Sacramento State to Join Big West

One piece of Sacramento State’s future realignment plans has been set. The Hornets will move the majority of its sports from the Big Sky Conference to the Big West Conference, beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.

Sacramento State previously applied to join the FBS as a football independent starting in 2026, with the school unveiling plans to build a new football stadium. The Hornets are awaiting a final decision from the NCAA about whether they can move from the FCS to the FBS without a conference invitation, but the NCAA Football Oversight Committee provided a recommendation not to support the waiver request. The NCAA Division I Council could still override the recommendation, although it is unlikely. Should the waiver be rejected, Sacramento State’s football team will play as an FCS independent in the interim, joining Merrimack and Sacred Heart.

The Big Sky will have 11 football members in 2026: Cal Poly, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, UC Davis, and Weber State. UC Davis’s long-term future as a Big Sky football affiliate is uncertain. The Aggies will join the Mountain West in 2026-27, but football may find greener pastures by the end of the decade as the school settles into its new home.

Sacramento State joined the American West Conference for football in 1993, followed by full membership in 1994. The American West only lasted three years before folding and scattering its members to different conferences. Sacramento State won the 1995 American West title and then joined the Big Sky as a full member in 1996.

The Hornets made their first FCS playoff appearance in 2019, falling in the second round to Austin Peay. The Hornets made three straight trips from 2021 through 2023, bridging two different head coaches. Troy Taylor led Sacramento State to trips in 2019, 2021, and 2022, including a quarterfinal appearance in 2022. The Hornets also won the Big Sky each of those three seasons.

In 2023, Taylor left to take the Stanford job, which led to Andy Thompson taking his spot. Thompson continued the success with a third straight playoff appearance, winning the first round matchup against North Dakota and losing to South Dakota in the second round. Thompson went 3-9 in the 2024 season and left to join Taylor as an assistant on the Stanford coaching staff. Stanford fired Taylor in March 2025 following alleged rules violations.

Sacramento State has been active in the transfer portal this offseason after hiring Brennan Marion as head coach. Marion was the offensive coordinator at UNLV for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, leading the Rebels to improve by 10 points and 75 yards per game from 2022 to 2024. The Hornets will begin the 2025 season at South Dakota State (MVFC) on Saturday, August 30.

Photo Credit to Sacramento State University Athletics