July 1 is to college athletics what January 1 is to the layman. As such, programs make their own versions of New Year’s resolutions, featuring brand changes, logo changes, jersey patch changes, conference changes, and, in this case, division changes. The Sacramento Hornets football team officially joined the FBS on Wednesday and has also become a member of one of the division’s conferences, but not without a cost.

Sacramento State Football announced on its official X handle that the program has become an official member of the Mid-American Conference. However, only Sacramento Football would be a part of the conference, as the rest of the Hornets’ athletic department joined the Big West Conference. The MAC remains at 13 members, with the Hornets serving as an immediate replacement for Northern Illinois, which joined the Mountain West on the same day.

The move comes after several years of attempting to join the FBS. Previously, a group of local supporters formed a group, “Sac-12” to push for the Hornets’ membership in the rebuilt Pac-12 Conference but failed. Afterward, the program made another unsuccessful attempt to join the FBS as an independent. However, they left the Big Sky Conference and were on the verge of being without a conference in the FCS before they desperately forced their move to the MAC.

The move costs Sacramento State $18 million and was only possible after MAC presidents voted to add the Hornets as a football-only member early this year. Aside from the $18 million entrance fee, the Hornets also had to pay $5 million to the NCAA for the move, per ESPN. At the time the move was approved, the program’s president relished the historical moment, highlighting its significance in the program’s trajectory.

“This is a historic moment for Sacramento State—a bold leap into the future,” university president Luke Wood said Monday in a statement. “Our move to the FBS represents more than a change in classification; it is a declaration of who we are and where we’re going. We are elevating our university, our student-athletes, and the entire Greater Sacramento region onto the national stage.”

The program’s move comes at a favorable period for teams transitioning into the FBS. Just last week, legislation was approved that eliminated the restrictions on newcomers in the FBS. Before then, all newcomers faced a two-year transition period that made them ineligible for the College Football Playoff and bowl games. But with the new legislation, the Hornets can go as far as winning the national championship next season if their performance takes them that far. The Hornets joined the FBS with North Dakota State, increasing its membership to 138 teams.

North Dakota joins the Hornets in FBS

North Dakota State is the most successful FCS program over the past 15 years. Since 2010, the Bison have clinched 10 FCS National Championships while adding 12 league titles in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC).

While Sacramento State joined the MAC, North Dakota State joined the Mountain West Conference in a move that cost the program $12.5 million.

The new FBS season begins on Saturday, August 29, and the two newcomers will make their FBS debuts that day. Sacramento State Hornets will travel to Eastern Michigan for their first game, while North Dakota State Bison will host Jacksonville State.