Sacramento State’s Move to the MAC Highlights College Football’s Travel Problem

This weekend, presidents from the MAC conference have made an interesting decision, voting to add Sacramento State to their conference. The Hornets have now officially made the jump to the FBS level, a project they have pursued for the last few seasons.

Sacramento State is joining as a football-only member starting in 2026, marking the second FCS program to make the leap to the FBS level. It’ll be an expensive move, as they will need to pay $5 million to move up to the FBS level and another $18 million to join the MAC.

Over the past few seasons, Sacramento State has been a solid FCS program and has invested money into developing its football program, but I hate that they’re joining the MAC. Football's greed has ruined college sports conferences, and they’ve claimed another victim.

I’m not upset by Sacramento State trying to join the FBS; I just hate that they’re joining the MAC. No school in college football will have to travel more than the Hornets this year.

Stanford and Cal have been among the busiest travelers over the last few seasons, with their moves to the ACC. Fortunately, since they’re power conference programs, they’re able to spend the majority of their non-conference schedules at home. Sacramento State won’t be given that same luxury, as they will need to find ways to increase their bottom lines after the significant funding to make the leap to the FBS level.

The Pac-12 and Mountain West both denied Sacramento State entry, and now the Hornets are stuck traveling over 2,000 miles for every road game during conference play. On the other hand, you have Northern Illinois, who just finished up a 3-9 season, leaving the MAC for the Mountain West, where they will be one of the worst schools in that conference.

I’m not against all conference realignment; it just has to make sense. North Dakota State was the other FCS program promoted, but their move to the Mountain West makes sense. They’ve won 10 FCS National titles since 2011, they’re a well-funded football program that’s proven they can beat FBS-level competition, and they’ve joined a geographical conference that makes sense for them.

These mega-conferences that the power-four created have ruined college football and are making it impossible for smaller schools to keep up. They have to find every possible way to make more money from TV deals, and that’s by joining the biggest conference available.

At the end of the day, these kids are still student athletes, and having Sacramento State travel to Kent, Ohio, on a Tuesday night in November makes you think they don’t care about the “student” aspect of college sports. It’ll be interesting to see what the breaking point will be for these smaller FBS programs.