Overview
- Sacramento State received conference-president approval to join the Mid-American Conference for football starting in 2026, with a formal announcement expected soon, multiple outlets report.
- The move carries an $18 million MAC entry fee and a $5 million NCAA fee, and Yahoo Sports reports Sac State will forgo league distributions and cover visiting teams’ air travel, pushing total costs above $25 million over five years.
- The addition keeps MAC football at 13 programs as it effectively replaces Northern Illinois, and it makes Sacramento State the league’s first Pacific Time Zone member with major cross-country travel implications.
- Under NCAA transition rules, the Hornets will be ineligible for postseason play for two seasons as first-year head coach Alonzo Carter leads the program’s step up from the FCS level.
- Non-football sports are slated to join the Big West in 2026–27, and MAC schedule adjustments are expected to incorporate Sacramento State into the league’s 2026 slate.