BREAKING: North Dakota State Bison to join Mountain West in 2026

North Dakota State University is set to join the Mountain West Conference (MWC) for football starting in the 2026 season. The Bison, a dominant force in FCS with 10 national championships in the past 15 years, will move to the FBS level. The transition involves a $12 million payment to the MWC and an additional $5 million fee to the NCAA. This move follows the recent departure of several MWC teams to the Pac-12, including Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State. Remaining MWC members include Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Wyoming, UTEP, and Northern Illinois. North Dakota State's 2026 season opener is currently scheduled against the University of Incarnate Word on August 29, though scheduling adjustments are anticipated due to the conference change.