Bold headline: Sacramento State is joining the MAC as a football-only member, creating a historic leap from FCS to FBS. But here’s where it gets controversial: does this move set a new precedent for West Coast programs jumping to midwestern conferences because of football ambitions alone?
According to Yahoo Sports columnist Ross Dellenger, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) has voted to admit Sacramento State as a football-only member. The Hornets are stepping up directly from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and will begin competition in the upcoming season. Pete Nakos of On3 has corroborated the report.
Dellenger shared via X that the MAC presidents approved moving forward with Sacramento State’s football-only membership, with the school paying an $18 million entry fee. Final terms are reportedly close to completion, and the Hornets are slated to start play this season.
This move carries historical weight: Sacramento State would become the first West Coast university from California, Oregon, or Washington to transition its football program from FCS to FBS in 57 years, a milestone last achieved by Fresno State and San Diego State in 1969.
Sacramento State’s football program began in 1954 and joined Division II in 1973, spending two decades there before attaining Division I status as an FCS member in 1993. The program now advances to the sport’s highest level, with the MAC serving as its home.
From a programmatic standpoint, the Hornets will compete within a conference that now counts 13 football members after essentially replacing Northern Illinois, which departed for the Mountain West. One notable logistical challenge is geographic: outside Sacramento, the MAC’s western-most member is Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
As for schedules, the MAC had not released 2026 football fixtures at the time of the report, but Sacramento State’s inclusion signals a significant and ongoing wave of conference realignment reshaping college football.
For readers who want more updates, the situation is rapidly evolving, and this decision could influence future realignment discussions across the sport.
