DETROIT — Sacramento State's first official appearance in the Mid-American Conference will come on Wednesday, July 22, at the MAC Football Kickoff event at Ford Field. The Hornets will be represented by head coach Alonzo Carter, quarterback Carson Conklin and linebacker Derek Houston.
 
The MAC Football Kickoff will be streamed on ESPN+ from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. PT. The show will be hosted by Michael Reghi and Dustin Fox and will feature interviews with the head coaches and selected student-athletes from the 13 schools.
 
MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher will start MAC Football Kickoff with his address at 8 a.m. PT. The day will also consist of interviews with media, photo shoots and social media content.
 
Sacramento State will begin its 2026 season on August 29 at Eastern Michigan in a MAC game. The MAC Championship will return to Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 5.