College Football Playoff Rule Under Scrutiny Amid FBS Addition

North Dakota State University (NDSU) is challenging the NCAA’s rule requiring a two-year waiting period for postseason play after transitioning from the FCS to the FBS. The Bison, who have won 10 national championships in the FCS since 2011, announced their move to the FBS on Monday. NDSU's athletic director, Matt Larsen, criticized the waiting period as outdated and punitive. The Mountain West Conference, NDSU's new affiliation, supports the waiver request, which would allow the Bison to compete immediately for conference championships and a potential College Football Playoff spot.

In the previous season, two Group of Six teams, James Madison University (JMU) and Tulane, made the College Football Playoff. JMU, a former FCS rival of NDSU, transitioned to the FBS in 2022 and was subject to the waiting period despite an 8-3 record that year. JMU later participated in a bowl game in