A BRIEF PREVIEW

• The Sacramento State football team will welcome Utah Tech for its 2022 season opener on Saturday, Sept. 3, at Fred Anderson Field at Hornet Stadium. The game will kickoff at 7:32 p.m. PT.
• The Hornets will be starting the year at home for just the seventh time since the turn of the century and will be opening the season with a home game against an FCS team for the first time since downing Saint Mary's, 13-6 in overtime, on Sept. 1, 2001.
• There will be multiple ways to follow this week's game. Hornet fans can tune in to ESPN 1320 AM to hear the radio call of Jason Ross, Steve McElroy and Danny Sullivan. Live audio streaming is also available via www.hornetsports.com.
• The game will also be shown locally on CW31 and streamed on ESPN+. Dave Lewis will have the play-by-play along side former Hornet and Arena Football League Hall of Fame Coach Darren Arbet (color).

OPPONENT PREVIEW: UTAH TECH

• Despite a new name, Utah Tech will be a familiar foe for the Hornets. The two teams met last season on Sept. 4, to kick off the 2021 season in St. George, Utah. In that game, the Trailblazers were known as Dixie State. The school officially changed to Utah Tech on July 1, 2022.
• Paul Peterson is in his fourth season as the head coach at Utah Tech. Peterson spent five seasons (2012-17) as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Sacramento State where he served under Marshall Sperbeck and Jody Sears. He left the Hornets to become the head coach at Snow College (JC) where he was 18-4 in two seasons.
• Former Sacramento State assistant coach John Hughes serves as the Utah Tech run game coordinator and offensive line coach. Hughes spent 2013-14 with the Hornets where he worked with the defensive line.
• The Trailblazers return their top two quarterbacks from a year ago. Redshirt sophomore Kobe Tracy started the final five games of the year and finished the season with 1,664 yards and a 60.6 completion percentage with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. Kenyon Oblad started in four of his seven games and totaled 878 yards with five TDs and 10 interceptions.
• Defensively, Tyrell Grayson had a WAC-leading 103 total tackles last season from his safety position and returns to anchor the team's secondary. Linebacker Malaki Malaki led the team with 9.5 tackles-for-loss and ranked second with 94 total tackles.

IN THE BEGINNING

• Sacramento State is 29-37-1 all-time in season openers and 18-9 when opening at home.
• This weekend's game marks just the third time in the last 20 years that the team will face an FCS opponent in its first game of the year. The Hornets are 2-0 in the previous meetings, winning at Incarnate Word, 49-13, in 2014 and at Utah Tech, 19-7, in 2021. Thirteen of those non-FCS contests have come against FBS teams while the other four were against Div. II and NAIA opponents.
• This year marks the fifth time in the last seven seasons played that the Hornets have opened the year at home. However, the previous four season openers at Hornet Stadium all came against non-Div. I opponents.
• In the last five home openers dating back to 2008, Sacramento State has outscored the opposition by an average of 49.6-19.4 That total is aided by a school-record 77 points which was scored in 2019 against Southern Oregon. Also included in that list was  38-30 upset loss to Western Oregon which took place on Sept. 3, 2016.
• The Hornets have started the year at home against an FCS opponent just three previous times. The team is undefeated in those games with wins over Montana State (10-7, 1992) and Saint Mary's (41-7, 1999; 13-6 ot, 2001).

RANKINGS REHASH

• For just the second time in school history, Sacramento State will begin the season ranked among the top 25 in the FCS preseason polls. The Hornets were picked seventh in both the Stats Perform media poll and the AFCA Coaches poll.
• The only other time the Hornets started the season in the top 25 came in 2011 when the team was 24th in the Stats poll and defeated Oregon State on Sept. 3.
• Sacramento State also garnered preseason top 25 accolades from Athlon Sports (6th) and HERO Sports (10th).
• The team was picked second by the Big Sky head coaches in the preseason poll. The Hornets totaled 110 points which left them one behind Montana for the top spot and one ahead of Montana State for second place. MSU earned five first-place votes, Sacramento State received four and Montana three.
• The media picked Montana to finish first while being followed by Montana State and Sacramento State in the top three.
• Preseason polls have not been an accurate prediction of how the team will finish. In 2019, Sacramento State was unranked until the seventh week of the season and ended up cresting at No. 3 in both the coaches and media poll. That same year, the team was selected to finish  11th in the Big Sky Coaches poll and 12th by the media.
• In 2021, the Hornets were picked fifth by both the coaches and the media. That year the team went undefeated to win the league title and entered the playoffs as the No. 4 national seed.

QUITE THE HAUL

• Several Hornets were recognized over the summer as preseason All-Americans or all-Big Sky selections.
  • Pierre Williams • WR • Sr.
  • Preseason All-Big Sky
  • Phil Steele Preseason FCS All-American    4th Team
     
  • Marte Mapu • NB • Sr.
  • HERO Sports Preseason FCS All-American    3rd Team
  • Phil Steele Preseason FCS All-American    3rd Team
     
  • Kyle Sentkowski •K • Sr.
  • Preseason All-Big Sky
  • Stats Perform Preseason FCS All-American    2nd Team
     
  • Marshel Martin • Jr. • TE
  • Preseason All-Big Sky
  • Phil Steele Preseason FCS All-American    2nd Team
  • Stats Perform Preseason FCS All-American    3rd Team
     
  • Asher O'Hara • Sr. • QB
  • Preseason All-Big Sky (All-Purpose)
     
  • Brandon Weldon • Sr. • OL
  • Preseason All-Big Sky

BALANCING ACT

• Prior to the 2021 season, head coach Troy Taylor had never used a two quarterback system at any level where he coached. The successful pairing of Jake Dunniway and Asher O'Hara are now set to return for a second year following a season where the duo combined to throw for 3,475 yards and 19 touchdowns and rush for 713 yards and nine touchdowns.
• Dunniway was named third team all-Big Sky as a quarterback. He played in all 12 games, earning the start in nine where he threw for 2,576 yards and 12 touchdowns. The senior's .632 completion percentage and 8.94 yards per pass placed him third in school single-season history while his pass efficiency of 148.6 ranked fourth in the Hornet record book. Dunniway had four 300-yard passing performances, including a career best 370 at Cal and 331 in the FCS Playoffs against South Dakota State. He was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week after a 328 yard, two touchdown effort against NAU.
• O'Hara was a unanimous first team all-Big Sky selection as an all-purpose player following his first season at Sacramento State. He led the team with 667 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns and also passed for 899 yards and seven touchdowns. O'Hara added to he resumé with two receptions for 16 yards, including a touchdown.  He had the most points on the team among non-kickers and accounted for a touchdown in 10 of the team's 12 games. Prior to joining the Hornets, O'Hara was a second team all-Conference-USA honoree at Middle Tennessee State.
• Combined with his eight games played in 2019, Dunniway finds himself nearing the top 10 of several career passing categories at Sacramento State.

Career Passing Yards    Total    Needs
11. Lyle James (1966-68)    3,397    239
12. Nate Ketteringham (2015-16)    3,391    233
13. Jeff Fleming (2010-11)    3,182    24
14. Jake Dunniway (2019-pres.)    3,158    ---

Career Pass Attempts    Total    Needs
14. Jeff Fleming (2010-11)    441    81
15. A.J. Bernhardt (1997-98)    367    7
16. Jake Dunniway (2019-pres.)    360    ---

Career Completions    Total    Needs
14. Jeff Fleming (2010-11)    243    61
15. Joe Garofalo (1993-94)    190    8
T16. A.J. Bernhardt (1997-98)    182    ---
T16. Jake Dunniway (2019-pres.)    182    ---

THE TOP TARGET

• Returning for his senior season, Pierre Williams is nearly a lock to leave Sacramento State as one of the top receivers in school history. The two-time first team all-Big Sky selection starts the season ranked fourth in career receiving yards, fifth in career receptions and tied for sixth in career touchdowns.
• In 2021, Williams led the team with 764 yards and ranked second with 50 receptions. His average of 73.8 yards per game was easily the best among Hornets. If you remove the Northern Colorado game (where he was limited to the first series and didn't catch a pass), Williams averaged 83.0 yards per game.
• The UNC game snapped a stream in which Williams had caught a pass in 29 consecutive games in which he appeared. He returned to the field against Cal Poly the next week and had four catches for 62 yards.
• During the year he had a three-game stretch where he went over the century mark with 122 yards against UNI, 121 at Cal and 130 at Idaho State. Those performances made him the first Hornet to have three-consecutive 100-yard receiving games since Shane Harrison had 159 against Idaho State, 128 at Cal Poly and 152 at Northern Arizona in November of 2015.
• Williams is one of three players in program history to have at least eight 100-yard receiving games in his career. The other two are Fred Amey (14 games) and DeAndre Carter (10)  who both were named FCS All-Americans during their career and played in the NFL.
• The Gustine, Calif., native has also moved onto the Sacramento State top 10 list for career receptions, receiving yards and  receiving touchdowns.

Career Receiving Yards    Total    Needs
3. Morris Norrise (2010-13)    2,650    402
4. Pierre Williams (2018-pres.)    2,248    ---

Career Receiving Touchdowns    Total    Needs
4. Mike Carter (1968-69)    17    2
5. Lamont Webb (1997-2000)    16    1
T6. Tony Washington (2007-08)    15    ---
T6. Eric Harrington (1992-93)    15    ---
T6. Pierre Williams (2018-pres.)    15    ---

Career Receptions    Total    Needs
3. DeAndre Carter (2011-14)    207    72
4. Isiah Hennie (2014-17)    139    4
5. Pierre Williams (2018-pres.)    135    ---

INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

• A year ago, there was little doubt on who the primary ball carrier would be for the Hornets heading into the 2021 season. However, once Elijah Dotson opted to redshirt during the year following the fourth game, the door was left open for Cameron Skattebo and Marcus Fulcher to come charging through.
• Skattebo earned third team all-Big Sky honors after  rushing for 520 yards on 57 carries with six touchdowns. The bulk of those yards came in the final half of the year as he compiled all but 19 yards in the last six games.
• Skattebo had back-to-back games over the century mark with 117 yards against Northern Arizona and 111 at Northern Colorado. He scored touchdowns in five consecutive games and averaged an amazing 9.12 yards per carry.
• Fulcher, who is entering his third competitive season, is the most experienced running back on the 2022 roster. Fulcher played in 12 games as a true freshman in 2019 where he rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns. Last season, he amassed 241 yards and also caught 19 passes for 236 yards and a score.
• The Fresno native has proven to have a nose for the end zone. He had three rushing touchdowns on just 35 carries in 2019 and has also had a TD reception both seasons. Last year, he scored on a 60-yard catch and run at Idaho State.
• Redshirt freshman Elijah Tau-Tolliver is likely the third option behind Skattebo and Fulcher. Tau-Tolliver was the Gatorade State Player of the Year from Nevada as a senior.

WHAT MORE CAN HE DO

• Standing at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Marshel Martin is not your typical tight end. However, Martin has proved to be a difficult cover for most teams as he has set every career receiving record for a tight end in school history.
• In his two years at Sacramento State, Martin has caught 92 passes for 1,199 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was named first team all-Big Sky in 2021 and was a second team All-American by the AFCA. He was recognized by HERO Sports as a Freshman All-American in 2019 and a Sophomore All-American in 2021. Martin was also a preseason all-Big Sky choice and preseason All-American heading into 2022.
• Martin set the school single-season record for touchdowns by a tight end in 2019 with seven. He added six TD grabs in 2021 and also rushed for a score.
• The Vallejo native has caught at least one pass in each game he has appeared in during his career (24) and has nine games with five or more receptions.

Career Receiving Yards    Total    Needs
17. Brandyn Reed (2009-11)    1,299    100
18. Chase Deadder (2008-11)    1,298    99
T19. Lin Klinkhammer (1985-86)    1,282    83
T19. Carlos Smith (1996-96)    1,282    83
--- Marshel Martin (2019-pres.)    1,199    ---

Career Receiving Touchdowns    Total    Needs
T6. Tony Washington (2007-08)    15    2
T6. Eric Harrington (1992-93)    15    2
T6. Pierre Williams (2018-pres.)    15    2
9. Mark Young (1986-88)    14    1
T10. Marshel Martin (2019-pres.)    13    ---
T10. Shane Harrison (2012-15)    13    ---
T10. Brandyn Reed (2009-11)    13    ---

Career Receptions    Total    Needs
T13. Jordan Robinson (2013-16)    103    11
T13. Gary Austin, Jr. (1999-2002)    103    11
15. Michael Johnson (1999-2002)      99    7
16. Dylan Lane (2007-10)    96    4
17. Bill Yurong (1965-67)    95    3
18. Donald Hair (1985-88)    94    2
19. Marshel Martin (2019-pres.)    92    ---

WHAT'S UP FRONT

• Three members of the Sacramento State offensive line were recognized on the all-Big Sky teams in 2021. The bad news is just one of those three return for 2022.
• Brandon Weldon, who started each game at right guard, was named to the all-Big Sky second team a year ago and was a preseason all-league choice this summer. Weldon is the most experienced member of the group having spent time at both guard and tackle among his 25 career starts.
• Sophomores Ivan Garza and Jackson Slater are each scheduled to return to the starting lineup after playing large roles for the team last year. Garza debuted at Cal and started the final 10 games of the year at left tackle. Slater stepped into the lineup a week later at left guard and remained in the lineup for the final nine games.
• One bonus for the team is the return of Troy Stiefel who started the first two games a year ago before having his season shortened by a biceps injury. Stiefel has made 15 starts in his career at tackle.
• Nathan Mejia is the most likely candidate to replace All-American and first team all-Big Sky selection Thomas Parker at center. Mejia appeared in one game in 2021, starting in the shutout over Northern Arizona.

STARTING IN THE FRONT

• The Sacramento State defensive line returns two starters in the interior but the team will be searching for replacements in the lineup at defensive end. Jett Stanley and Tyler Hardeman each started all 12 games in 2021 and will anchor the front four. Stanley was an honorable mention all-Big Sky selection and the pair combined for 52 total tackles, including six for loss.
• Killian Rosko is the only player on the team who has a started a game at defensive end for the Hornets. Rosko will attempt to fill the shoes of All-American and first team all-Big Sky selection Josiah Erickson who led the team with 18.5 sacks, including 10 sacks in 2021.
• Returners Ariel Ngata and Josh Cooper will compete with transfer Ayodele Adeoye for the spot opposite of Rosko on the line. Ngata and Adeoye both began their collegiate careers at Power 5 schools, playing at Washington and Texas, respectively.

WIDE OPEN IN THE MIDDLE

• The Hornets will also be searching for new starters at linebacker as both Marcus Hawkins and Taylor Powell expired their eligibility. The likely replacements will come from Armon Bailey and Jeremy Harris who have both received extensive playing time at Sacramento State during their careers.
• Bailey had a big start to 2021, with three tackles-for-loss, including a strip sack at Utah Tech. An injury kept him off the field from week 3-12 but he returned for the FCS Playoffs game against South Dakota State where he added four more stops.
• Harris has compiled 98 total tackles in his previous two seasons and has shined when given the opportunity to be in the starting lineup. He has eight career starts and has four games with at least nine tackles, including two with 10 stops.
• JC transfer Brock Mather and redshirt freshman Oge Feo will also be in the rotation. Mather was a JC All-American at Bakersfield JC where he ranked fifth in the state with 9.1 tackles per game in 2021.

PICK A POSITION

• Senior Marte Mapu has found his name on a couple preseason All-America teams albeit at two different positions. Mapu was selected to the HERO Sports third team as a linebacker and also earned third team honors from Phil Steele as a defensive back.
• The confusion on the position is understandable as Mapu plays the team's rover position which is a cross between linebacker and safety. Last year, the Hawthorne, Calif., native ranked second on the team with 65 tackles. He also paced the Hornets with 10 pass breakups and tied for the team lead with four interceptions.
• Mapu also showed the ability to come up big in the clutch. His interception in the final minutes sealed the teams victory at Idaho State. He also had a season high 11 tackles in the victory at Montana.
• Following the year, Mapu was selected to the all-Big Sky second team as a linebacker.

READY FOR HIS ENCORE

• Kyle Sentkowski is coming off arguably the best season in school history by a kicker. The senior earned first team all-Big Sky honors and was named a third team All-American by Stats Perform after setting the school record for field goals and points by a kicker during a season.
• Sentkowski finished the year by making 21-of-25 field goal attempts and all 39 of his extra points. He made at least one field goal in all but one game (Montana) and had two or field goals in eight contests. Sentkowski was also a weapon from long range, converting 12-of-14 attempts from 40-yards or further.
• In the team's 23-21 win at Idaho State, Sentkowski accounted for 11 points with three field goals and a pair of extra points to earn Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week. His first was a 49-yarder early in the third quarter which tied him for the ninth-longest in school history. He  pulled the Hornets within one with a 27-yard field goal late in the third quarter and gave Sacramento State it's first lead of the second half with a 40-yard kick 93 seconds into the fourth period.
• Sentkowski's career long of 51 yards came against Cal Poly.

Career Field Goals    Total    Needs
T4. Brad Cornish, 2012-15    26    5
T4. Tyson Becker, 1992-95     26    5
6. Chris Diniz, 2009-10    25    4
7. Kyle Sentkowski, 2019-pres.    21    ---

DOING WHAT THEY CAME FOR
Sacramento State's 2022 roster boasts 16 student-athletes who have already earned a bachelor's degree. Below is a list of those who have graduated.

Player  -  Degree Earned/Current Program
Ayodele Adeoye (DE) - Physical Culture/Design
Isaiah Capoocia (NB) - Sociology/Ethnic Studies
Josh Cooper (DL) - Kinesiology /Kinesiology (MA)
Jake Dunniway (QB) - Health Science/Communications
Jeremy Harris (LB) - Criminal Justice/Recreation Admin (MA)
Abel Ordaz (S) - Exercise Science/Kinesiology
Marte Mapu (NB) - Sociology /Kinesiology
Kainalu Martin (S) - Communications/Kinesiology
Ariel Ngata (DL) - Health Science/Communications
Asher O'Hara (QB) - Integrated Studies/Kinesiology
Killian Rosko (DE) - Criminal Justice/Recreation Admin
Kyle Sentkowski (K) - Psychology
Troy Stiefel (OL) - Economics/Business (MBA)
Prince Washington (CB) - Business/Film
Brandon Weldon (OL) - Kinesiology/Kinesiology (MA)
Pierre Williams (WR) - Kinesiology/Kinesiology (MA)

REFRESHER COURSE

• Dating back to 2019, the Hornets have now defeated 16 of the last 17 Big Sky teams it has faced. The team had a non-conference win over Northern Colorado and then finished the season 7-1.
• Sacramento State has also built an impressive road record under Taylor. The team is 9-0 away from home against FCS teams and 9-3 overall with the only losses coming at Arizona State, Fresno State and Cal.
• Sacramento State's eight-game winning streak last year was the longest in the school's NCAA Div. I era and tied for the longest in school history. The last time the Hornets won eight straight games came in 1966 when the team won its final eight games after starting the year 0-2.
• The nine total wins last season matched the mark from 2019 when the team ended the year with a 9-4 overall record. The only team to win more than nine games in school history was the 1988 squad which finished 10-3 and advanced to the NCAA Div. II semifinals.
• Sacramento State has posted back-to-back winning seasons for just the second time since moving to Div. I in 1993. The previous time came in 1999 (6-5) and 2000 (7-4).
• The team has recorded consecutive winning Big Sky records for the first time since joining in the league in 1995.
• Sacramento State is now 14-0 overall under Taylor when scoring first.
• The Hornets are 16-0 under Taylor when taking a lead into the fourth quarter.
• Strangely, Sacramento State is 11-0 when losing the coin toss over its last two seasons.
• The two lowest points allowed averages in the school's Div. I history have come in the last two seasons. The Hornets have allowed 19.5 points per game in the last 25 games played.
• The defense did not allow a point in 24 quarters last year, including six halves. The only team which has posted points in all four quarters of a game against Sacramento State in 2021 is Cal.
• The team has had three long streaks without surrendering a point this season. The first streak of 53 minutes, 44 seconds spanned the Idaho State and Southern Utah games. The team was not scored upon for 100 minutes, 27 seconds (six scoreless quarters) beginning in the second half at Montana, through NAU and into the second quarter at Northern Colorado. Most recently, Sacramento State did not allow point in 63 minutes, 38 seconds ranging from the final quarter against Portland State through the fourth quarter against UC Davis.
• Sacramento State's shutout over Northern Arizona was just the fourth since the school moved to NCAA FCS in 1993. It was also the second in a Big Sky Conference game  in school history following the 14-0 win at a rain-soaked Northern Colorado on Oct. 8, 2011.

SERIES HISTORY

• The only meeting between Sacramento State and Utah Tech came in the season opener last season where the Hornets won 19-7.

CONNECTIONS

• There are no players on the Sacramento State roster from the state of Utah.
• Utah Tech boasts 46 players from California, including sophomore defensive back Amari Wilson who graduated from River City HS in West Sacramento.
• Along with Peterson and Hughes having worked at Sacramento State, Hughes' wife, Kercia, was the football administrative assistant and a women's golfer for the Hornets.