US EditionNorth Dakota State, Winner of 10 FCS Titles, Jumps to FBS to Join Mountain West in Football
North Dakota State Bison will transition for two years without postseason eligibility while paying a $12 million entrance fee to join Mountain West football.
- On Monday, the Mountain West announced it will add North Dakota State as a football-only member effective in 2026, bringing the league to 10 schools.
- Amid conference realignment, negotiators focused on an eight-figure entrance fee as the Mountain West added North Dakota State, which has a strong FCS championship history.
- Under NCAA rules, NDSU faces a two-year transition costing nearly $17 million, including a nearly $12M Mountain West entrance fee and $5 million NCAA fee, while rebuilding the 2026 schedule in the coming weeks.
- Schedule format questions persist, as UNLV football has four non-conference opponents scheduled for the next two seasons, and conference scheduling formats are unclear, with Northern Illinois's prior arrangement providing a precedent.
- NDSU's leadership said the move builds on its legacy, expected to bring television coverage and national attention as of July 1, when the conference will have 10 programs competing in football.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Stephen Tsai: Addition of North Dakota State will bring changes for MWC, UH | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
On Monday, the ever-evolving Mountain West Conference rolled out the proverbial welcome mat for North Dakota State as a football-only member beginning this July.
North Dakota State football joins Mountain West Conference, leaves Missouri Valley
North Dakota State University, a dominant force in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), is moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and joining the Mountain West Conference for football.
Mountain West adds perennial FCS champs North Dakota State as football-only member
FARGO, N.D. — The Mountain West Conference, still reassembling after having five of its member institutions leave for the new Pac-12, has added FCS powerhouse North Dakota State as a football-only member. The conference, as of NDSU’s full admittance on July 1, will have 10 programs competing in the sport. Unlike recent acquisitions UC Davis and Grand Canyon University — schools with basketball-oriented athletic programs — North Dakota State brin…
North Dakota State, winner of 10 FCS titles, jumps to FBS to join Moun
Perennial FCS power North Dakota State will move up to the FBS level this season and join the Mountain West for football, the conference and university announced Monday. North Dakota State, which won 10 of the last 15 championships in the FCS, will give the revamped Mountain West an even 10 members for football starting in 2026. The Bison went 12-1 in 2025, losing 29-28 at home in the second round of the playoffs to eventual runner-up Illinois S…
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