San Jose State adds Sacramento State to 2024 football schedule

By Kevin Kelley -

The San Jose State Spartans have added the Sacramento State Hornets to their 2024 football schedule, the school announced on Thursday.

San Jose State will host Sacramento State at CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, California, on Aug. 31, 2024. The game will be the season-opener for both schools.

San Jose State and Sacramento State, separated by on;y about 125 miles, have only met one time on the gridiron. The Spartans won that meeting 24-0, which was played in 2013 in San Jose.

Sacramento State is a member of the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Hornets finished the 2018 season 2-8 overall and 0-7 in conference play.

San Jose State now has two non-conference opponents scheduled for the 2024 season. One week after hosting Sacramento State, the Spartans are scheduled to play at USC (Sept. 7).

In Mountain West action in 2024, San Jose State is slated to host Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, and UNLV and play at Boise State, Fresno State, New Mexico, and San Diego State.

San Jose State is the first non-conference opponent scheduled for Sacramento State for the 2024 season.

San Jose State and Ohio State also announced today that they will play in Columbus on Sept. 9, 2023.

In a statement on the Ohio State game, San Jose State University Athletics Director Marie Tuite reflected on their scheduling model.

“This game with Ohio State fits our three-pronged non-conference football scheduling philosophy for a season:

  • One game per season against an Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pacific-12 Conference or Southeastern Conference member
  • Two games with at least one of them at home against members belonging to either the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference or the Sun Belt, and
  • One home game against a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) school.

“This model gives our football program the opportunity to experience the game in some of the largest venues in the country and provides unique travel opportunities for our players, coaches and fans.”

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