Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Sacramento State
Bulldogs host Sacramento State for 2026 home opener
9/7/2026 1:10:00 PM | Football
 VS  
Fresno State (0-1, 0-0 Pac-12) vs Sacramento State (1-1, 0-1 MAC)
Saturday, September 12 | 7:30 p.m. PT | CBS Sports Network | Valley Children's Stadium | Fresno, Calif.Â
Fresno State Game Notes (PDF)Â | Sacramento State Game Notes (PDF)Â
Fresno State Weekly Press Conference | Ultimate Broadcast Guide
TICKETS
Presenting Sponsor
MEDIA COVERAGE
TV - CBS Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Chris Lewis
Analyst: Randy Cross
Radio - Bulldog Sports Network
Play-by-Play - Paul Loeffler
Analyst - Pat Hill
Sideline - Kenny Wiggins
Radio - Bulldog Sports Network (Spanish)Â
Play-by-Play - Jose Gonzalez
Social Media: Twitter: @FresnoStateFB | Instagram:@fresno_state_football | Facebook: FresnoStateFootball | YouTube: FresnoStateAthletics
Live Stats: GoBulldogs.com/LiveStats
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A LOOK INSIDE
Series: Fresno State leads, 5-0
Head Coaches:
Matt Entz
Fresno State Record (Years):Â 9-5 (2nd season)
Career DI Record (Years): 69-16 (5 seasons)
Alonzo Carter
Record at Sacramento State (Years): 1-1 (1st Season)
Career Record (Years): 43-28
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QUICK LOOK
- Fresno State looks to bounce back after a shutout loss at No. 14 USC last week.Â
- The Bulldogs host Sacramento State in the home opener for the second time in three years.Â
- Fresno State has won its last five home openers.
- Saturday's game is Heroes Night at Valley Children's Stadium.
- Fresno State is one of 13 FBS programs who do not face an FCS opponent this season: Fresno State, Hawai'i, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas, Tulane, UCLA, UNLV, USC
- Fresno State's first three opponents of the 2026 season all played a Week 0 game
- Fresno State was shutout in its opening game at No. 14 USC, suffering a shoutout loss on the road for the first time since 2016.Â
- Fresno State returns home this week. The Bulldogs were 4-2 at home last season.Â
- Fresno State led the Mountain West the last four years and the Group of 6 the last three in attendance.
- Fresno State has 118 players on its roster for 2026.
- Fresno State named six team captains for the season, based off a team vote: Josiah Freeman, Rolan Fullwood, Rayshon Luke, Simeon Harris, Jahzon Jacks, and K'vion Thunderbird.Â
- Fresno State returns a majority of its defensive production from 2025 in a defense that was Top 10 in the FBS in several categories.Â
- Fresno State had seven first time starters on offense, including the entire interior line.Â
- The Bulldogs also had three first-time starters on defense.Â
- The Bulldogs had 19 players see their first action as Bulldogs in last week's game.Â
- Fresno State had two forced fumbles in the season opener against No. 14 USC, extending its streak to seven-straight games with a turnover forced for the Bulldogs.
- QB Jayden Mandal played his first collegiate game against Sacramento State in 2024, successfully converting a two-point conversion (rush) on the first score of the game.Â
- Mandal became the first Bulldog QB to make their first career regular season start against a ranked opponent since 2015.Â
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
- Fresno State and Sacramento State will meet for the first time since 2024 on Saturday.Â
- It is the sixth meeting all time between the programs, and the Bulldogs have won each of the five previous meetings dating back to 1972.
- Fresno State has outscored Sacramento State 159-63 in the series.
- The 2019 meeting was the first time the Bulldogs allowed more than seven points to the Hornets.
- Sacramento State has averaged 25.0 points in the last two meetings (2019, 2024)Â
- Fresno State scored a series-best 46 points against Sacramento State in 2024
- Sacramento State has four former Bulldogs on its roster - QB Carson Conklin, LB Tim Thomas, DL Miles Bailey and DL Isiah ChalaÂ
- Fresno State has one former Hornet on its roster - DL Dylan Hampsten
- Sacramento State has two former Bulldog coaches on its staff - OC Eric Kiesau and LB Kenwick Thompson
- Sacramento State is in its first season as an FBS program, playing in the MAC. They made the move from the Big Sky and FCS this season.
