Sacramento State will join the Mid-American Conference as a football-only member starting in 2026, replacing Northern Illinois, which is leaving for the Mountain West. The Hornets’ membership will last five years, with their first season kicking off this fall.

MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said the addition strengthens the conference’s competitive profile and brings in a program with a proven record of investment and football success. “Sacramento State is ready and poised for this next step,” Steinbrecher said.

Sac State’s cost of entry is reported to be approximately $18 million. The Hornets have already scheduled games against Tarleton State, Maine, North Alabama, and Fresno State in Week 2, though the full 2026 schedule has not yet been released.

The move comes after Sac State shifted its non-football sports to the Big West and had a waiver to join FBS independently denied by the NCAA. The school finished 7-5 overall with a 5-3 Big Sky record in its final FCS season. The program has also been preparing on the NIL front, with a budget reportedly over $1 million.

Newly hired coach Alonzo Carter, formerly an assistant at Arizona, takes over following Brennan Marion’s departure to join Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado as offensive coordinator. The Hornets are set to enter FBS competition with a reorganized leadership team and renewed investment in their football program.