Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Most college football programs making the jump from the FCS to FBS get years to build a roster, raise money and generally prepare for the fact that everything is about to become significantly harder. Sacramento State found out in February that its transition had essentially been moved from “next year” to “right now.”
First-year coach Alonzo Carter had expected the Hornets to make their FBS debut in 2027 before the Mid-American Conference unexpectedly offered them a spot beginning this season. As the Associated Press detailed, Carter received the news after signing day and after the transfer portal had already closed, which is roughly the college football equivalent of being told halfway through packing for summer camp that you are actually deploying overseas.
Sacramento State Lost An Entire Year Of FBS Preparation
Carter had only been Sacramento State’s coach for about two months when the MAC invitation arrived.
The initial reaction was understandably pretty good.
Carter, who once worked as a backup dancer and choreographer for MC Hammer, celebrated by breaking out the “Return of the Mack” for his players. Then somebody presumably turned the music off and reminded everyone they had to build an FBS roster immediately.
The Hornets will enter their first season at college football’s highest level with only a handful of returning starters and a staggering 72 newcomers.
That is not roster turnover.
That is basically changing universities while keeping the same uniforms.
Carter acknowledged the timing caught the program off guard because Sacramento State knew an FBS move was possible but expected another year to construct the roster. CBS Sports reported in February that Sacramento State appeared headed toward an FCS independent season in 2026 before its talks with the MAC accelerated.
Instead, the Hornets officially joined the conference July 1.
Their reward for finally reaching the FBS is an Aug. 29 season opener approximately 2,000 miles from home.
Welcome To The FBS, Please Fly To Michigan
Sacramento State might be the funniest geographical member of the Mid-American Conference imaginable.
The official Hornets schedule features conference road trips to Eastern Michigan, Bowling Green, Ball State and Central Michigan.
Sacramento State is located in California.
There will be nothing particularly “mid-American” about the team boarding a plane from Sacramento to Mount Pleasant, Michigan, for a Wednesday night game in November.
The Hornets also travel to Fresno State and Hawaii, meaning six of their 12 regular-season games require road trips despite an already chaotic roster rebuild.
There are benefits.
Sacramento State gets access to the MAC’s television deal, two doses of midweek MACtion and a Sept. 19 home game against fellow FBS newcomer North Dakota State on ESPN. The school also says the move will dramatically increase the program’s national exposure and economic impact.
It just would have been nice to know before recruiting was basically finished.
Carter wanted a year to prepare Sacramento State for FBS football.
He got a few months, 72 new players, and four conference trips across multiple time zones instead.
Welcome to the big time.