SACRAMENTO, CA (February 15, 2026) – Sacramento State has announced their intentions to join the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid-American Conference for football beginning in the 2026 season. Collegiate Consulting assisted Sac State with a comprehensive FBS Benchmarking Study and Athletic Economic Impact Study.
Collegiate Consulting initially completed Sac State’s FBS Study in 2024, examining three conferences as well as the creation of presentation packets for each conference. The report provided comparisons and benchmarking for operating budgets, staffing levels, salaries, financial aid, sources of revenue and development of a five-year revenue and expense pro-forma for FBS reclassification.
Collegiate Consulting continued to assist Sac State in 2025, providing support for all the elements required in the FBS Application. Recently, Collegiate Consulting completed an athletics economic impact study for Sac State, illustrating intercollegiate athletics’ annual impact for the past four years, as well as projecting the athletic impact with a move to FBS.
“We have been working with Sacramento State for the past 2 ½ years with the goal of a FBS invitation as a complementary component for the institutional and athletic initiatives launched by President Wood and Mark (Orr),” stated Collegiate Consulting Managing Director, Russell Wright. “It is rewarding to be a small part of their FBS invitation and next and successful iteration of Sac State Athletics.”
Previously, Collegiate Consulting has assisted six institutions Georgia State, Appalachian State, Missouri State, Sam Houston State, Jacksonville State, and Kennesaw State with their successful transition to FBS and is currently working with three FCS institutions as they explore FBS opportunities.