A BRIEF PREVIEW

• Following a gut-wrenching loss, the Sacramento State football team will begin the final third of its season  when it hosts Portland State on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 6 p.m. The game will be the annual Salute to Service night where the Hornets honor active duty military and veterans as well as first responders. The first 2,000 fans will also receive cowboy hats courtesy of Wendy's.
• Sacramento State dropped to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the Big Sky after a 30-27 overtime loss at Idaho State last Saturday. The game was tied, 21-21, at halftime and Sacramento State knotted the game with a 27-yard field goal from Zach Schreiner with 11 seconds to play. The Hornets kicked a field goal to start overtime before the Bengals walked off with a victory following a touchdown. The game was the third in a row for Sacramento State which was decided by one score and the second in a row to go to overtime.
• Hornet fans can tune in to ESPN 1320 AM to hear the radio call of Dave Lewis, Steve McElroy and Danny Sullivan. Live audio streaming is also available via www.hornetsports.com and the Audacy app.
• The game will also be aired on KMAX 31 and streamed on ESPN+ with Jason Ross (play-by-play), former Hornet defensive lineman and Arena League Hall of Famer Darren Arbet (analyst).

OPPONENT PREVIEW: PORTLAND STATE

• Portland State is coming off its bye week and owns a 1-6 overall record and a 1-3 mark in Big Sky games. The Vikings' lone win came in a 42-38 road victory at Portland State. PSU has faced one of the toughest schedules in the nation, having faced Washington State and Boise State of the FBS as well as Chattanooga, UC Davis and Montana State which are all ranked in the top 25 of the FCS.
• Senior Dante Chachere is one of the top dual-threat quarterback in the Big Sky. Chachere leads PSU in both rushing (63.9 yards per game) and passing (172.4 ypg). In the win at Idaho State, Chachere rushed and passed for over 200 yards and accounted for six touchdowns (three rushing/three passing).
• Running back Quincy Craig is also multi-faceted. Craig is third on the team with 293 rushing yards and has a team-best 28 receptions for 191 yards and four touchdowns.
• Sophomore linebackers Michael Montgomery (59) and Peyton Wing (58) lead the team in tackles. Wing also owns a team-best 4.5 TFLs.
• Bruce Barnum is in his 10th season as the Portland State head coach and his 15th with the program. Barnum owns a 36-62 overall record as the PSU head coach.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB

• Redshirt freshman Curron Borders became the 46th Hornet to record a 100-yard rushing game when he amassed 145 yards last Saturday at Idaho State.
• Borders was part of a lethal ground attack which slashed ISU for 299 rushing yards among four backs. Borders finished the game with 18 carries and averaged 8.1 yards per game to set career highs.
• Elijah Tau-Tolliver joined Borders in triple digits as he had an even 100 yards on 11 carries before leaving the first half with an injury. Borders and Tau-Tolliver became the first Hornet duo to each have over 100 rushing yards in a game since Marcus Fulcher (108) and Cameron Skattebo (101) against Incarnate Word in the 2022 FCS Playoffs.
• Borders' 145 yards are the 13th most in school history among players in their first game over the century mark. The last player with more yards was B.J. Perkinson who had 155 at home against Idaho State in 2017.
• Posting big numbers is nothing new to Borders as he rushed for 3,574 and 50 touchdowns in three varsity seasons at Antelope HS in Sacramento. As a senior, he rushed for 1,368 yards and 18 touchdowns in 11 games.

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

• Sacramento State played its first overtime game in Sept. 20, 1997 in a Causeway Classic against UC Davis which needed three OT periods to be settled. That same season the team played a single overtime against CSUN.
• The Hornets also played two overtime games in 1999 and 2001 and then had three OT contests in 2013. That season was the last time Sacramento State had played multiple overtime games until this year. The 2013 season was also the last time that the team had back-to-back overtime games until these past two games. In the 11 years between 2013-24, the Hornets played just one overtime game.
• All-time, Sacramento State is 5-11 in overtime games.

THE GOOD AND THE BAD

• After a pair of interceptions against Idaho State, Sacramento State is now tied for eighth in the FCS with 17 turnovers gained this year. The team has recovered eight  fumbles and now has nine interceptions. The Hornets have created a turnover in all but two games (Nicholls and Eastern Washington). In the other six games. Sacramento State has at least two turnovers created with a high of four at Texas A&M-Commerce.
• The team's nine interceptions have been spread out over six players. Will Leota joined Murvin Kenion III and Elias Mullican as the only players with two picks this year. 
• Seven Hornets have recovered a fumble led by two from defensive end Ben Ahio. Leota and cornerback Zelmar Vedder are the only players to have intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble this year. Vedder has also forced a fumble and is the only Hornet with an interception, fumble recovery and forced fumble.
• On the other side, Sacramento State has committed 19 turnovers which ranks 120th of 123 FCS teams. The team has had at least one turnover in every game and has three or more turnovers in three games. This season, the Hornets have lost nine fumbles and thrown 10 interceptions.
• Compounding the problem has been the result of the turnovers. In all eight games, Sacramento State has turned the 17 turnovers forced into five touchdowns and two field goals. The oppositions owns seven touchdowns and two field goals on its 19 turnovers created. The numbers are more staggering in Big Sky Conference games where the Hornets have one touchdown and one field goal off turnovers forced and have given up five touchdowns on its own turnovers.
• The turnovers have led to the Hornets allowing five non-offensive touchdowns this season. That total is comprised of  two fumble recoveries for touchdowns and two pick sixes as well as a punt return TD. Sacramento State has one non-offensive touchdown this year coming on an interception return by Elias Mullican at Texas A&M-Commerce.
• Overall, the team's turnover minus-2 turnover ratio (0.25 per game) is tied for 77th in the FCS. 

IT WAS AN OUTLIER

• Since 2019, there have been three statistical indicators of success for Sacramento State. If the Hornets are able to earn more rushing yards, total yards or hold an edge in time of possession it has typically resulted in a victory.
• Sacramento State had been 31-4 when outrushing its opponent and 6-13 when being outrushed. At Idaho State, the Hornets outrushed the Bengals, 268-132, but came up short in an overtime loss.
• Sacramento State was also 38-5 when having more total yards and 30-5 when leading time of possession during that same stretch. The team held advantages in both categories at Idaho State.
• The ISU game was the only one since 2019 where the team held an edge in all three stats but finished the game on the short side of the scoreboard.
• One strange streak continued at Idaho State as Sacramento State is now 0-4 this season when winning the coin toss and is 3-1 when losing the toss. Dating back to 2019, the team is now 16-17 when winning the coin toss and an improbable 25-1 when losing the coin toss.

BOUNCE BACK ABILITY

• Sacramento State is  9-3 following a regular-season loss since the start of 2019.
• The team's first loss in 2019 came at Arizona State (19-7) and was followed by a 50-0 home win over Northern Colorado. The next week, the Hornets dropped a 34-20 game at Fresno State but responded with a 48-27 victory at home over Eastern Washington.
• In 2021, Sacramento State lost its home opener to UNI (36-14) and then fell at Cal (42-30) for a rare two-game losing streak in the last four seasons. The Hornets got back on track the following week with a 23-21 win at Idaho State.
• After extending its regular season winning streak to 23 games, Sacramento State lost at Idaho (36-27) last season. The Hornets then alternated wins and losses for the final six games of the year.
• This season, the team opened the year with losses at San Jose State and Fresno State before defeating Nicholls.
• The team started Big Sky play with losses to Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington, marking the first time the Hornets lost back-to-back league games since 2018.

HE DID IT AGAIN

• For the second consecutive game, Elijah Tau-Tolliver needed just one half to rush for 100 yards in a game. Tau-Tolliver earned 127 yards and three touchdowns on 13 first-half carries against Weber State before finishing the game 141 yards. This past week, he had 11 attempts for 100 yards and a score before leaving the game with an injury and not returning.
• Tau-Tolliver now owns six 100-yard games in his career which places him into a four-way tie for 10th place in school history. The junior does have some work to do to chase down the next person on the list as Rob Harrison and Cameron Skattebo are tied with nine 100-yard games.
• Against Weber State, the junior showed a new wrinkle, catching 11 passes for 85 yards. His 11 catches are tied for the 11th most in school single-game history and are the most by a running back. Prior to that game, Tau-Tolliver had never caught more than three passes for 50 yards in a game.
• Tau-Tolliver became the fifth Hornet to record three 100-yard games prior to the end of September as he had 110 yards at San Jose State, 111 yards against Nicholls and 127 at Texas A&M-Commerce. John Farley was the first to achieve the feat in 1982 and was followed by Troy Mills in 1991. Charles Roberts then took it to another level, rushing for four 100-yard games in September in 1998 and 1999 and then five in 2000. Tyronne Gross is the most recent Hornet before Tau-Tolliver with three 100-yard games in September of 2003. 
• Tau-Tolliver has already accounted for more yards this season (826) than he did a year ago (387). His touchdown at Idaho State matched his output from last season. Tau-Tolliver surpassed 1,000 career yards at Texas A&M-Commerce and entered the school top 20 list against Weber State.
• Tau-Tolliver needs 174 rushing yards to record the 16th 1,000-yard season in school history and is 277 yards shy of cracking the school single-season top 10.
• Sacramento State has played two games on national television in the last two seasons and both have been then-career efforts for Tau-Tolliver. Last season, the running back amassed 100 yards against Montana State in an ESPN2 game, including a 53-yard touchdown. This year, he rushed for 110 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns at San Jose State in the first college football game aired on TruTV.
• The Sparks, Nev., native has thrived in big games during his career. As a redshirt freshman, he returned the second half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown against Richmond in the second round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs. In last season's win at Stanford he had just one carry but made the most of it with a 1-yard touchdown.

CONKLIN CONTINUES TO POUR IT ON

• Redshirt freshman quarterback Carson Conklin continued his strong season, completing 24-of-40 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown at Idaho State. Conklin was inches away from having a second passing TD but a would-be catch by Jared Gipson in the end zone was  ruled an interception.
• Conklin enters this week with 17 passing touchdowns which tied Ryan Leadingham (2001) for the most by a freshman QB in school history. Next on the list for Conklin would be to chase down Leadingham's school freshman record of 2,752 passing yards. In order to do that, Conklin would need to average 256.3 passing yards per game over the final four games of the season.
• Conklin was named the Stats Perform FCS Freshman of the Week after completing 32-of-47 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns in the overtime win over Weber State. Each of those stats set career bests for Conklin breaking his previous marks of 22 completions, 37 attempts and 313 yards.
• Conklin's 32 completions tied him for 10th place in school single-game history and were the most since Asher O'Hara also had 32 completions against UNI on Sept. 11, 2021. The last Hornet QB with more than 32 completions in a game was Nate Ketteringham who had 34 against Montana State on Oct. 1, 2016.
• Conklin's yardage total was the 28th best in school history. He became the 16th Hornet quarterback to have multiple 300-yard games in their career.
• Conklin has now thrown a touchdown pass in all eight games this season and has multiple TDs in five games. He became the 14th player in school history to have four TD passes in a game when he did it against Eastern Washington on Oct. 12. Overall, Hornet QBs have had four or more touchdowns in a game 29 times. Garrett Safron holds the school record with seven touchdowns against Southern Oregon in 2013. Leadingham had six scores against Idaho State in 2003 and Kevin Thomson, Safron and Jeff Fleming each threw five TDs in a game.
• Conklin debuted with Sacramento State during the 2023 season, appearing in four games. During that run, he tossed three touchdown passes in home games against Idaho State and Cal Poly and finished the year with 744 passing yards.
• Among the 11 true and redshirt quarterbacks that qualify for the NCAA FCS statistics, Conklin leads the subdivision in completions, pass attempts, yards and touchdowns.

TERRIFIC TRIO

• The wide receiver trio of Anderson Grover, Jared Gipson and Danny Scudero combined to catch 14 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown at Idaho State. Scudero and Gipson each caught five passes while Grover had four. Scudero had a team-best 79 receiving yards, including a 38-yard reception late in the fourth quarter to set up the game-tying field goal.
• Gipson posted his eighth game of his career with at least five catches and finished with 65 yards. His game was highlighted by a 19-yard touchdown grab on a crossing route in the front of the end zone with 20 seconds left in the first half. He now has a team-leading five receiving touchdowns this season and is just one away from cracking the career top 10 at Sac State.
• Grover has caught at least two passes in the seven games he's played this season and has five-plus receptions in three games. He ranks second on the team with four receiving touchdowns, 420 receiving yards and 14.0 yards per reception. He had a career night in the overtime win over Weber State, catching eight passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.
• Scudero also has at least one catch in each of his games this season and has four or more in six games. His 34 receptions are tied for the team lead and he ranks third with 408 receiving yards.
• Gipson has caught at least one pass in 38 career games, including the last 12. He moved into sole possession of eight place in career receptions against Weber State and is now sixth in career yards. For the first time in his career, Gipson caught touchdowns in three consecutive games, scoring against Texas A&M-Commerce, Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington.
• This season, Gipson has had at least three receptions in all eight games and has had 70 or more receiving yards in three contests. His season high of 138 yards came at Fresno State and was aided by a 78-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown.
• A year after leading the Big Sky with an average of 17.29 yards per catch and earning second team all-Big Sky honors, Gipson is fifth in the league this season with 70.0 receiving yards per game. His average of 16.5 yards per catch ranks 10th in the conference and is the best among players with at least 30 receptions.
• Gipson is also a social media superstar. His football videos have garnered him over a million followers on TikTok and close to 700,000 subscribers on YouTube.

SCHREINER CONTINUES HIS CLIMB

• A week after kicking the game-winning field goal in overtime, Zach Schreiner forced overtime with a 27-yarder at Idaho State. Schreiner went on to add a 41-yarder on the Hornets' overtime possession.  He finished the game 2-of-3 on field goals after his streak of eight consecutive makes came to an end when he missed a 42-yarder.
• Schreiner leads the team with 70 points this seasons. In just two years, Schreiner has scored 161 career points but is still 23 points shy of moving into the top 10 for scoring in school history.
• He is tied for third in the FCS this season with 1.75 field goals per game and is tied for second with 14 made field goals. The FCS leader in field goals is Southeast Missouri State's DC Pippin who has made 20-of-28 attempts (2.22 per game).
• Schreiner led Sacramento State in 2023 with 91 total points which ranked 10th in school history. Schreiner made 14-of-19 field goals and was perfect on 49 extra points. His 14 field goals tied him for third place in a season at Sacramento State.
• Schreiner is now 19-of-21 on field goal attempts inside 40-yards as a Hornet. Dating back to 2019, three Sacramento State kickers have combined to make 210 consecutive PATs. The team's last missed extra point came at Montana State on Oct. 12, 2019.

SACK STATE

• Sacramento State continues to lead the Big Sky but dropped to 11th in the FCS with 2.75 sacks per game. The Hornets have had at least one sack in all eight games but have been limited to one sack in the last two contests.
• The Hornets have 22 sacks as a team and are led by Josh Cashiola who has four. Mason Brosseau is close behind at 3.5 while Nakian Jackson is third with 2.5. In all, 12 players have at least a half-sack this season.
• Sacramento State had six tackles-for-loss against the Bengals and remains tied for eighth in the FCS with 7.3 TFLs per game which is the best in the Big Sky. Will Leota and Ben Ahio are tied for the team lead with 8.5 TFLs each.

HE'S A FREAK

• Senior Jackson Slater had his name thrown around a lot over the summer. Slater was a consensus preseason FCS All-American and, as expected, was named to the preseason all-Big Sky team. The senior also landed on the Shrine Bowl 1000 and the Senior Bowl Watch List.
• His most unique honor may be being named to The Athletic's annual Freak List. The list of 101 players which is comprised by Bruce Feldman features players who have stood out with their performances in the weight room. The 6-foot-3, 316-pound Slater made the list following a power clean of 405 pounds, squatting 635 pounds and running 19.96 mph. 

QUICK HITTERS 

• Sacramento State has several new additions to the coaching staff this season. Keyshawn Colmon serves as the wide receivers coach after spending 2023 at Fresno State. Misi Tupe takes over at linebackers coach. Tupe was previously the defensive coordinator at Utah Tech. Brandyn Thompson will coach cornerbacks and returns to his hometown after spending time at Cal Poly.
• The Hornets will wear a "Q" decal on their helmets this season in tribute to former Sacramento State player, coach and longtime supporter Gary Quattrin who passed away on July 2. Quattrin was a two-time all-Far Western Conference selection and was named to the College Division All-America team his senior season as a linebacker. He played professionally and then coached at Sacramento State from 1968-72 and returned for the 1985 and 1986 seasons.
• Davion Ross is in his seventh season at Sacramento State. Ross arrived on campus in 2018 and redshirted that season. He saw action in eight games, starting five in 2019 and then sat out the 2020 season when the Hornets opted not to play in the spring. Ross appeared in seven games in 2021 before missing all of 2022 (knee) and 2023 (Achilles). During his time at Sacramento State, he has played with 338 different players.
• Nickelback Gavin Davis-Smith was nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team recognizes college football athletes for their unwavering commitment to community service and their "good works" off the field. 
• Sacramento State head coach Andy Thompson earned his 10th career victory in the win over Texas A&M-Commerce. Thompson's milestone came in his 17th game as a head coach. Troy Taylor holds the school record as the fastest coach to 10 wins (14 games). The next fastest was Ray Clemons who needed 23 games from 1961-63.
• The Hornet roster boasts 15 players who have already earned their degree. That list is comprised of QB Kaiden Bennett, S Dejuan Butler, NB Gavin Davis-Smith, WR Anderson Grover, TE Austin Jarrrard, S Murvin Kenion III, DL Brandon Knott, S Eian Moore, OL Kaden Richardson, NB Davion Ross, TE Jay Rudolph, DL Will Schalde, DL Colby Warkentin, DL Xavier Williams and OL Joey Wright.

SERIES NOTES

• Counting this Saturday, five of the last six games of the series have been played in Sacramento.
• Sacramento State has won five of the last six games of the series and eight of the past 10.
• The winning team has scored at least 40 points in the last six meetings.

CONNECTIONS

• No players on the Hornet roster are from Oregon.
• Portland State has 41 players from California on its roster. Included on that list is offensive lineman Billy Lutui who began his collegiate career with the Hornets. Lutui played defensive tackle for the Vikings last season before moving to the offensive line this year.
• PSU QB Dante Chachere's father, Derrick, played for Sacramento State television analyst Darren Arbet as a defensive back with the San Jose Sabercats from 1995-2000.