1988 Sacramento State Hornets football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1988
| team = Sacramento State Hornets
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Western Football Conference
| short_conf = WFC
| record = 10–3
| conf_record = 4–2
| head_coach = Bob Mattos
| hc_year = 11th
| stadium = Hornet Stadium
| bowl = NCAA Division II Semifinal
| bowl_result = L 20–42 vs. North Dakota State
}}
{{1988 Western Football Conference football standings}}
The 1988 Sacramento State Hornets football team represented California State University, Sacramento as a member of the Western Football Conference (WFC) during the 1988 NCAA Division II football season. Led by 11th-year head coach Bob Mattos, Sacramento State compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 4–2 in conference play, tying for second place in the WFC. The team outscored its opponents 479 to 272 for the season. The Hornets played home games at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, California.
The Hornets finished the regular season schedule with a record of 8–2. For the first time they qualified for the NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs. The first game was against traditional rival UC Davis, who they defeated 35–14. The Division II quarterfinal game was against {{cfb link|year=1988|team=North Carolina Central Eagles|title=North Carolina Central}}, and the Hornets dominated the game, 56–7. The Division II semifinal game was against undefeated North Central Conference champion North Dakota State. North Dakota State defeated the Hornets, 42–20, on their way to a national title.
Eight players Sacramento State received first-team All-WFC honors: wide receiver Mark Young, running back Donald Hair, center Harry Williams, kicker Jim Gill, defensive lineman Ken Stinnett, linebacker Derek Stigerts, defensive back JR Richards, and safety Gary Lunsford.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1988
| rankdivision = NCAA Division II
| poll = NCAA Division II Football Committee
| timezone = Pacific
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 10
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Chico State
| site_stadium = University Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 48–16
| attend = 3,500
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 17
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Humboldt State
| site_stadium = Hornet Stadium
| site_cityst = Sacramento, CA
| score = 55–17
| attend = 5,800
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 24
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = UC Davis
| site_stadium = Toomey Field
| site_cityst = Davis, CA
| gamename = Causeway Classic
| score = 31–28
| attend = 10,600
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 1
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 10
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1988|team=Southern Utah State Thunderbirds|title=Southern Utah State}}
| site_stadium = Eccles Coliseum
| site_cityst = Cedar City, UT
| score = 17–21
| attend = 4,400
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 8
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Cal Poly
| site_stadium = Mustang Stadium
| site_cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| score = 30–29
| attend = 3,750
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 15
| w/l = w
| rank = 15
| opponent = Santa Clara
| site_stadium = Hornet Stadium
| site_cityst = Sacramento, CA
| score = 28–14
| attend = 4,500
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 22
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 11
| opponent = Pacific (CA)
| site_stadium = Stagg Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Stockton, CA
| score = 30–21
| attend = 5,147
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 29
| w/l = l
| rank = 6
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1988|team=Portland State Vikings|title=Portland State}}
| opprank = 5
| site_stadium = Hornet Stadium
| site_cityst = Sacramento, CA
| score = 29–43
| attend = 8,300
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 5
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 12
| opponent = Cal State Northridge
| site_stadium = North Campus Stadium
| site_cityst = Northridge, CA
| score = 40–20
| attend = 6,103–6,193
| source = {{cite web |author= |title=Final 1988 Cumulative Football Statistics Report |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/101/stats/12718 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=May 30, 2022 }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 12
| w/l = w
| rank = 10
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1988|team=Cal Lutheran Kingsmen|title=Cal Lutheran}}
| site_stadium = Hornet Stadium
| site_cityst = Sacramento, CA
| score = 60–0
| attend = 4,200
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 19
| time = 1:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 10
| opponent = UC Davis
| opprank = 13
| site_stadium = Toomey Field
| site_cityst = Davis, CA
| gamename = NCAA Division II First Round
| score = 35–14
| attend = 10,700
| source = {{cite news |last=Van Vliet |first=Jim |title=Causeway II: More than pride is at stake |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101754161/the-sacramento-bee/ |newspaper=The Sacramento Bee |location=Sacramento, California |date=November 19, 1988 |page=C1 |access-date=May 12, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |last=Van Vliet |first=Jim |title=Hornets (continued) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101754324/the-sacramento-bee/ |newspaper=The Sacramento Bee |location=Sacramento, California |date=November 19, 1988 |page=C3 |access-date=May 12, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |last=Van Vliet |first=Jim |title=Hornets do it again, whip Aggies 35-14 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101754421/the-sacramento-bee/ |newspaper=The Sacramento Bee |location=Sacramento, California |date=November 20, 1988 |page=C1 |access-date=May 12, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |last=Van Vliet |first=Jim |title=Hornets (continued) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101754482/the-sacramento-bee/ |newspaper=The Sacramento Bee |location=Sacramento, California |date=November 20, 1988 |page=C8 |access-date=May 12, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite news |author= |title=Sacramento St. 35, UC Davis 14 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101754575/the-sacramento-bee/ |newspaper=The Sacramento Bee |location=Sacramento, California |date=November 20, 1988 |page=C16 |access-date=May 12, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 26
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 10
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1988|team=North Carolina Central Eagles|title=North Carolina Central}}
| opprank = 17
| site_stadium = Hornet Stadium
| site_cityst = Sacramento, CA
| gamename = NCAA Division II Quarterfinal
| score = 56–7
| attend =
| source =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 3
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 10
| opponent = North Dakota State
| opprank = 1
| site_stadium = Dacotah Field
| site_cityst = Fargo, ND
| gamename = NCAA Division II Semifinal
| score = 20–42
| attend = 13,200
| source = {{cite news |last1=Van Vliet |first1=Jim |title=Bison send Sac State out on a downer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100928618/the-sacramento-bee/ |access-date=May 2, 2022 |work=The Sacramento Bee |date=December 4, 1988 |page=C1 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |author= |title=N. Dakota St. 42, Sacramento St. 20 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114331982/the-sacramento-bee/ |newspaper=The Sacramento Bee |location=Sacramento, California |date=December 4, 1988 |page=C14 |access-date=December 8, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1988 Division II Cumulative Football Statistics Report |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/102/stats/12718 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=April 26, 2022 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Sacramento State Hornets football navbox}}