The Mid-American Conference reportedly voted to add Sacramento State as a football-only member starting 2026, according to ESPN.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento State’s aspirations to join a FBS conference look to be finally coming true. 

The Hornets are reportedly making the leap to join after the Mid-American Conference (MAC) voted to formally add Sac State as a football-only member starting in 2026, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. 

The total cost of joining the MAC is reportedly $23 million for Sac State, ESPN says. The university will pay an $18 million entrance fee to the MAC and would need an additional $5 million to the NCAA to move up, according to ESPN. 

Sac State football currently competes in the Football Subdivision Division (FCS) level of Division I college football. The Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) is the highest level in the sport. 

The football program left the Big Sky Conference following the 2025 season. The university will compete in the Big West Conference in other sports beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. 

The university has been ambitious about joining the FBS, previously expressing interest in joining the Pac-12 Conference after several member schools left for other conferences. 

Sac State would have the furthest travel of all MAC teams, as all football programs in the conference are located in Massachusetts, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. 

ABC10 has reached out to the MAC and Sac State and have not heard back at the time of publication. 

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