Sacramento State aims to return to the FCS playoffs following a challenging defeat.

The Sacramento State Hornets are eager to bounce back after a mixed 2023 season that saw them finish with an 8-5 record and an early exit from the NCAA FCS playoffs. Their campaign ended in a tough 24-34 loss to South Dakota State in the postseason, a hard-fought battle that ultimately proved their undoing. But the Hornets are determined to learn from those experiences and come back stronger than ever in 2024. They'll have the chance to make an immediate statement when they open the new season with a high-profile

matchup against San Jose State. This will be a crucial early-season test for the Hornets, who will be looking to prove that they have what it takes to compete with one of the top teams in the FCS. With a roster brimming with talent and an experienced coaching staff guiding the way, Sacramento State has all the ingredients needed to mount a serious challenge for conference and national honors this year.

They'll need to shore up the areas that let them down in 2023, but if they can do that, there's no reason why the Hornets can't bounce back in a big way and make a deep run in the FCS playoffs. Fans are eagerly anticipating the start of the new campaign, hopeful that this team can channel the disappointment of last season into motivation to achieve greater heights in 2024.

South Dakota State head coach stated:

"Our team was well prepared today and played that way," said Nielson. "We kept coming. Even when something didn't go our way we just kept playing. Today was a perfect example of that where the defense picked us up on this drive, offense picked us up on the other drive, the kicking game was good all day. That's the kind of football that wins and we got to keep playing that kind of football."