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Updated: February 17, 2026 @ 10:06 am
The Mid-American Conference will be adding FCS program Sacramento State as a football-only member starting on July 1, the conference announced.
The shift to FBS this season is significant for the Hornets, who played their last snap in the FCS as a member of the Big Sky Conference in November.
“This is a historic moment for Sacramento State — a bold leap into the future,” university President Luke Wood said Monday in a statement. “Our move to the FBS represents more than a change in classification; it is a declaration of who we are and where we’re going. We are elevating our university, our student-athletes, and the entire Greater Sacramento region onto the national stage."
The change impacts only football. Sacramento State's 20 other varsity programs will join the Big West conference beginning in the 2026-2027 athletic calendar, a move that was first announced in June.
Sacramento State went 7-5 in 2025, finishing fourth in the Big Sky behind conference champion Montana State, Montana and UC Davis. It's one of only 12 FCS programs that had at least seven wins in five of the past six seasons.
The Hornets won three straight conference championships from 2019 to 2022 under coach Troy Taylor. Sacramento State is now on its third coach since Taylor's departure in 2022, most recently hiring Alonzo Carter in December 2025.
“Moving to the MAC is a great opportunity for Sacramento State," Carter said in a statement. "The MAC has a long history of amazing coaches and players who have achieved success at the highest level of football. We look forward to the challenges in front of us and are excited to guide the Hornets into this new era.”
As a part of the transition to the FBS, the Hornets will not be bowl eligible for the next two seasons. This restriction could be waived if there aren't enough bowl eligible teams. Sacramento State also won't be eligible to compete for the MAC championship for its first two seasons in the conference.
Western Michigan was crowned MAC champions this past season after outscoring Miami of Ohio 23-13 in the title game on Dec. 6.
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Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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