College football keeps changing. As conferences continue to shift and realign, another school is taking a chance on a move.
Sacramento State Hopes To Join MAC, Jumping From FCS
Over the last few years, Sacramento State has been building enough of a base to make the jump to FBS. After competing in the Big Sky Conference since 1996, the Hornets hope to follow the lead of North Dakota State, which just left the FCS for the Mountain West.
Yahoo Sports writer Ross Dellenger discussed the potential move.
If a deal is struck with the MAC, Sac State would represent the second FCS-to-FBS move this month, joining North Dakota State, and continue with a trend of high-priced league entry fees. NDSU is paying $12.5M to the Mountain West.
There is also an additional $5M FBS entry fee. https://t.co/UfvVqL37Do
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) February 13, 2026
“If a deal is struck with the MAC, Sac State would represent the second FCS-to-FBS move this month, joining North Dakota State, and continue with a trend of high-priced league entry fees. NDSU is paying $12.5M to the Mountain West. There is also an additional $5M FBS entry fee.”
Sacramento State started playing football in the Far Western Conference back in 1954, which was a Division 2 conference. Over the next 72 years, the school, formally known as California State University-Sacramento, made the playoffs five times, with a record of 4-4.
Despite the limited success, the program underwent a fundraising campaign to facilitate the potential move. According to Front Office Sports, the school raised $24 million in NIL deals in one day. On top of that, the school embarked on the construction of a new sports complex, in which the football stadium would be a significant part.
As mentioned, NDSU paid $12.5 million to the Mountain West. That doesn’t figure in the $5 million for joining FBS. Also, to solidify the deal, North Dakota State agreed to forfeit its television rights to the conference over the next four seasons. While the Mountain West is seemingly larger than the MAC, Sacramento State will still need to pay something. Plus, the fee for jumping up is $5 million.
Additionally, one expected significant expense is travel. The MAC is centered mostly in the Midwest, with a couple of schools located in New York and Massachusetts. Therefore, if the Hornets join the MAC and have to play the University of Massachusetts, they will need to take a cross-country flight. Also, jet lag could factor in, as it takes your body one day to acclimate to each time zone you travel through.
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The Hornets would take the place of Northern Illinois University, which left the MAC to join the Big West. At the recruiting level, with the depth of West Coast talent, Sacramento State could fare fairly well in the MAC.
While talented, the conference doesn’t boast stellar offenses. For example, according to PFSN’s Offense Impact Rankings, the conference’s best unit belonged to Ohio, who held down the No. 54 spot.
Despite some favorable circumstances, Sacramento State can make the move pay off is still a question.
