Sacramento State plans to file an application with the NCAA this week to transition from the FCS to the FBS in football as an independent, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
The school has already filed a waiver to transition as an independent in football, which requires NCAA approval.
By transitioning as an independent, Sacramento State is positioning itself to join an FBS conference in the future. The Hornets need a waiver because they aren’t transitioning with a conference invite.
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The school sits in a top-20 media market and has been aggressive in hiring coaches and in NIL. The Hornets hired former UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion as head coach in December, and the basketball program hired former Sacramento Kings star Mike Bibby as head coach.
Sacramento State is planning to play football in the Big Sky for the 2025 season, which is expected to be the program’s last in the FCS conference. The Hornets had a 3-9 record last season, finishing in a tie for last in the 12-team conference with a 1-7 mark.
If everything is approved, the Hornets would be ineligible for the football postseason for 2025 and 2026. They’d then be football postseason eligible for the 2027 season.
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