Sacramento State is planning file an application this week to transition from FCS to FBS, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Wednesday.
The Hornets plan to make the transition without a conference invite; as of now, they would join FBS in 2026 as an independent. Traditionally, the NCAA encourages schools making the jump to college football’s highest level only once they’ve secured membership in a conference. Page 2 of the 12-page application — the entire document is available online — instructs the applicant to list the FBS conference in which your institution has received “a bonafide invitation” to become a member.
NCAA.org screenshot
Invitation or not, Sac State is coming. Last October, the school unveiled renderings for a new 25,000 seat stadium, and the business group behind the move (they call themselves the SAC-12) claimed they raised a ludicrous $35 million for NIL in one day. Sacramento State also plans to build a new basketball arena; its current gym is one of the five smallest in Division I, holding just over 1,000 spectators.
Sac State covets a Pac-12 invitation, which has yet to come. Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State and Gonzaga are on their way, joining July 1, 2026. With Oregon State and Washington State already there, the league needs one more member to be a viable FBS conference, and right now it appears Texas State is in the driver’s seat for that bid. Despite losing five football-playing schools, the Mountain West will remain above the 8-member threshold without Sac State’s help — seven football-playing schools remain (Hawaii will become a full member, no longer football-only), and UTEP joins from Conference USA on July 1, 2026.
Nevertheless, Sacramento State moves forward. The Hornets hired UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion to be their head coach last winter, and Marion got 5-star quarterback Ryder Lyons on campus last month. The school is trying to will itself to be the big time, in real time.
If approved, Sacramento State would be the 137th FBS member. Delaware and Missouri State have already secured C-USA invitations to become Members 135 and 136 beginning in 2026.
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