North Dakota State to join Mountain West in 2026 for football
Our Summary
North Dakota State University (NDSU) will join the Mountain West Conference and move to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for the 2026 football season. NDSU, a dominant force in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) with 10 national titles since 2011, including the 2024 championship, will pay over $10 million to join the Mountain West and a $5 million fee to transition to FBS. This move increases FBS membership to 137 teams.
The Mountain West is undergoing realignment, losing key members to the Pac-12 and adding UTEP, Northern Illinois, Grand Canyon, and UC Davis. The addition of NDSU will bring the conference to 10 football members. NDSU has a strong record against FBS teams, with notable victories against Iowa, Iowa State, and Minnesota.
The Bison, coached by Tim Polasek, recently won the 2024 FCS championship and have a history of
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