Sources: MAC to add Sacramento State as football-only member

"The MAC presidents have voted to formally add FCS Sacramento State into the league as a football-only member starting in 2026, sources told ESPN. The cost of entrance is expected to be $18 million, per sources, and a deal is expected to be announced in the upcoming days. All in, the total cost of entry is expected to be $23 million, as Sacramento State would also need to pay an additional $5 million to the NCAA to move up. This marks a significant move for Sacramento State, as they will be the first West Coast football program to make this jump to the highest level of football in well over a generation."

"The move will keep the MAC at 13 schools. They'd replace Northern Illinois, which is leaving for the Mountain West in football next year. It also marks a trend of schools paying money to move up in leagues. SMU paved the way, as they chose to forgo nine years of television revenue to join the ACC. Cal and Stanford also accepted reduced money to join the ACC. Sacramento State's move is the second in the last week, as North Dakota State finalized a move to the Mountain West. That move cost $12.5 million. In a smaller scale, Northern Illinois paid a $2 million entrance fee to join the Mountain West."

"The payouts to leagues like the MAC an Mountain West come at a time when revenue is scarce, as smaller leagues are struggling to retain top talent in football and men's basketball since the waiving of transfer rules and the ability of schools to pay players through NIL and revenue share. Sacramento State's recent history in the FCS includes wins in the FCS playoffs in both 2022 and 2023. The school will have its fourth coach since 2022 this year, as they hired Arizona assistant Alonzo Carter."

Sacramento State will join the Mid-American Conference as a football-only FBS member beginning in 2026 after MAC presidents approved the move. The university faces an $18 million entrance payment to the MAC and a separate $5 million NCAA fee, totaling approximately $23 million. The addition will keep the MAC at 13 teams and replace Northern Illinois, which is moving to the Mountain West for football. The move continues a recent trend of programs paying to change conferences, following examples such as SMU, Cal, Stanford and North Dakota State. Smaller conferences face revenue pressure amid NIL and transfer-rule changes. Sacramento State recorded FCS playoff wins in 2022 and 2023 and hired Alonzo Carter as head coach.

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