1. Season Of First
Sacramento State will continue to make history as the team will host its first Mid-American Conference game this Saturday against UMass. Already this year, the team has played its first game at the FBS level and played its first game against a MAC opponent. The Hornets have also never faced UMass. In fact, every game for the remainder of the season will be the first in the all-time series for Sacramento State.
 
2. Something To Build Upon
By no means was Sacramento State head coach Alonzo Carter happy with the team's result from Saturday. However, Carter made it clear in his postgame comments to the team and media that he liked what he saw from the team in the second half against the Bison. The Hornets outscored NDSU, 7-3, over the final half and played even with North Dakota State over the final three quarters. The team still had too many missed opportunities for Carter's liking as the Hornets' final seven drives all crossed midfield but resulted in just 10 points.
 
3. Flipping The Script
UMass has shown how fast a program can turnaround in the age of the transfer portal. The Minutemen went 0-12 a year ago and entered the season on a 16-game losing streak. Second-year head coach Joe Harasymiak has brought in 25 players who have FBS experience and has turned UMass into a 3-0 team this season. The year started with one of the biggest upsets as the Minutemen took down Rutgers, 37-21, despite being a 28.5 point underdog.
 
4. Recognizing Our Heroes
Saturday will be Salute to Service Night with Sacramento State recognizing military and first responders. The contest will also feature a postgame fireworks show.
 
5. How To Follow The Action
Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Will Iger (play-by-play) and Mo Hasan (analyst). The game will also be broadcast on ESPN 1320, the Audacy app and the SiriusXM app with Jason Ross on play-by-play, Darren Arbet as the analyst and Danny Sullivan on the sideline.