College football’s power dynamic is becoming increasingly clear. As the Power 4 conferences — Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12 — are raking in record revenue and negotiating a playoff structure, the Group of 5 is solidifying into a second tier.
For programs like North Dakota State and Sacramento State, the move from FCS to FBS isn’t simply about competition; it’s about positioning themselves at the table wherever they fit. Trusted voices in the sport are calling for the Power 4 to break away and govern themselves.
“I think the Power Four needs to break away, create their own world, create their own governing body, and allow the Group of Four to create their own world,” analyst Kirk Herbstreit said in a Feb. 7 interview with Front Office Sports.
Whether that separation becomes official or not, the economic gap between FCS and FBS is already substantial. That’s where North Dakota State and Sacramento State come in.
The Bison have dominated FCS football, winning 10 national championships over the last 14 seasons. This move is not about titles, though; it reflects a structural alignment with where the competitive and economic landscape is headed.
North Dakota State is joining the Mountain West Conference for the 2026 football season. The move to FBS cost the university $5 million to the NCAA and around $10 million in entry fees to the Mountain West. The deal has placed limits on revenue from the conference until 2031 and leaves NDSU ineligible for postseason play until 2028.
Sacramento State’s path was similar, though more complicated. After the NCAA denied the Hornets’ attempt to join the FBS ranks as an independent, they finally found their home in the Mid-American Conference for 2026.
The financial commitment is steep: a $5 million fee to the NCAA, an $18 million entry fee to the MAC and an agreement to pay travel costs for conference members traveling to Sacramento. This may sound expensive and restrictive, but strategically, it’s forward-looking.
Why would they agree to this?
Because staying at the FCS level while power is consolidated at the top carries its own risk. According to the NCAA-NIL website, Mountain West schools receive around $5 million in revenue sharing. Once the limits are lifted in 2032, the Bison will be entitled to their share.
This is a huge boost for the program, coming from the Missouri Valley Conference; the only financial support members receive is special assistance and athletic grants.
According to the NCAA-NIL website, MAC schools will receive around $2 million in revenue sharing. This is growth for Sacramento State compared to the Big Sky, where some league members did not opt into revenue sharing because there isn’t enough to share.
“We rely on football revenue for everything in our department and external support. We need more. It’s not like there’s some great windfall in our place,” former Montana head coach Bobby Hauck said in a Nov. 18, 2025, article from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
Members of the Big Sky are concerned they don’t know how far behind they are in comparison to the financials of smaller FBS schools.
For North Dakota State and Sacramento State, the answer was clear. The cost of entry was high. But in a landscape where the economic center is moving upward, positioning will bring comfort. Right now, that positioning means buying a seat at the nearest table.
