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6mo ago

MAC Approves Sacramento State as Football-Only Member for 2026 in Costly FBS Jump

Sacramento State agreed to a five-year arrangement that includes an $18 million fee to the MAC, a $5 million NCAA payment, no league distributions and covering opponents’ air travel, a bet school leaders say will raise the university’s profile.

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Overview

  • SOURCES: MAC presidents have voted to add Sacramento State for the 2026 season as a football-only member, replacing Northern Illinois, which is moving to the Mountain West.
  • Financial terms reported by ESPN and detailed by Yahoo Sports put the upfront costs at roughly $23 million, with total outlays exceeding $25 million once travel subsidies and withheld distributions are included.
  • Under NCAA transition rules, Sacramento State will be ineligible for bowls and the College Football Playoff for two seasons after moving from the FCS.
  • The Hornets become the MAC’s first Pacific Time Zone program, creating long-haul trips of about 2,180 miles to the nearest prior member and prompting scheduling and travel adjustments.
  • Non-football sports are slated to join the Big West in 2026–27, and first-year head coach Alonzo Carter will oversee the program’s move to FBS competition.