North Dakota State to petition for immediate CFP, postseason access

North Dakota State University (NDSU) is set to petition the NCAA for immediate eligibility in the College Football Playoff (CFP) and postseason competitions as it transitions to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and joins the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member on July 1. Under current NCAA rules, transitioning programs face a two-year probationary period, barring them from postseason play. NDSU plans to argue that these rules are outdated due to changes such as the transfer portal, which accelerates competitive timelines.

The Mountain West Conference supports NDSU's petition, which also seeks a permanent revision of the rule for future transitioning programs. NDSU, a dominant force in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) with 10 national titles in 15 years, aims to compete immediately in the Mountain West, a conference currently undergoing restructuring due to the departure of five schools to the Pac-12.

Financially, NDSU will not receive a full revenue share