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NCAA Blocks Sacramento State’s FBS Bid Over Lack of Conference Invite

The decision leaves the Hornets facing independent FCS status in 2026 despite extensive financial investments and planned conference realignments.

Sacramento State running back Marcus Fulcher (9) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against Stanford at Stanford Stadium on Sept. 16, 2023.
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Overview

  • The NCAA Division I Council denied Sacramento State’s waiver to move directly to FBS, citing the absence of a formal invitation and noting Liberty’s 2017 exception occurred under different rules.
  • Sacramento State has already informed the Big Sky it will depart by June 2026 and has arranged for all other sports to join the Big West, leaving its football program without a league.
  • The university secured $35 million in NIL support and a $2.5 million loan to underpin its FBS transition and rolled out designs for a 25,000-seat stadium to bolster its case.
  • President Dr. Luke Wood and coach Brennan Marion have maintained confidence that the Hornets will achieve FBS status in the near future despite the NCAA’s denial.
  • Early assessments suggest neither Power Five nor Group of Five conferences are prepared to extend an invitation to Sacramento State for the 2026 season, intensifying the search for a path forward.