The Sacramento State Hornets are leaving the FCS to join the Mid-American Conference as a football-only affiliate starting in 2026. Sacramento State will pay an $18 million entrance fee, as well as the $5 million FBS entry fee. The Hornets are the second team to leave the FCS this week, following North Dakota State‘s football-only move to the Mountain West.
Sacramento State has not been shy about joining the FBS. The Hornets originally attempted to move up in April 2025, but the NCAA denied its waiver. Sacramento State announced a move from the Big Sky to the Big West in June 2025, where the remainder of its athletic teams will compete. Sacramento State intended to play as an FCS independent for the 2026 season, had the school been unable to secure a position in the FBS.
Sacramento State joined the FCS in 1993 (then known as I-AA) as a member of the now-defunct American West Conference. 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, but saw little success in the first two decades.
The school didn’t make the FCS playoffs until 2019 when Troy Taylor led the Hornets to a share of the Big Sky title. In 2021 and 2022, Taylor led Sacramento State to back-to-back Big Sky championships, going undefeated in conference play both years. Sacramento State shared the 2022 title with Montana State, as the Bobcats also went 8-0 in the Big Sky. In Taylor’s three seasons, the Hornets went 30-8 overall, 23-1 in the Big Sky, and made three FCS playoff appearances, including the epic 66-63 quarterfinal loss to Incarnate Word.
Sacramento State went 8-5 in 2023, returning to the FCS playoffs. The Hornets lost 34-24 to South Dakota in the second round and the team dropped to 3-9 overall in 2024. The 2025 season was filled with plenty of hype for Sacramento State, led by plenty of transfer portal additions. After a slow start, Sacramento State went 7-5 overall, but missed the playoffs. Brennan Marion left after one season and Alonzo Carter will help usher the Hornets into a new era of football.
Photo Credit to Sacramento State University Athletics
