Sacramento State reportedly joining MAC as football-only member – BG Falcon Media

Sacramento State is reportedly joining the Mid-American Conference (MAC) as a football-only member, beginning next year.

The news was first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, who stated Saturday that the conference formally voted to add the program, which will move up from the FCS to the FBS level. The MAC has yet to make an official announcement, but Thamel reports one is expected in the upcoming days.

The move would push the MAC back to 13 football teams, with Sacramento State replacing Northern Illinois. Sacramento State would be the second program to join the MAC in the past two years, following the addition of UMass, which officially joined at the beginning of this year’s athletic calendar.

Thamel reported that Sacramento State’s cost of entry will be $23 million, including $18 to the MAC for joining the conference and $5 to the NCAA for moving up a level.

Sacramento State will become the first MAC team situated west of the Mississippi River, with Western Michigan becoming their closest conference foe, 2,177 miles away.

Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger originally reported on Friday about the MAC’s interest in adding Sacramento State. He noted that Sacramento State proposed a multi-million-dollar offer to multiple leagues as it strongly pushed to move up to the FBS level.

Dellenger also noted that Sacramento State will continue to compete in the Big West Conference in all sports except football.

Sacramento State is the second FCS-to-FBS move this month. The Mountain West recently reached an agreement to add North Dakota State, with NDSU paying $17.5 million for the move, including $12.5 million to the Mountain West as an entrance fee.

USA Today’s Kevin Skiver noted that Sacramento State will be ineligible for the postseason for two seasons, in accordance with NCAA rules.