For years, the message from the NCAA to ambitious FCS programs was simple. Move up to the FBS and forfeit a chance to play bowl games. This rule might finally be changing because this week, the NCAA D1 FBS Oversight Committee made a tweak to this outdated transition rule. 

On Thursday, the committee introduced legislation that would allow FCS to FBS transitioning programs to be immediately bowl-eligible. Like every other team, they need to meet the standard definition of a “deserving team.” This means they need to come up with a 6-6 record or better and hold up their end of a conference’s bowl commitments. One of the schools this rule impacts directly is Sacramento State, which now has something very real to chase in Year 1.

Under the old rules, Sacramento State wouldn’t be playing bowl games even if it won six games. While Shaquille O’Neal’s voluntary GM role is strictly rooted in basketball, his massive brand legitimized the university’s overall athletic expansion. That unprecedented spotlight helped administrators justify their expensive transition to the MAC. With the NCAA suddenly clearing the postseason hurdle, the football program now has the institutional momentum to actually chase a December payout.

In February, Sacramento State football shocked the world when it announced its transition from the FCS to FBS. The Hornets are officially joining the Mid-American Conference as a football-only member starting this July. They’re already investing heavily in the move with $23 million over five years, including $18 million to the MAC and $5 million to the NCAA. 

Now, the question is if Sacramento State can earn a bowl bid. Last season, the Hornets went 7-5 under Brennan Marion before he left for Colorado’s OC job. Now, they have Alonzo Carter to steer the program into FBS. The roster isn’t devoid of talent, and the infrastructure is being built. Would they get beginner’s luck? You can ask the same for North Dakota State, which is in a similar situation. 

NDSU is preparing its own jump to the FBS via the Mountain West and has been pushing for this exact kind of change. AD Matt Larsen has been vocal about leveling the playing field for transitioning teams, as the old system only punished timing. If this legislation passes, that changes overnight.

Not only would these teams be bowl-eligible immediately, but they’d also have a path to conference championships and even the CFP. Maybe that still feels far-fetched, but it’s no longer impossible. Besides, there’s another tweak in the “deserving team.” 

The NCAA tweaked the “deserving team” exception

Alongside the headline change, the committee is also recommending adjustments to the “deserving team” exception. Under the proposed update, 5-7 teams with strong Academic Progress Rates (APR) would still be eligible for bowl selection. But there’s a twist here, as conferences and their bowl partners would now have the flexibility to select one of their own 5-7 teams to fulfill bowl commitments instead of a strict national ranking by APR.

This shift gives conferences more control and rewards internal alignment because this entire proposal is about common sense. If a team is good enough to compete at the FBS level, wins enough games to qualify, and helps fulfill the ecosystem of bowl partnerships, why should they be sidelined just because it’s their first year?

That question has lingered for years. The proposal still needs feedback from the NCAA membership before the committee’s May 7 meeting. If adopted, it heads to the D1 Cabinet in June for final review. And if this goes through, everyone will be watching if Sacramento State and NDSU actually benefit from this change.