Sac State football to have 5 nationally televised games in first-ever FBS season
Updated: 11:10 PM PDT May 27, 2026
Sacramento State football will be on full display for the nation, as the program enters its first season in college football’s highest level. The Hornets will have at least five appearances on national television during the 2026 season, the most in program history, according to a news release. Sac State will play games on ESPN, ESPN2 and CBS Sports Network. The 2026 season will mark the first time that Sac State will appear on ESPN and CBS Sports Network.The 2026 season will be a historic one for the Hornets, as the team enters its inaugural season as an FBS program and a member of the Mid-American Conference, also known as the MAC. “We are excited to appear on national television multiple times in our inaugural FBS season,” Sacramento State Director of Athletics Mark Orr said in a statement. “It’s a terrific opportunity for our student-athletes to showcase our university and Sacramento. We look forward to adding to our national television package over the course of the next several weeks.” Sac State will open the season on the road against Eastern Michigan on Aug. 29 in their first-ever MAC contest. That game will be shown on the streaming platform ESPN+. Five of the Hornets regular season games have not yet been assigned to a television network. Sacramento State 2026 scheduleSaturday, Aug. 29: at Eastern Michigan, 3:30 p.m., ESPN+Saturday, Sept. 5: vs. Mississippi Valley State, 7 p.m., ESPN+Saturday, Sept. 12: at Fresno State, 7:30 p.m., CBS Sports NetworkSaturday, Sept. 19: vs. North Dakota, 7:30 p.m., ESPNSaturday, Sept. 26: vs. UMass, TBDSaturday, Oct. 10: at Bowling Green, TBDSaturday, Oct. 17: vs. Ohio, TBDSaturday, Oct. 24: at Ball State, TBDFriday, Oct. 30: vs. Kent State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2Wednesday, Nov. 4: vs. Toledo, 4 p.m. or 4:30 p.m., ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports NetworkWednesday, Nov. 11: at Central Michigan, 4 p.m. or 4:30 p.m., ESPN 2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports NetworkSaturday, Nov. 28: at Hawaii, TBDSee more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Sacramento State football will be on full display for the nation, as the program enters its first season in college football’s highest level.
The Hornets will have at least five appearances on national television during the 2026 season, the most in program history, according to a news release.
Sac State will play games on ESPN, ESPN2 and CBS Sports Network. The 2026 season will mark the first time that Sac State will appear on ESPN and CBS Sports Network.
The 2026 season will be a historic one for the Hornets, as the team enters its inaugural season as an FBS program and a member of the Mid-American Conference, also known as the MAC.
“We are excited to appear on national television multiple times in our inaugural FBS season,” Sacramento State Director of Athletics Mark Orr said in a statement. “It’s a terrific opportunity for our student-athletes to showcase our university and Sacramento. We look forward to adding to our national television package over the course of the next several weeks.”
Sac State will open the season on the road against Eastern Michigan on Aug. 29 in their first-ever MAC contest. That game will be shown on the streaming platform ESPN+.
Five of the Hornets regular season games have not yet been assigned to a television network.
Sacramento State 2026 scheduleSaturday, Aug. 29: at Eastern Michigan, 3:30 p.m., ESPN+Saturday, Sept. 5: vs. Mississippi Valley State, 7 p.m., ESPN+Saturday, Sept. 12: at Fresno State, 7:30 p.m., CBS Sports NetworkSaturday, Sept. 19: vs. North Dakota, 7:30 p.m., ESPNSaturday, Sept. 26: vs. UMass, TBDSaturday, Oct. 10: at Bowling Green, TBDSaturday, Oct. 17: vs. Ohio, TBDSaturday, Oct. 24: at Ball State, TBDFriday, Oct. 30: vs. Kent State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2Wednesday, Nov. 4: vs. Toledo, 4 p.m. or 4:30 p.m., ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports NetworkWednesday, Nov. 11: at Central Michigan, 4 p.m. or 4:30 p.m., ESPN 2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports NetworkSaturday, Nov. 28: at Hawaii, TBD
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel