Sacramento State is the more complicated story. The Hornets are 1-7 overall and 0-5 in their first MAC season, and they have lost 5 straight as of the Ball State loss. Those losses haven't been close: 6-35 to UMass, 10-38 at Bowling Green and 7-48 to Ohio at home. They also hosted Kent State on Friday, October 30, which leaves them a short week to get ready for a Wednesday kickoff.
Head coach Alonzo Carter has been blunt about the problem: "We haven't put together a full four quarters." The numbers agree with him. Sac State ranks 124th in FBS on third down at 32.11%, and averaged 2.0 yards per carry in the 34-17 loss at Ball State. Junior quarterback Jackson Sharman went 17-of-27 for 187 yards and 2 touchdowns in that game, which was about as good as the passing game has looked.
The injury list is where it gets rough for the Hornets. Running backs C. Borders and B. Collins are both out, and so are receivers K. Peevy and A. Bryant and tight end E. Huddle. That puts a lot on freshman back Isiah Ene, who ran for 5.7 yards a carry at Ball State while the rest of the team managed far less. On defense, safety Boogsie Silvera leads the team with 61 tackles and has 3 interceptions, 2 of them against Ball State. Toledo has put up 34 or more in 4 of its last 5, though, and the Hornets have had trouble stopping the run and getting pressure all year.
Toledo is the better team on paper, so the questions are about the trip. It's a cross-country midweek road game in a 68-degree evening in Sacramento with almost no wind, so the weather won't help or hurt anyone. If the Rockets' defense tightens up after the Western Michigan shootout, this could get out of hand early. If it doesn't, Sharman and Ene might have their most productive night in weeks.
