BREAKING: Troy Taylor leaving Sac State for Stanford head coaching job

Hornet football on the market for a new head coach

Sac+State+head+coach+Troy+Taylor+talks+with+referees+on+the+sideline+Saturday%2C+Nov.+23%2C+2019%2C+at+Hornet+Stadium.+Taylor+was+reportedly+named+one+of+two+finalists+to+become+the+newest+Stanford+head+coach.%0A

Shaun Holkko

Sac State head coach Troy Taylor talks with referees on the sideline Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, at Hornet Stadium. Taylor was reportedly named one of two finalists to become the newest Stanford head coach.

Jack Freeman

Sacramento State football head coach Troy Taylor has accepted an offer to become the new head coach at Stanford University, according to The Sacramento Bee’s Joe Davidson.

The Taylor-to-Stanford announcement was the worst kept secret in Sacramento sports after reports began surfacing of Taylor becoming a finalist for the position.

Reports surfaced on Thursday from ESPN’s Pete Thamel and The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel that Taylor and former NFL coach Jason Garrett were the two finalists. Although Thamel reported a decision had not been made at that time.

RELATED: BREAKING: Troy Taylor reportedly named finalist for Stanford football head coaching job

Later Thursday night, Garrett announced via his Twitter that he would not be accepting the job and instead would be staying at NBC as an analyst.

Taylor made the announcement Saturday morning following the Hornets’ FCS quarterfinal loss to Incarnate Word.

“No matter what happens, Sacramento will always be my home,” Taylor said. 

Taylor has been a revelation for the Sac State program, igniting the best three seasons in school history. 

Leading them to the FCS playoffs, Taylor leaves Sac State after achieving the program’s highest rankings. 

Taylor also led the team to its first undefeated regular season in school history and a career record of 30-8. 

Sac State football travels to Stanford next season on Sept. 23, 2023. For now, Sac State has entered the head coaching market looking for a man to fill Taylor’s shoes.