SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento State football team is back in the top 25 as the Hornets debuted at 15^th in the Stats Perform Preseason FCS poll, it was announced today.
 
Sacramento State has been a fixture in the top 25 over the past five seasons. The team has been in the top 25 of the media poll 47 times since the start of the 2019 season, including a stretch of 38-consecutive weeks.
 
The Hornets will be tested throughout the season, as it scheduled to meet four opponents who are also in the preseason top 25. That group is comprised of No. 3 South Dakota State (Aug. 30), No. 25 Montana (Oct. 24), No. 8 UC Davis (Nov. 22) and No. 12 Idaho (Nov. 15).
 
The full Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll:
 
1. North Dakota State (14-2, 7-1 MVFC in 2024)
Points: 1,398 (54 of 56 first-place votes); Final 2024 Ranking: 1; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 at The Citadel
 
2. Montana State (15-1, 8-0 Big Sky)
Points: 1,335 (1); Final 2024 Ranking: 2; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 at Oregon
 
3. South Dakota State (12-3, 7-1 MVFC)
Points: 1,266; Final 2024 Ranking: 3; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 vs. Sacramento State
 
4. South Dakota (11-3, 7-1 MVFC)
Points: 1,227 (1); Final 2024 Ranking: 4; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 at Iowa State
 
5. UIW (11-3, 7-0 Southland)
Points: 1,138; Final 2024 Ranking: 6; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 23 at Nicholls
 
6. Illinois State (10-4, 6-2 MVFC)
Points: 1,015; Final 2024 Ranking: 11; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 at Oklahoma
 
7. Montana (9-5, 5-3 Big Sky)
Points: 1,004; Final 2024 Ranking: 10; 2025 Season Opener: Sept. 6 vs. Central Washington
 
8. UC Davis (11-3, 7-1 Big Sky)
Points: 938; Final 2024 Ranking: 5; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 23 vs. Mercer (in Montgomery, Alabama)
 
9. Rhode Island (11-3, 7-1 CAA)
Points: 928; Final 2024 Ranking: 9; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. Campbell
 
10. Tarleton State (10-4, 6-2 UAC)
Points: 912; Final 2024 Ranking: 13; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 23 at Portland State
 
11. Mercer (11-3, 7-1 SoCon)
Points: 824; Final 2024 Ranking: 8; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 23 vs. UC Davis (in Montgomery, Alabama)
 
12. Idaho (10-4, 6-2 Big Sky)
Points: 747; Final 2024 Ranking: 7; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 at Washington State
 
13. Villanova (10-4, 6-2 CAA)
Points: 737; Final 2024 Ranking: 12; 2025 Season Opener: Sept. 6 vs. Colgate
 
14. Lehigh (9-4, 5-1 Patriot)
Points: 493; Final 2024 Ranking: 20; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 vs. Richmond
 
15. Sacramento State (3-9, 1-7 Big Sky)
Points: 492; Final 2024 Ranking: NR; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 vs. South Dakota State
 
16. Abilene Christian (9-5, 7-2 UAC)
Points: 436; Final 2024 Ranking: 14; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 at Tulsa
 
17. Jackson State (12-2, 8-0 SWAC)
Points: 336; Final 2024 Ranking: 18; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 vs. Hampton
 
18. Western Carolina (7-5, 6-2 SoCon)
Points: 335; Final 2024 Ranking: NR; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 vs. Gardner-Webb
 
19. Northern Arizona (8-5, 6-2 Big Sky)
Points: 312; Final 2024 Ranking: 22; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 at Arizona State
 
20. Southern Illinois (4-8, 2-6 MVFC)
Points: 310; Final 2024 Ranking: NR; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 vs. Thomas More
 
21. Tennessee Tech (7-5, 6-2 OVC-Big South)
Points: 284; Final 2024 Ranking: NR; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 vs. Cumberland
 
22. Monmouth (6-6, 4-4 CAA)
Points: 274; Final 2024 Ranking: NR; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 29 at Colgate
 
23. Stephen F. Austin (7-5, 4-3 Southland)
Points: 183; Final 2024 Ranking: NR; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 28 at Houston
 
24. Stony Brook (8-4, 5-3 CAA)
Points: 181; Final 2024 Ranking: NR; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 28 at San Diego State
 
25. Richmond (10-3, 8-0 CAA; now Patriot)
Points: 154; Final 2024 Ranking: 15; 2025 Season Opener: Aug. 30 at Lehigh