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The MAC announced Monday it’s bringing Sacramento State into the fold as a football-only member starting in 2026. The Hornets officially join July 1 on a five-year deal.
They’re filling the slot Northern Illinois is leaving behind. The Huskies are heading to the Mountain West this summer – also as a football-only member.
“Today’s exciting announcement is about strengthening our competitive profile and creating value for the membership,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a release. “We were presented with an opportunity to add an institution with demonstrated success in football, a record of investment and commitment to the continued growth of the institution and community. Sacramento State is ready and poised for this next step. I welcome the Hornets to the Mid-American Conference and expect they will become a competitive and contributing member to the long history and legacy of one of the oldest Division I conferences.”
According to ESPN, that entry fee? It’s running around $18 million.
Carter joined the program on Dec. 15 after Brennan Marion left to become offensive coordinator at Colorado under Deion Sanders. He’s spent the last eight seasons working for Brent Brennan at both San Jose State and Arizona – this is his first head coaching gig.
His recruiting connections run deep in California; he started his coaching career at the high school level in the state.
The school hasn’t dropped its 2026 schedule yet, but games against Tarleton State, Maine, and North Alabama are already on the books. Week 2 brings a matchup with Fresno State, according to the Pac-12 schedule release.
Sac State wrapped up its final Big Sky season last year with a 7-5 record (5-3 in conference). Meanwhile, school president Luke Wood and athletic director Mark Orr were working behind the scenes to find an FBS landing spot.
The Path to FBS Wasn’t Straightforward
The Hornets moved all their non-football sports from the Big Sky to the Big West last summer. They tried going independent in football – filed for a waiver and everything.
The NCAA said no.
So they played one more season in the Big Sky while leadership figured out Plan B. The MAC emerged as the best option; Sac State’s been preparing on the NIL side too, with a budget that’s “north of $1 million,” per a source who spoke with CBS Sports.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Alonzo Carter as our next head football coach,” athletic director Mark Orr said in a statement. “Coach Carter is a proven leader who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to developing student-athletes on and off the field. His history of success in recruiting, constructing teams, and producing results at all levels of football makes him an ideal fit for Sacramento State. We look forward to welcoming him and his family back to his native Northern California and having him as part of the Sacramento community for years to come.”
They’re not alone in making the jump.
North Dakota State is also moving up in 2026 – they left the Missouri Valley Conference for the Mountain West earlier this month. Two FCS programs leveling up in the same year; the landscape keeps shifting.
