Correspondent file photo / Robert Hayes Youngstown State redshirt freshmen Nick Bowser (52) reacts after rushing the quarterback during the fourth quarter of a game against Southern Illinois at Stambaugh Stadium on Nov. 8.

YOUNGSTOWN — Earlier this year, two of Youngstown State’s 2026 football opponents opted to leave the FCS and make a move to the FBS level beginning this fall.

Non-conference foe Sacramento State left the Big Sky to join the MAC, while fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference-member North Dakota State is headed to the Mountain West Conference. YSU athletic director Ron Strollo said he wasn’t surprised by the moves.

“Everyone has aspirations and for different reasons. If you read articles that are coming out of Sacramento, that was something, being the California school in the state capital, they felt like it was important for their brand to take that step,” Strollo said. “And obviously we knew North Dakota State, if they had the right opportunity, would make that move.”

However, what did surprise Strollo was the high financial cost of the FBS moves for both schools and their willingness to pony up the pricey fees.

Sacramento State is reportedly paying $23 million for the move, which includes $18 million to the MAC and $5 million to the NCAA. That doesn’t include that the Hornets will also be paying the travel costs for each of their MAC opponents.

NDSU’s cost is much lower, though. The Bison are paying $17.5 million total, with $12.5 million going to the Mountain West and $5 million to the NCAA.

“Obviously those are some pretty strong brands they’re going to be bringing into the Fargo Dome, so you understand that part,” Strollo said. “But they were selling out the Fargo Dome already. There’s a great fan base there, there’s really good people there, their coaching staff, their administration. They obviously felt strongly that it was the right move. I have a lot of respect for the people up there, from their fans to their coaches. There was a reason they did it, because they thought it was in the best interest for them.”

For the past several years, at least one school has made the move from the FCS to the FBS. James Madison did it in 2022, Sam Houston and Jacksonville State did it in 2023, Kennesaw State did it in 2024 and Missouri State and Delaware did it last year.

Don’t expect to see Youngstown State making an FCS move, though, according to Strollo.

At least not yet.

“I don’t think we’re there yet, especially with the dollars that are being thrown around,” Strollo said. “I don’t like using the (phrase) ‘status quo’ because it seems like you’re just content. We’re definitely not content. But we feel like the people we’re sitting in the room with are the right people that have the same interests of being nationally competitive and trying to win national championships in football, and obviously, getting in the NCAA tournament and winning on the basketball side.”

In football, YSU plays in the best conference in the FCS in the MVFC. The conference had six teams qualify for the playoffs last season and has had at least one representative in the national championship game every year since 2011.

In basketball, YSU competes against other comparable schools in terms of size and resources in the Horizon League, which has proven to be one of the most competitive mid-major conferences and typically boasts a NET ranking comparable to other top mid-major leagues.

“Geographically (it’s) really important to us, playing where our alums are and playing in front of where our parents that we’re recruiting kids from,” Strollo said. “We’re playing in the best college football conference at our level, and obviously, the Horizon League has been known for its basketball for many years.

“So I think all those are the right fits for us right now. We constantly evaluate that. But it keeps coming up that we’re in the right spot.”

FACILITIES UPDATE

YSU conducted a handful of facilities upgrades over the last couple years, especially in the Beeghly Center.

In 2024, the university upgraded the seats inside Zidian Family Arena, installed new video boards to the main scoreboard above the court and renovated the men’s basketball locker room.

Then it upgraded the athletic training room, renovated the women’s basketball locker room and completed construction of the new Andrews booster lounge before the start of the 2025-26 season.

Next up, Strollo said YSU will renovate the Beeghly Center weight room this summer. Then the next big project on the horizon will be renovating the football team’s locker room in Stambaugh Stadium.

“We’re always kind of one project ahead,” Strollo said. “We’re always kind of thinking down the road and trying to go to the community to see what the level of interest there is. The football locker room is in need of some touching up, and it should see that here very soon.”

Strollo estimated that the renovations in the Beeghly Center have totaled about $5-6 million and projected that the upcoming football project would “probably be close to a seven-figure number on its own.”

“Just because of the number of lockers in the space, it’s different,” Strollo said. “When you do a women’s basketball locker room, there’s 13. Now you’re dealing with 110, so it gets a little more costly.”