, winning their FCS game against Mississippi Valley, but losing both matchups against FBS schools. 

Game Notes

• Date and Time: Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 7:30 PT / 10:30 ET
• Location: Hornet Stadium, Sacramento, California
• TV Network: The game will be on ESPN, part of the ESPN family of networks. A valid cable subscription is required for viewing.
• Streaming options: The game will be available for streaming on the ESPN App, ESPN Unlimited or on applicable cable/satellite services. A valid subscription is required for viewing on any platform. Other streaming carriers include Sling, DirecTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, or YouTube TV.
• Sac State radio option: Jason Ross (play-by-play) and Steve McElroy (color) will provide the home call for ESPN 1320 Sacramento.
• Gambling Considerations: Sacramento State is a 27.5 point home underdog, and the over/under is set at 50.5, per FanDuel.
• All-Time Series: Sac State has played North Dakota State once, losing 42-20 in 1988.

Sacramento State Outlook

After a dominant win over Mississippi Valley, Sac State traveled to Fresno State for their first major test as an FBS program and got steamrolled. 

The Hornets produced 262 total yards of offense, but couldn’t string together more than a handful of plays, scoring just three points on a Grant Meadors field goal. 

By his own assessment, junior quarterback Jackson Sharman’s second college start was marred by “bad decisions,” as he followed up his successful debut with a rough showing against the Bulldogs. With Conklin sidelined due to his wrist injury, it’s still the Sharman Show in Sacramento.  

He completed less than half of his attempts against Fresno State, throwing an interception while trying to get the Hornets out of a 31-point halftime deficit. His inexperience was on display on some of his throws, but the Hornets struggled to get their playmakers in space.

In part, the run game’s failure to launch contributed to that issue. For the third-straight game, the Hornets could only move the ball effectively after halftime, by which point, the game was already out of reach. Establishing the run will be Sac State’s priority on Saturday, a non-negotiable key to victory. 

Veteran running back Jamar Curtis is the lead back, and has averaged 4.1 yards per attempt on his 24 carries, but is having a slow start by his own lofty standard. Freshman Isaiah Ene and junior Daniel Swinney have been the primary change-of-pace backs, and the best source of chunk runs for head coach Alonzo Carter. 

While they’ve struggled on the ground, the Hornets have been able to move the ball effectively in the air. Sharman and Conklin have leaned on their veteran wideouts Matthew Coleman and Onterrio Smith Jr., both of whom rank in the top ten in the conference in receiving yards. 

On the other side of the ball, Sac State’s strong defensive performance in the first two games fell apart in the third. Fresno State’s Jayden Mandal picked the secondary apart, finishing his night with a near-perfect game. The ease with which Mandal moved the ball was reminiscent of how Eastern Michigan’s Noah Kim was able to in the season opener, suggesting that Sac State’s secondary is something to monitor going forward. 

The Hornets have been solid against the run, which remains their strong suit through three games. Senior linebacker Alex Rocha leads the team and conference in tackles-for-loss, while Derek Houston, Malik Tullis and Fata Puloka spearhead a strong front seven. Most impressively, they’ve remained stout as several impact players miss time due to injury. Houston missed the Fresno State game, while Williams missed the Mississippi Valley game and played sparingly against the Bulldogs.

North Dakota State Outlook

Since replacing current Fresno State head coach Matt Entz, North Dakota State head coach Tim Polusek has led the Bison to a 29-3 record since 2024. He won an FCS title and a conference title in his first season, a season that he followed with a second-straight conference championship. 

While some had doubts about North Dakota State making the leap into college football’s highest level, Polusek and the Bison have just kept winning. 

In their first game, the Bison dominated Conference USA favorites Jacksonville State. They followed it up with a shutout win over Fordham, then in their most recent game, edged out Air Force to earn their first conference win. 

After spending two years backing up current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Cole Payton, fifth-year senior Nathan Hayes took on the starting role for the Bison this season. So far, he’s been steady, logging an efficient 598 yards and six touchdowns through the air. 

For his 228-yard, two touchdown performance against Air Force, Hayes earned Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season.

The Bison have employed a balanced attack, using their pro-style offense to spread the ball around. Eight different players have recorded more than 50 scrimmage yards, with four players in triple-digits. 

The running back room has been the most potent, with their three-headed monster of Myles Mitchell, Nyeoti Punni and DJ Scott averaging 4.1 yards per attempt on 119 carries. Mitchell was the lead back in the win over Air Force, cashing in a pair of touchdowns and earning Mountain West Freshman of the Week. 

North Dakota State’s rushing prowess can be partially attributed to the program’s historical strength, the offensive line. The Bison have produced eight NFL linemen since 2020, producing strong lines year-over-year. In the win over Air Force, Hayes was kept clean, and the Falcons were held to just four total tackles-for-loss. 

Junior wideout Jackson Williams is Hayes’ primary target, and occasionally factors into the running game. Mekhi Collins and Jordan McCants are deep threats that will test Sac State’s safeties, averaging 16 and 39.5 yards per reception, respectively. 

Kicker Drew Klein earned a second Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week nod for his performance against Air Force, where he drilled a school-record 56-yard field goal to continue his perfect season. 

Defensively, the Bison are led by veteran defensive lineman Kelton McCaslin, who started the year red-hot. In three games, he’s recorded 2.5 sacks and a tackle-for-loss. As a team, North Dakota State leads the conference in both sacks, fumble recoveries and sack yards, posing a significant challenge for Sac State’s still-developing offensive line room. There is no reprieve in the secondary, where the Bison lead the nation in interceptions with five. 

Sophomore defensive back Marion Moore has a pair, one of which was returned for a pick-six. 

Needless to say, Sharman and the Sac State offense has a major challenge ahead of them. 

Game Outlook  

It’s tough to envision a successful ESPN debut for Sac State, in spite of the home field advantage. North Dakota State has been a buzzsaw and appears well-positioned to exploit some of Sac State’s weaknesses, such as a porous offensive line and secondary. The path to a win for the Hornets is to establish the run early and sustain it throughout the game, but the odds seem slim.

Prediction: North Dakota State 45, Sacramento State 10