Sacramento State University is mounting one of the most ambitious realignment efforts in recent college football history, proposing an eight‑figure financial package in hopes of securing a place in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as early as the upcoming season.
The potential move, first reported by Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, signals the Hornets’ determination to elevate their football program after decades in the FCS ranks.
According to Yahoo Sports, Sacramento State officials have approached several FBS leagues with an offer exceeding $10 million in entry fees while also agreeing to forgo future conference revenue distributions for a set period. The proposal mirrors the strategy used by SMU during its 2023 move to the ACC, where the Mustangs forfeited media‑rights revenue for nine seasons.
The Mountain West and the Pac‑12 have reportedly declined the overture, but the Mid‑American Conference (MAC) is actively evaluating the possibility. The MAC, which recently lost Northern Illinois to the Mountain West and is preparing for new television negotiations, could find Sacramento State’s financial commitment appealing amid broader budget pressures across mid‑major athletics.
A report from The State Hornet adds that Sacramento State’s offer could reach $15 million when factoring in the NCAA’s mandatory $5 million FCS‑to‑FBS transition fee. Sacramento State University president Luke Wood has defended the aggressive approach, framing FBS membership as a long‑term revenue generator for the institution.
The recent push comes after the NCAA denied Sacramento State’s request last summer for a waiver to compete as an FBS independent—an option sometimes used by transitioning programs. Without that waiver, the Hornets must secure a conference invitation to make the jump.
Meanwhile, the Sac State athletic department has already shifted its non‑football sports to the Big West Conference, leaving the football program competing as an FCS independent in 2026 with a schedule that currently includes eight FCS opponents.
Should the Hornets successfully enter an FBS conference this fall, the majority of their FCS schedule would have to be scrapped.
As someone from Northern California, I do generally support Sac State, but I think they are out of their minds on this one.
The Mountain West could have added them, and chose UC Davis instead. Nobody wants you. Go home.
Not for football, they didn’t. UC Davis is staying in the Big Sky for football, but joining the Mountain West (and leaving the Big West) for all other sports. Probably just a matter of time until UC Davis jumps to the FBS to compete as an already-existing member of the Mountain West.
Resilience. MAC membership begins July 1, 2026. ENJOY!!
If Conference USA passes, something is wrong. Why is every conference (so far) declining Sac State’s ambitions? In an era where the power 4 all have at least 16 members and the American & Sun Belt have 14, both the Mountain West and Pac-12 do need to expand to have adequate “inventory” for the networks. Is it a different reason for each of the aforementioned conferences of the far west? Is it a San Jose State “veto” due to proximity for the Mountain West? Is it the Pac-12 not wanting the perception of “sullying the brand” with an FCS addition?
Respectfully Shawn, all the questions you are asking indicate that you have not been paying attention to anything involving the attempts by Sac State to move to the FBS. They need to have Wood resign or move him out of his position, the Montana Panda campaign he ran was very hurtful to their image and that is not any kind of attitude to portray to the students. I am sure the PAC 12 and WAC were relieved they said no to the move for 2025.
Also, Bison Jim, UC Davis is moving to the MW for all sports but football, and they are a long way from being able to move to the FBS in football.
I am very happy to hear the MW and PAC 12 can’t be bought into and I hope the MAC follows suit. It is a happy day ahead in July when these guys are officially out of the Big Sky and this is all the doing of one person. Sac State was a good member of the Big Sky before Luke Wood arrived.
Should Pac 12 expand to two programs Sacramento State should be one of them.
This is just a suggestion Shawn.
Because no one thinks that Sacramento State actually has $10 million to give. Read (https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/article309399070.html) this article. A Sacramento Bee reporter filed a FOIL request for all documents related to the Hornet’s proposed new football stadium and came back with. . . nothing, not even a scribble on a napkin. That’s right, Sacramento State hasn’t even prepared an initial cost estimate for the new football stadium that is supposed to be the centerpiece of the school’s FBS football ambitions, much less actually secured financing for the project or put shovels in the ground. Sacramento State is trying to put the horse before the cart here – announce an FBS move now and HOPE that media buzz and attention surrounding the move will create enough fan & donor interest that they’ll be able to raise the money after the fact, because they don’t actually have it in hand right now.
I’d like to reply to JM directly, but it looks like I’m stuck having to reply to myself to get it posted.
Respectfully JM, I am aware that Sac State was looking to move up to FBS long before Wood foolishly opened his mouth. From the information I gathered the Montana Pandas statement came in October 2025, but Sac State was looking for an FBS invite well before that. Unfortunately, the CSU Board of Trustees and Chancellor are to blame for Wood being in the position he is in. All across America the state university systems leadership are all political in nature, in one form or another. So the problem with Wood boils down to the Board of Trustees & Chancellor who are responsible for him being hired into that position in the first place, as well as the corrupt politics of Commiefornia that put the individuals on the Board of Trustees & Chancellor in their positions to be able to choose Wood.
Did Conference USA decline this offer? They seem a slightly better geographic fit, and they just lost two members.
If SSU does join the MAC, would ESPN open a “late night” Tuesday/Wednesday TV window for the MACtion Sac State home games? That could be sorta fun….and a better alternative than weekday afternoon home games for the Hornets.
I think C-USA would only accept Sac State as a full member. They want to join as a football-only member.
I fully support this. Pac-12 and MW are the obvious fits. We all know though that geography does not matter any more for conference affiliation. I am curious to find out where they end up.
The MAC seems like a weird fit. Can their schools afford to make west coast trips every few years especially when they aren’t getting buy game money?
I agree… the MAC makes no sense to me.
Either PAC 12 or Mountain West makes much better sense for Sac State.
All this hate on Sac State moving to the FBS are mainly from fans of Big Sky schools or other FCS schools who don’t have that same ambition. It is what it is.
As a CFB bystander, whose own college program has been in 4 programs over the past two decades, I would be interested in knowing how Sac State has fared at its’ current FCS level. Winning record? Any conference championship games? FCS playoff wins? How is the attendance? What makes them think that this jump will be successful? I understand that Sacramento is a larger market relative to many of their potential competitors. How large is the alumni base?
Wood is a grifter. Nobody wants to deal with them.