Sacramento State sits at 1–4 with a rating of –22.9, unchanged from last week despite the bye. The Hornets' most recent contest was a lopsided loss to Massachusetts (35–6 in Week 4), a result that underscores deeper offensive struggles—their red-zone touchdown rate of 24% and third-down conversion rate of 37% reveal why they've managed just one win so far. GIE projects Sacramento State to finish with 3.8 expected wins, with playoff probability at zero. Next up is a road trip to Bowling Green in Week 6, a chance to test themselves against another Mid-American opponent and chip away at an increasingly uphill climb.