I would say that this news certainly will impact recruiting. Nothing concrete has been released to the public, but I'm sure Rocko and Plough have had extensive conversations about the future of Aggie football. I would not doubt that this is being used in the recruiting pitch to athletes.

Attendance, especially student attendance, needs to be more consistent.

Is Sacramento State a realistic expansion option for the Pac-12, or are the Hornets a better fit for the Mountain West? — @MarcSheehan006

Sacramento State has done a fabulous job marketing itself as an expansion candidate for the Pac-12 or Mountain West and went so far as to set a goal of securing $50 million in NIL pledges this fall. Last we checked, the Hornets had roughly $35 million pledged.

(Note: They do not have $35 million in hand, much less the $50 million that an ESPN report suggested earlier this week.)

Sacramento State is an FCS program that resides in the nation’s No. 20 media market, is reasonably close to the Bay Area tech money and has easy access to high-level recruits. (Folsom High School is a powerhouse.)

But we have not received confirmation of serious interest by the two FBS conferences, which are taking contrasting approaches to expansion.

The Mountain West is hustling to increase membership, having added UC Davis (in all sports but football) and currently targeting Northern Illinois. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 paused expansion in order to focus on media rights negotiations.

Something else to consider: The Big Ten and SEC don’t want more FCS schools making the jump to the FBS — they believe there are too many mouths to feed already — and have made their feelings known at the highest levels.

Our hunch is that Sacramento State will remain an FCS school at least through this round of western conference realignment.

https://sports360az.com/mailbag-pac-12-assets-and-cfp-revenue-the-postseason-calendar-the-sac-state-expansion-option-and-more/

Interesting - and not particularly optimistic - article about the challenges facing Group of 5 Conferences, one of which is the Mountain West.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/41207867/state-group-5-college-football-playoff-2024

I came across this on Linkedin from Mike Lorenzen, who used to run the EVO program for athletics. Pretty dense read, but a ton of information on considerations of moving up. Interesting how some of the examples seem to target Davis (like moving from a 10000 stadium to 15000, or moving to FBS for all sports except football). i gave it a quick read but will go back into it in more detail later.

https://lorenzencoaching.wordpress.com/2024/12/27/college-sports-realignment-financial-and-strategic-considerations/

Sad to see how the term FCS is applied to all sports at an institution although it is supposed to apply only to football. They periodically change the label but it is now just shorthand for inferior.
“– an FCS soccer team’s budget looks very different than an FBS team’s budget today.“

but it does reflact the reality, especially when you compare FCS institutes to P4. our soccer budget is about 1/2 of UCLA. I think if you are playing FCS football, you don't have the revenue streams to budget your other sports at the same levels as FBS schools.

Terms devoid of football association exist like mid-major for basketball, and I suppose for soccer as well. Entire conferences don’t have football and are not considered lower in other sports because they aren’t FBS.

Oh, i agree. WCC is an example of a solid basketball confernce and the NCAA top 20 for soccer is littered with schools without football. I think this article is really focused on FCS vs FBS, though.

By the way, all Mountain Conference teams are in EA Sports College Football 25 video game. That video game is unexpectedly so popular that two software developers are rumored to internally discuss starting a college basketball edition.

What are your thoughts about seeing the Aggies potentially being in future video games?

This post moved to Sacramento State thread.

Around 2008 a game publisher hired the Aggie Band to provide crowd noise tracks. We had a whole recording session in the Pavilion. I don’t recall the game but pretty sure it was affiliated with EA. Wonder if those tracks are still incorporated in games.

In 2009 or 2010 in the early spring, there was an event at Aggie Stadium on a quiet Saturday. They had us chanting certain phrases. I recall us chanting "Rondo! Rondo! Rondo!" So it was probably their NBA game. They also allowed us to turn in other college apperal in exchange for leftover Aggie Pack shirts. I think it was the year of the ugly house design but I can't remember.

BTW, we had a long-time local fan, possibly from Woodland, Latino, who I saw a year or two ago at a home game. He appeared to be slowed down, possibly by an ailment. Good natured guy. He may have been the same guy who wore a blue cape in the 1980s? He seemed self conscious about his decline.

Does someone here recall his name? We said hello and wished him well.

Yeah, he was from Woodland. “Captain Aggie.” The last time i saw him he was using a walker. He got into trouble at some point for coming to the game after having a few too many. I don’t remember his name. But he did have a knack at getting the crowd worked up.

Does this hurt their chances of moving up soon or no impact?

This is a ratification of a done deal. Expected

Here are the Massey Ratings comparisons of the Women's Basketball teams between the two conferences:

Big West:
129 UC Irvine
131 UC Davis
160 Hawaii
169 Long Beach State
181 UC Santa Barbara
207 Cal Poly
226 UC Riverside
266 UC San Diego
320 CS Fullerton
322 CS Northridge
352 CS Bakersifeld

New Mountain West:
55 UNLV
74 Grand Canyon
100 Wyoming
131 UC Davis
145 New Mexico
155 Air Force
160 Hawaii
166 UTEP
219 Nevada
263 San Jose State

And here's the NCAA Division I Massey Ratings for the new Mountain West Football Conference:

47 UNLV
91 San Jose State
96 Northern Illinois
102 Air Force
105 UC Davis
113 Wyoming
116 New Mexico
117 Hawaii
121 Nevada
155 UTEP

As a comparison, here's the Big Sky Conference:

42 Montana State
105 UC Davis
110 Idaho
118 Montana
140 Northern Arizona
165 Eastern Washington
179 Sacramento State
181 Portland State
183 Weber State
186 Idaho State
215 Cal Poly
229 Northern Colorado

Here is an interesting article by UC Irvine's sports editor about the pros and cons of the Aggies moving to the MWC:

https://newuniversity.org/2025/01/03/surprise-announcement-by-uc-davis-is-deeper-than-affiliation-change/

these guys are saying many things I’ve been thinking. Unless the schools that left can somehow not have to pay their agreed upon exit fee, the PAC12 is hurting. That money has to come from somewhere, and I think it’s from the PAC12 bank account. I also don’t see how they are going to get a big money TV/media deal with the schools they have - Corvallis and Pullman aren’t exactly media hotbeds.

One conference would have made sense.

WSU has good TV viewership and has a strong following in Seattle and Spokane.

Oregon State also gives access to Portland.

https://nevadasportsnet.com/newsletter-daily/details-from-uc-davis-heavily-redacted-membership-agreement-to-join-the-mountain-west

* UC Davis has first right of invitation if the MW elevates a football program from the FCS level; that could complicate the MW attempting to add a school like North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Montana, Montana State or Sacramento State

* UC Davis will get a phased-in share of the MW's NCAA Tournament units, starting with one-sixth share of those units in 2026-27, a two-sixth share in 2027-28 and so on by a one-sixth share each year until getting full-share status in 2031-32. For each NCAA Tournament unit earned by UC Davis, it will increase its share by one-sixth

* UC Davis agreed to give the MW a grants of media rights through June 30, 2032, which is a condition the remaining MW schools also gave to the conference

* UC Davis would owe the MW $3 million if it does not join the conference in 2026

* UC Davis' entry fee to the MW, which was redacted, will be paid in six annual installments; Northern Illinois had a six-payment entry fee totaling $2 million to join the MW

* UC Davis agreed to increase its annual men's basketball expenses to certain financial levels in 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29; those specific benchmarks were redacted; UC Davis spent $2,823,059 on men's basketball in fiscal year 2023; comparatively, Nevada's men's basketball budget in 2023 was $4,978,558; the MW's lowest figure was San Jose State at $3,254,424, more than $430,000 higher than that of UC Davis

* UC Davis agreed to spend a minimum figure in men's basketball game guarantees for "winnable home games;" that benchmark was redacted

First right of invitation means the timing of moving up is not solely in Davis’ control. Better be ready to accept when invitation is offered,
It would be interesting what qualifies as a “basketball expense”. Scholarships and salaries, travel, but what else?

Perhaps NIL money also?

Very happy about this news. Right where we need to be. Would like to see some university news about renovations or such to point in the direction of an invite eventually.