The 2025 Sacramento State Hornets football team represented California State University, Sacramento during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Big Sky Conference. They were led by Brennan Marion in his first and only season as head coach and played their home games at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, California.
A realignment to the FBS was announced in 2025, but the NCAA Football Oversight Committee denied a recommendation ahead of a Division I Council vote. The vote later officially denied the waiver. In February 2026, it was announced that the Hornets would join the Mid-American Conference (MAC) at the FBS level as a football-only member beginning with the 2026 season.
The Sacramento State Hornets drew an average home attendance of 15,468, the 10th-highest of all NCAA Division I FCS football teams.
Offseason Transfers Outgoing Evan KielyKBoise StateJason AuzenneWR/RBCollege of San MateoPhoenix RoseDBCollege of San MateoKyle StahleckerDEEastern WashingtonCarson ConklinQBFresno StateZelmar VedderDBHoustonTommy PoeWRIdaho StateDavion RossSIdaho StateDevin GandyWRLouisiana TechElijah Tau-TolliverRBMichigan StateSpencer PattonDTMontana TechMurvin Kenion IIIDBNevadaJoey WrightOLNevadaDarren Burton IIDBNew HampshireTyler HenryDLNorth DakotaJackson LataimuaDBNorth TexasDanny ScuderoWRSan Jose StateAJ CamposLSSan Jose StateMason BrosseauDTSouth Dakota StateColeman KuntzTESouth Dakota StateCarson CampQBSoutheastern LouisianaNathan MejiaOLStanfordJayden DavisSWestern MichiganJayden WeberWRUnknownMekhei ByrdWRUnknownEzra MoleniRBUnknownJayden FlaigTEUnknownDiego DavisLBWithdrawn
Incoming Connor McDowellLSAngelo StateDonovan HaslamOLAustin PeayJekob JonesLBCal PolyJordan HermanOLCharlotteDamian Henderson IIRBColorado StateJordan WilliamsTEColorado StateMalik TullisDLEastern MichiganMelvin Swindle IIDLEastern MichiganJaden RashadaQBGeorgiaDarren Burton IIDBHamptonJayden DavisDBIdaho StateChase BrackneyDLIowaJamar CurtisRBLafayetteJames JonesRBLouisiana–MonroeDylan GoodenDEMarylandItayvion BrownDEMichigan StateJames GillespieDTMiddle TennesseeMiles BaileyDLMurray StateBrodie TagaloaDLNebraskaSavion RedRBNevadaKristopher RossDENevadaIkaika RagsdaleWRNorth TexasGrant MeadorsKOregonJordan AndersonWROregon StateRodney HammondRBPittsburghLogan TannerTESan Diego StateDean AbdullahTESan Diego StateDylan HampstenDESan Jose StateGavin ThomsonWRSaint FrancisMikey HendersonWRTarleton StateErnest CampbellWRTexas A&MSyncere MasseyDLTexas SouthernDeven WrightDETexas StateCardell WilliamsQBTulsaRicky Lee IIIDBUABAgiye HallWRUCFJoseph Firebaugh Jr.KUCLADavis AmbuehlTEUNLVTimothy ConerlyWRUNLVBrennon ScottLBUNLVDamien McDanielWRUNLVSammy NorrisFBUNLVKeith ConleyDLUNLVBear TenneyTEUtahOscar MooreDBUTEPJace WilsonWRUTSASam Adams IIRBWashingtonJackson LataimuaDBWashington StateWarren SmithDBWashington StateTaison Fa’asuamanuLBWest Liberty
Coaching staff additions NameNew PositionPrevious TeamPrevious Position SourceBrennan MarionHead coachUNLVOffensive coordinator/QuarterbacksKenneth MerchantOffensive coordinator/QuarterbacksUNLVOffensive analystAC PattersonCo-offensive coordinator/Running backsPortland StateAssistant head coach/Offensive coordinator/Running backsMarcus PattonDefensive coordinatorColorado StateCornerbacksJosh BrownCo-defensive coordinator/LinebackersMcNeeseCo-defensive coordinator/SafetiesDarrin WallsDefensive pass game coordinator/CornerbacksAlbanyCo-defensive coordinator/CornerbacksRob WengerSpecial teamsMinnesotaSpecial teams/Rush endsRobbie BellTight endsGeorgia TechOffensive line quality controlNathan KenionSafetiesDiablo ValleyDefensive coordinatorSidhart KrishnamurthiWide receiversSan Jose StateOffensive quality controlEd McGilvraDefensive lineCollege of the CanyonsDefensive lineJake VangEdge rushersColorado StateDefensive analyst
Schedule
Game summaries
at No. 3 South Dakota State
Statistics SAC SDST First downs 7 28 Plays–yards 51–131 79–430 Rushes–yards 24–24 56–240 Passing yards 107 190 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–27–1 17–23–0 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 18:54 41:06 Team Category Player StatisticsSacramento State Passing Jaden Rashada 11/27, 107 yards, INT Rushing Rodney Hammond Jr. 6 carries, 12 yards Receiving Jordan Anderson 4 receptions, 49 yards South Dakota State Passing Chase Mason 17/23, 190 yards, TD Rushing Julius Loughridge 22 carries, 159 yards Receiving Lofton O'Groske 5 receptions, 76 yards
at Nevada (FBS)
Statistics SAC NEV First downs 15 23 Plays–yards 60–371 69–413 Rushes–yards 41–146 48–269 Passing yards 225 144 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–19–1 12–21–2 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:14 32:42 Team Category Player StatisticsSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 11/13, 158 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jamar Curtis 8 carries, 37 yards Receiving Ernest Campbell 3 receptions, 89 yards, TD Nevada Passing Chubba Purdy 12/21, 144 yards, 2 INT Rushing Chubba Purdy 21 carries, 115 yards, TD Receiving Marcus Bellon 2 receptions, 59 yards
Mercyhurst
Statistics MERC SAC First downs 22 26 Plays–yards 79–369 60–525 Rushes–yards 34–89 42–349 Passing yards 280 176 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–45–2 8–18–0 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 35:27 24:33 Team Category Player StatisticsMercyhurst Passing Adam Urena 27/44, 280 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Brian Trobel 10 carries, 62 yards, TD Receiving Joe Kerbacher 4 receptions, 61 yardsSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 8/17, 176 yards, 2 TD Rushing Damian Henderson II 12 carries, 98 yards, 3 TD Receiving Ernest Campbell 2 receptions, 78 yards, TD
Central Arkansas
Statistics CARK SAC First downs 19 19 Plays–yards 70–282 61–602 Rushes–yards 44–87 39–262 Passing yards 195 340 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–26–0 17–22–0 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 30:19 29:41 Team Category Player StatisticsCentral Arkansas Passing Luther Richesson 17/26, 195 yards, TD Rushing Landen Chambers 22 carries, 108 yards, TD Receiving Tyrell Pollard 4 receptions, 84 yards, TDSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 15/20, 252 yards, TD Rushing Damian Henderson II 15 carries, 137 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Anderson 3 receptions, 98 yards
Cal Poly
Statistics CP SAC First downs 17 20 Plays–yards 66–381 77–426 Rushes–yards 39–178 46–230 Passing yards 203 196 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–27–0 12–31–3 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 31:42 28:18 Team Category Player StatisticsCal Poly Passing Bo Kelly 17/27, 203 yards, 2 TD Rushing Tyrei Washington 22 carries, 113 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Garrison 4 receptions, 73 yards, 2 TDSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 10/24, 164 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Rodney Hammond Jr. 19 carries, 105 yards Receiving Ernest Campbell 3 receptions, 91 yards, TD
at Weber State
Statistics SAC WEB First downs 22 19 Plays–yards 60–460 69–301 Rushes–yards 50–397 41–144 Passing yards 63 157 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 6–10–0 16–28–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 28:58 31:02 Team Category Player StatisticsSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 5/9, 53 yards Rushing Cardell Williams 12 carries, 139 yards, 3 TD Receiving Rodney Hammond Jr. 1 reception, 25 yardsWeber State Passing Dijon Jennings 16/28, 157 yards, TD Rushing Chauncey Sylvester 17 carries, 83 yards, TD Receiving Chauncey Sylvester 4 receptions, 54 yards, TD
Northern Colorado
Statistics UNCO SAC First downs 22 21 Plays–yards 68–484 74–434 Rushes–yards 35–163 57–323 Passing yards 321 111 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–33–4 9–17–0 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 24:03 35:57 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Colorado Passing Eric Gibson Jr. 21/33, 321 yards, 3 TD, 4 INT Rushing Mathias Price 16 carries, 102 yards Receiving Carver Cheeks 9 receptions, 223 yards, 3 TDSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 8/16, 90 yards, TD Rushing Rodney Hammond Jr. 21 carries, 134 yards, TD Receiving Ernest Campbell 3 receptions, 39 yards
No. 4 Montana
Statistics MONT SAC First downs 18 24 Plays–yards 58–386 76–478 Rushes–yards 33–162 43–141 Passing yards 224 337 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–25–1 26–33–1 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 25:55 34:05 Team Category Player StatisticsMontana Passing Keali'i Ah Yat 16/24, 196 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Michael Wortham 7 carries, 89 yards, 2 TD Receiving Michael Wortham 5 receptions, 80 yards, TDSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 25/32, 332 yards, TD, INT Rushing Rodney Hammond Jr. 12 carries, 54 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ernest Campbell 9 receptions, 206 yards, TD
at Eastern Washington
Statistics SAC EWU First downs 16 20 Plays–yards 62–391 83–278 Rushes–yards 56–376 30–38 Passing yards 15 240 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 3–6–1 30–53–0 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 29:29 30:31 Team Category Player StatisticsSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 3/6, 15 yards, INT Rushing Rodney Hammond Jr. 22 carries, 208 yards, 2 TD Receiving Gavin Nelson 1 reception, 10 yardsEastern Washington Passing Jake Schakel 24/38, 201 yards Rushing Nate Bell 5 carries, 24 yards Receiving Drew Carlson 4 receptions, 57 yards
at Portland State
Statistics SAC PRST First downs 18 17 Plays–yards 58–483 69–319 Rushes–yards 47–295 45–142 Passing yards 188 177 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 8–11–0 13–24–2 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 28:41 31:19 Team Category Player StatisticsSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 8/11, 188 yards, 2 TD Rushing Rodney Hammond Jr. 17 carries, 191 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ernest Campbell 4 receptions, 103 yards, 2 TDPortland State Passing Tyrese Smith 8/11, 105 yards, TD Rushing Delon Thompson 22 carries, 80 yards, TD Receiving Terence Loville 5 receptions, 106 yards
Idaho
Statistics IDHO SAC First downs 19 25 Plays–yards 55–355 76–458 Rushes–yards 29–193 58–282 Passing yards 162 176 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–26–1 14–18–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 26:46 33:14 Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Joshua Wood 15/26, 162 yards, INT Rushing Joshua Wood 14 carries, 117 yards, TD Receiving Nolan McWilliams 2 receptions, 49 yardsSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 14/18, 176 yards, TD Rushing JaQuail Smith 14 carries, 122 yards Receiving Ernest Campbell 6 receptions, 61 yards, TD
at No. 15 UC Davis (Causeway Classic)
Statistics SAC UCD First downs 22 22 Plays–yards 74–343 59–406 Rushes–yards 65–326 29–100 Passing yards 17 306 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 3–9–1 24–30–0 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 35:09 24:51 Team Category Player StatisticsSacramento State Passing Cardell Williams 3/9, 17 yards, INT Rushing Rodney Hammond Jr. 22 carries, 140 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ernest Campbell 1 reception, 11 yardsUC Davis Passing Caden Pinnick 24/30, 306 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jordan Fisher 16 carries, 48 yards, 2 TD Receiving Samuel Gbatu Jr. 7 receptions, 127 yards, TD
Ranking movements
References