Sacramento State is all set to level up in college football. They are leaving the FCS division and joining FBS teams like Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, and others. However, that massive jump comes with a price. So let’s dig deeper and know how much they are paying MAC to join the division.

As per Yahoo Sports analyst Ross Dellenger, MAC presidents approved Sacramento State to move forward as a football-only member to join the FBS. But this also meant that they had to pay a hefty amount. The school will pay an entry fee of $18 million. With that amount, they will also pay $5 million to the NCAA to move up.

This marks a defining moment for the program as it becomes the first West Coast program to move from FCS to FBS in 57 years, since Fresno State and San Diego State did it in 1969. This move will keep the MAC with 13 schools and will replace Northern Illinois after its move to the Mountain West.

It’s a major milestone for the program that has been pushing for this moment for a long time. Even their president, Luke Wood, made it clear back in the summer why they should move up: “We believe our university, our students, and the entire Sacramento region deserve major college football.

Sacramento State’s move is a major step towards programs that are paying their way up in the leagues. SMU gave up nine years of its television revenue to join the ACC, while Cal and Stanford accepted less money to join the ACC. Every team wants to join top programs for major recognition, and this investment shows it perfectly.

Smaller conferences like the MAC and the Mountain West do not generate as much revenue as the SEC or the Big Ten. On top of that, with NIL and the transfer portal, their situation has become more challenging, as players can easily transfer to top programs, and these schools often struggle to retain them. Now, as teams like Sacramento State pay substantial fees to join these leagues, it only intensifies the pressure on them.

Even though this move looks like a risky bet given the financial demands of competing in the FBS, it will open many doors for the team. They will gain access to additional revenue streams, conference shares, TV money, bowl payouts, and other benefits that the FCS could not offer. That could also attract more top-tier players and strengthen their recruiting efforts.

The team also tried to get an independent status just like Notre Dame, but the NCAA denied their waiver. Since then, their fight to leave the Big Sky began. Last year, they ended their season with a 7-5 record and a 5-3 conference record. With this move, Wood and athletic director Mark Orr also worked day and night to level up their NIL game, too, with a budget of $1 million.

With this move, they even filled their head coaching position.

Sacramento State’s head coach is generating a lot of buzz

Sacramento State brought Alonzo Carter home after serving as Arizona’s assistant head coach and running backs coach. He came in with nine seasons of experience working under Brent Brennan at San Jose State and Arizona. His team finished 9-3 in the season and also headed to the Trust&Will Holiday Bowl.

Now, with that backing, Carter is all set to take Sacramento State to new heights. But beyond wins, he also builds networks and mentorship pipelines. During the pandemic, the West Coast Zoom clinics have connected hundreds of coaches nationally for innovation.

That connection will help the team in recruiting, as the team currently has 10 recruits in their 2026 class, but with their FBS entry and Carter’s connections, things might turn for them. Now, let’s wait and see how the upcoming season treats them.