Game Notes: RV/RV Sacramento State visits @UNCBearsFB Saturday

Saturday, September 15

Greeley, Colo.

2 pm

University of Northern Colorado

Sacramento State

Tickets

Photo by: Woody Myers

9/12/2018 8:20:00 AM | Football

UNC football returns home on Saturday to host Sacramento State

By: By Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado football returns home on Saturday to host RV/RV Sacramento State for their final non-conference game of the season. Kickoff for the Bears and Hornets is set for 2 pm MT. Saturday's game is Kids Day, featuring $3 tickets when you buy online with the code KIDSDAY. Make it a whole day of family run and reserve your tailgating spot now by clicking here.

Setting the Stage
- Northern Colorado seeks its first win of the 2018 season when Sacramento State comes to Nottingham Field. The Bears fell to South Dakota last week 43-28. UNC was outscored 20-0 in the second quarter but looked to make a comeback for the second straight week cutting the lead to six before the Coyotes pulled away in a 43-28 game.

- Sacramento State is on its second game of a three-game road trip, having played at FBS school San Diego State last week. The Hornets held tough against the Aztecs leading 14-13 going to the fourth quarter before SDSU scored 15 unanswered to win 28-14. Sac State lost their starting quarterback Kevin Thomson in the loss in whose status is unknown for Saturday's game.

- Jacob Knipp and Alex Wesley showed off their QB-WR connection early and often against South Dakota last week. Wesley, ended the game with 10 receptions and 184 yards, tying his career-high for catches (10) and nine short of his career-high in yardage. The duo connected for one touchdown as well.

- Saturday's game between Northern Colorado and Sacramento State will not count in the Big Sky Conference standings. Although both teams are members of the Big Sky, the game is considered a non-conference competition.

- This will be the 13th straight season that UNC and Sacramento State have played against each other. The Hornets hold a 3-2 advantage in the last five games.

Scouting Sacramento State
Sacramento State enters Saturday's contest with a 1-1 record after a big win over St. Francis (Ill.) and a close loss last week at FBS San Diego State. The Hornets up-tempo offense is averaging 432.0 yards per game and 34.5 points under the leadership of Kevin Thomson. He has accounted for 402 offensive yards this season and three touchdowns. Thomson's status for Saturday's game is unknown after he exited Saturday's game late with a shoulder injury.

In the absence of Thomson. Sacramento State will rely on its run game with the duo of Elijah Dotson and Ja'Narrick Jones. Sac State has a fairly balanced offense averaging 140.5 rushing yards per game and 291.5 passing.

Defensively, the Hornets have done a good job keeping opponents off the scoreboard allowing 17.5 points a game. Teams have been able to run on Sacramento State averaging 134.5 yards per game including 3.7 yards per carry. Meanwhile, their pass defense has intercepted a pair of balls and are allowing only 232.0 yards a game.

Sacramento State came into the season picked to finish fifth by the coaches and seventh by the media in the Big Sky this season.

History Against the Hornets
Northern Colorado and Sacramento State did not play each other until 2006 but have now played every season since. The Hornets won the first nine games between the two teams until UNC broke through in 2015 with a 27-20 win in Sacramento. The Bears also won the meeting in 2016, before Sac State won last season 50-21.

Last 5 Meetings
November 4, 2017, Sacramento State, 50-21 in Sacramento
October 22, 2016, Northern Colorado, 27-19 in Greeley
October 3, 2015, Northern Colorado, 27-20 in Sacramento
October 11, 2014, Sacramento State, 43-38 in Greeley
October 5, 2013, Sacramento State 37-21 in Sacramento

Around the Big Sky
Leading the FCS with two wins so far this season over FBS schools, the Big Sky has four more opportunities to add to the win total on Saturday with Eastern Washington (at Washington State), UC Davis (at Stanford), Idaho State (at Cal) and Southern Utah (at Arizona). The Big Sky-Missouri Valley Challenge also continues this week as the MVFC leads 3-2 through two weeks. Week three is the final week without conference games, as most of the team's start Big Sky play next week, including UNC.

What's Ahead
Northern Colorado starts Big Sky play next week when they hit the road for Ogden, Utah and a date against Weber State. The Bears and Wildcats have not faced each other since 2015 when the Bears hosted WSU. Kickoff is set for 6 pm MT next Saturday.

To stay up to date on all things UNC football, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsFB