This week's picks

Kent State vs. Sacramento State Prediction, Week 9 2026

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Data updatedOct 31, 2026
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Picks two teams at random. Any FBS team can come up.

How we picked it

How we picked it

Three ratings look at a team in three different ways. The numbers' pick is the team at least two of them favor.

Where the game is won

Where the game is won

Each row puts one team's unit against the unit it faces, by national rank out of all FBS teams. An edge is a gap of 25 spots or more.

Ratings: SP+ via CFB Update; PRIME via primecfb.com. Box and play stats computed from CollegeFootballData.com play data (via the public cfbfastR files), FBS games only for scoring. Rushing yards here exclude sacks, so they run higher than official totals. Ranks are out of 138 FBS teams.

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Kent State at Sacramento State

Week 9, Fri, Oct 30, 10:30 PM ET, Hornet Stadium.

The numbers say: Kent State, 60% to win.

The game

KickoffFri, Oct 30, 10:30 PM ET
TVESPN2
WhereHornet Stadium
Weather62°, cloudy, wind 3 mph
LineKent State −7, total 46.5
Line movementOpened Kent State −9.5; moved 2.5 points toward Sacramento State. Total opened 45.5, up 1.
SeriesFirst meeting

The ratings and the line

MarginWin chanceTotal
SP+Kent State by 5.365%44
PRIMEKent State by 10.778%
EloSacramento State52%
The lineKent State −7, opened −9.546.5, opened 45.5

Margins include home field. SP+ is Bill Connelly's rating; Sources has PRIME and Elo. Line and total from DraftKings, as of Fri, Oct 30, 7:43 PM ET.

Who wins, Kent State or Sacramento State?

The numbers say: Kent State. 63% chance to win

Which matchups decide Kent State vs. Sacramento State?

SP+ and PRIME take Kent State, but Elo has Sacramento State. Kent State's best matchup is its run defense, 77th in EPA per rush allowed, against Sacramento State's run game at 136th. Sacramento State's way back in is its early-down defense, 47th in SUPLEX allowed, against Kent State's early-down offense at 133rd.

Kent State with the ball

Sacramento State with the ball

Who's out for Kent State and Sacramento State?

Kent State

Sacramento State

How Kent State and Sacramento State compare, in charts

Each chart puts all 138 FBS teams on two stats; Kent State and Sacramento State are lit. Dashed lines are the FBS averages, and up and right is better. Ranks in parentheses. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How Kent State's and Sacramento State's players compare

The scatter charts show the top 40 FBS players at the position by both stats combined, plus the players lit here. Dashed lines are the averages; up and right is better. Ranks are among every FBS player at the position with enough snaps. Takeaways are interceptions plus fumble recoveries. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How do SP+, PRIME and Elo rate Kent State and Sacramento State?

On a neutral field, SP+ has Kent State 7.8 points better (132nd to 138th). PRIME also has Kent State ahead, by 13.2. Elo, which only sees results, also has Kent State ahead (134th to 137th).

Kent StateSacramento State
SP+ overall-21.3 (132nd)-29.1 (138th)
SP+ offense13.1 (136th)10.4 (138th)
SP+ defense33.7 (119th)39.2 (137th)
SP+ special teams-0.6 (131st)-0.4 (113th)
PRIME net-16.8 (131st)-30.0 (138th)
PRIME offense-9.27 (129th)-16.26 (138th)
PRIME defense-6.51 (117th)-13.36 (136th)
PRIME SOS-3.4 (76th)-9.1 (129th)
PRIME SOR-1.7 (112th)-4.7 (138th)
Elo1026 (134th)986 (137th)

Opponent-adjusted power ratings. These drive the projection.

Who's better once you adjust for the schedule?

Kent State's offense ranks 136th in adjusted EPA per play, and the Sacramento State defense it faces ranks 124th in EPA per play allowed. Sacramento State's offense ranks 137th against Kent State's 110th-ranked defense. Neither side of the ball has a clear edge. The biggest edge on the board is Kent State's big plays: 83rd in adjusted explosiveness, against Sacramento State's 130th-ranked defense. Adjust for opponents and Kent State's defense falls from 84th to 110th in EPA per play allowed: a lot of that came against soft offenses.

Kent StateSacramento State
EPA per play (adjusted)−0.03 (136th)−0.07 (137th)
EPA per pass (adjusted)+0.12 (115th)+0.03 (135th)
EPA per rush (adjusted)−0.06 (137th)−0.06 (136th)
Success rate (adjusted)33.9% (136th)36.7% (127th)
Success rate, standard downs (adjusted)40.8% (136th)45.1% (100th)
Success rate, passing downs (adjusted)27.4% (125th)25.3% (136th)
Explosiveness (adjusted)0.93 (83rd)0.88 (134th)
Line yards per carry (adjusted)2.62 (135th)2.69 (130th)
Open-field yards per carry (adjusted)0.87 (134th)1.05 (94th)
EPA per play allowed (adjusted)+0.17 (110th)+0.20 (124th)
EPA per pass allowed (adjusted)+0.26 (111th)+0.30 (128th)
EPA per rush allowed (adjusted)+0.07 (77th)+0.13 (116th)
Success rate allowed (adjusted)46.4% (120th)44.1% (101st)
Explosiveness allowed (adjusted)0.93 (53rd)0.98 (130th)
Line yards allowed per carry (adjusted)3.02 (90th)3.14 (119th)
Open-field yards allowed per carry (adjusted)1.11 (63rd)1.28 (107th)

The same efficiency numbers, adjusted for the offenses and defenses each team has faced (CollegeFootballData.com). A good number against a soft schedule shrinks; one against a hard schedule grows.

Who's more efficient, Kent State or Sacramento State?

Kent State is better throwing (87th in EPA per pass) than running (130th). Sacramento State's pass defense ranks 125th, so that's an edge. Sacramento State is about as good throwing (126th in EPA per pass) as running (137th).

Kent StateSacramento State
EPA per play−0.01 (124th)−0.11 (137th)
EPA per pass+0.17 (87th)−0.01 (126th)
EPA per rush−0.11 (130th)−0.19 (137th)
EPA per 3rd-down play+0.42 (84th)+0.09 (132nd)
EPA per play allowed+0.11 (84th)+0.19 (115th)
EPA per pass allowed+0.18 (72nd)+0.38 (125th)
EPA per rush allowed+0.06 (66th)+0.12 (94th)
EPA per 3rd-down play allowed+0.32 (46th)+0.46 (94th)

Expected points added per play, from CollegeFootballData.com. EPA measures how much each play changes the points a team can expect from the drive. Zero is break-even; +0.20 is very good. Not adjusted for opponents.

Who scores more, Kent State or Sacramento State?

Kent State is outscored by 15.6 a game, and Sacramento State is outscored by 17.7. Kent State's offense ranks 137th in scoring, and the Sacramento State defense it faces ranks 126th in points allowed. Sacramento State's offense ranks 134th against Kent State's 115th-ranked defense. Neither side of the ball has a clear edge.

Kent StateSacramento State
Points scored14.9 (137th)15.2 (134th)
Points allowed30.5 (115th)32.9 (126th)

Per game, FBS opponents only.

Which offense has the edge?

Kent State has no clear edge here. Its best is 3rd down conversion rate, 122nd, against a defense ranked 75th in 3rd down conversions allowed. Sacramento State's best matchup is staying on schedule: its offense ranks 69th in success rate, and Kent State's defense ranks 137th in success rate allowed. That's a mismatch.

Kent StateSacramento State
Pass yards / game185.7 (111th)196.1 (102nd)
Rush yards / game105.0 (132nd)118.0 (127th)
Yards per play4.67 (133rd)5.83 (93rd)
Yards per carry3.53 (134th)4.61 (111th)
Yards per attempt6.05 (121st)7.30 (84th)
Completion %52.6% (118th)70.7% (26th)
Success rate33.5% (133rd)43.8% (69th)
Explosive play rate8.0% (132nd)9.6% (119th)
3rd down conversion32.4% (122nd)36.8% (90th)
Sack rate (taken)5.7% (75th)5.1% (60th)
INT rate (thrown)3.3% (104th)3.2% (101st)
SUPLEX43.0% (133rd)48.4% (122nd)

Per game and per play, from play-by-play.

Which defense has the edge?

Kent State's defense is best placed to pick off passes: it ranks 42nd in interception rate, and Sacramento State's offense is bottom-40 at avoiding interceptions (101st). Sacramento State's defense is best placed to win on early downs: it ranks 47th in SUPLEX allowed, and Kent State's offense is bottom-20 in SUPLEX (133rd). That's a mismatch.

Kent StateSacramento State
Pass yards allowed / game217.3 (83rd)206.7 (61st)
Rush yards allowed / game174.1 (100th)161.7 (89th)
Yards per play allowed7.01 (125th)5.90 (79th)
Yards per carry allowed5.49 (108th)5.03 (83rd)
Yards per attempt allowed9.69 (134th)7.02 (69th)
Success rate allowed51.4% (137th)38.7% (49th)
Explosive plays allowed14.1% (117th)11.0% (71st)
3rd downs allowed47.6% (128th)39.0% (75th)
Sack rate (generated)7.1% (48th)2.8% (133rd)
INT rate (generated)3.2% (42nd)1.5% (109th)
SUPLEX allowed64.2% (133rd)51.0% (47th)

What opponents managed against them.

Who wins up front?

Kent State has the better number in 8 of 12. The biggest gap is front-seven havoc, where Kent State ranks 54th and Sacramento State 129th.

Kent StateSacramento State
Big Uglies: offensive line38.9 (133rd)40.2 (130th)
Big Uglies: defensive front49.3 (72nd)39.8 (125th)
Line yards per carry2.45 (133rd)2.38 (135th)
Line yards allowed per carry3.23 (118th)3.36 (127th)
Second-level yards per carry0.75 (134th)0.86 (126th)
Open-field yards per carry0.52 (133rd)0.73 (121st)
Stuff rate (runs stopped at or behind the line)22.0% (120th)27.3% (137th)
Stuff rate (defense)15.2% (113th)13.4% (128th)
Power success (short yardage)55.6% (136th)71.0% (79th)
Power success allowed62.9% (26th)65.2% (34th)
Front-seven havoc allowed9.1% (70th)9.5% (84th)
Front-seven havoc10.2% (54th)6.8% (129th)

The lines. Big Uglies is our rating for each offensive line and each defensive front: adjusted line yards (30%), stuff rate (20%), power success (15%), sack rate (20%) and front-seven havoc (15%), against every FBS team. 50 is average, and every 10 points is a standard deviation. Line stats from CollegeFootballData.com, garbage time out.

Who wins the turnover battle?

Kent State is −0.5 in turnover margin a game and Sacramento State is −1.1. At about five points a turnover, that's roughly a 3-point edge for Kent State. Turnover margin rarely holds from one month to the next, so don't count on it.

Kent StateSacramento State
Interceptions thrown / game0.88 (101st)0.86 (84th)
Fumbles lost / game0.63 (89th)0.86 (116th)
Giveaways / game1.50 (101st)1.71 (117th)
Interceptions / game0.63 (78th)0.43 (105th)
Fumbles recovered / game0.38 (89th)0.14 (121st)
Takeaways / game1.00 (88th)0.57 (126th)
Turnover margin / game-0.5 (103rd)-1.1 (131st)

Per game, from play-by-play.

Which team has more talent?

Sacramento State has the more talented roster (114th in the 247Sports talent composite; Kent State is 130th). But Kent State plays further above its talent: −12.5 points of SP+ beyond what its roster predicts, to Sacramento State's −22.7.

Kent StateSacramento State
Talent composite522.8 (130th)561.4 (114th)
Blue-chip ratio1.5% (123rd)4.2% (101st)
Players on roster111 (67th)116 (34th)
Rated by 247Sports68 (103rd)72 (90th)
5-star players0 (37th)0 (37th)
4-star players1 (119th)3 (94th)
3-star players57 (86th)61 (66th)
Below 3-star10 (4th)8 (8th)
2026 transfers in17 (103rd)28 (41st)
Transfer share25.0% (88th)38.9% (35th)
SP+ vs. talent-12.5 (129th)-22.7 (138th)
Returning production64.1% (36th)— ()
Returning passing production103.2% (6th)— ()
Returning rushing production75.8% (45th)— ()
Returning receiving production45.2% (54th)— ()
2026 recruiting class (national rank)122 (122nd)125 (125th)
Recruiting rank, last four classes108.8 (113th)131.2 (130th)

247Sports team talent composite and 2026 transfer portal class. Star counts cover only the players 247Sports rates, not walk-ons, so they add up to less than the full roster. Ranks are out of all 138 FBS teams.

Where did each team's wins come from?

Kent State is −1.0 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is coaching (−1.4). Sacramento State is −3.0 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is coaching (−3.4).

Kent StateSacramento State
RECEIPTS (total)-1.0 (109th)-3.0 (134th)
Schedule RECEIPTS+0.7 (62nd)+1.8 (9th)
Roster RECEIPTS-0.8 (119th)-0.8 (116th)
Coach RECEIPTS-1.4 (123rd)-3.4 (138th)
Luck RECEIPTS+0.6 (32nd)-0.7 (109th)

Where the wins came from. Every team starts as a .500 team. Then each win (or loss) goes to the schedule, the roster, the coaching or luck, and the four add up to the real record. Wins above or below a .500 team.

Kent State at Sacramento State: questions people ask

Kent State vs. Sacramento State prediction: who will win?

The numbers pick Kent State, 63% chance to win. SP+ and PRIME agree; Elo has Sacramento State. Kent State's best matchup is its run defense, 77th in EPA per rush allowed, against Sacramento State's run game at 136th.

Where can I watch Kent State vs. Sacramento State, and what time is it?

Fri, Oct 30, 10:30 PM ET at Hornet Stadium. It's on ESPN2.

What's the projected score of Kent State vs. Sacramento State?

SP+ projects Kent State 25–19. That's from this season's SP+ offense, defense and special teams ratings, with home field worth 2.5 points.

What's the line for Kent State at Sacramento State?

DraftKings has Kent State −7, total 46.5. The numbers pick winners, not bets.

What's the Kent State vs. Sacramento State series history?

This is the first meeting.

Who are the players to watch in Kent State vs. Sacramento State?

Kent State: Dru Deshields (1,454 passing yards), Brandon White (235 rushing yards) and Wayne Harris (539 receiving yards). Sacramento State: Jackson Sharman (1,270 passing yards), Isaiah Ene (303 rushing yards) and Matthew Coleman (492 receiving yards). Season totals through Oct 24, 2026.

Who are the quarterbacks in Kent State at Sacramento State?

Kent State's is Dru Deshields (1,454 passing yards this season); Sacramento State's is Jackson Sharman (1,270 passing yards this season).

More on this game

Numbers through the games of Oct 24, 2026. SP+ as of Oct 27, 2026. Updated every week.

Kent State and Sacramento State: team pages with every stat and national rank. Compare any two teams.