Sacramento State joins MAC as football-only school

“MACtion” heads west in a stunning NCAA college football realignment move made Saturday. Sacramento State football has a new home after filing for the Football Bowl Subdivision — by joining the Mid-American Conference.

The MAC will have its first ever Pacific time zone representative. ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel revealed the stunner on Valentine’s Day.

“Sources: The MAC has voted to formally add FCS Sacramento State into the league as a football-only member starting in 2026,” Thamel posted on the social media website X, formerly known as Twitter.

There’s a price tag attached to the move too.

“The cost of entrance is expected to be $18 million and a deal is expected to be announced in the upcoming days,” Thamel posted. “The total cost of entry is $23 million, as Sacramento State would also need to pay an additional $5 million to the NCAA to move up.”

Sacramento State ever considered for other conferences?

The Hornets grew in popularity during the 2020s era. Sacramento State cracked the top five during the 2023 season under then head coach Troy Taylor. Stanford eventually plucked Taylor ahead of the 2024 season.

Then, the Hornets reeled in the nation’s top College Football Transfer Portal class among Football Championship Subdivision teams under Brennan Marion. The 2025 head coach eventually accepted the offensive coordinator role at Colorado during the offseason. Sacramento State has since turned to Alonzo Carter who comes over via Arizona. Carter brings deep head coaching ties in Northern California through the junior college and high school ranks.

The Hornets were long considered an FBS contenders before the 2020s, though. Fans envisioned the Western Athletic Conference taking Sacramento State in during the first realignment cycle of 2010-11. The WAC lost notable powers Boise State, Fresno State and eventually Utah State during that period.

But then the Hornets grew as a trending favorite to land in either the Mountain West Conference or newly revamped Pac-12. Those thoughts sprouted when the school filed the paperwork to join the FBS realm.

However, the MWC swooped up MAC power Northern Illinois for 2026. Sacramento State becomes NIU’s replacement in this scenario.

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