‘An FBS Program in FCS Clothes’: Why North Dakota State is Ready for Move to Mountain West

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‘An FBS Program in FCS Clothes’: Why North Dakota State is Ready for Move to Mountain West

Kyle Wood

Wed, Feb 18, 2026 ·

6 min read

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North Dakota State's preparation for a long-awaited invitation paid off when the perennial powerhouse got the call to join the highest tier of Division I college football .

The Bison, winners of 10 of the past 15 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) titles, are joining the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as members of the Mountain West on July 1. It's a costly move up front for NDSU , which will pay a $5 million transition fee to the NCAA, in addition to a $12.5 million entry fee to its new conference. The transition is also playing out on an accelerated timeline as the Bison will kick off their first FBS season in August. But they're betting the program is ready for the challenge.

"It's always been about trying to play at the highest level and compete for national championships," NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen told Athlon Sports.

North Dakota State celebrates with the FCS national championship trophy after beating Montana State in Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 8, 2022.Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Larsen said the program has been investing in its infrastructure for years with an eye on a move to the FBS — specifically, the Mountain West. That includes brick-and-mortar projects, like a $54 million football facility that opened in 2022. Renovations to the Fargo Dome — which will have one of the smallest capacities in the FBS at 18,700 — might also be necessary just to house the additional staff needed to outfit an FBS team.

The Bison's recruiting footprint is likely to expand as their travel increases. NDSU left the geographically logical Missouri Valley Football Conference, where Youngstown State in Ohio was its farthest opponent, for the Mountain West, which now spans from Northern Illinois to Hawaii.

Count the opportunity for increased visibility among the pros for the Bison, though Larsen said there were risks to staying in the FCS or transitioning to the FBS.

"What we've seen over the course of the last, probably four or five years, is a fan base that has been there, done that," Larsen said. "And I say that with all due respect to the level of success that we've had."

NDSU won five national championships in a row from 2011-15, three more from 2017-19 and added to its robust trophy case again in 2021 and 2024. That stretch included three undefeated seasons by the Bison and produced three first-round NFL Draft picks, including Super Bowl LX champion Grey Zabel. NDSU is also 9-5 all-time against FBS foes, including a win over No. 13 Iowa in 2016.

The Bison lost to Illinois State at home in the second round of the FCS playoffs in December. That was their earliest postseason exit since 2010 and wound up being their final game in the FCS.

"I think there's an element of our fan base of 'What's next?'" Larsen said. "So, for us, the risk of not going is what does that do to the attendance of the Fargo Dome? What does that do to our ability to continue to be successful at the FCS level?"

North Dakota State fans celebrate during the Bison's game against Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, on Aug. 29, 2024.Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Then again, the move to the FBS came with a huge price tag without any guarantee of continued success. And in the era of NIL and revenue sharing, the cost to field a competitive roster is steeper than before. Accordingly, the Bison launched a fundraising campaign called " Climb the Mountain " asking fans to "support a successful transition to the Mountain West Conference by providing funding for scholarships, facilities, football operations and NIL."

It's been a mixed bag for programs that recently made the transition, though none were as dominant in the FCS as NDSU. Delaware and Missouri State both went to bowl games in 2025, their first season at the FBS level . But the Blue Hens and Bears only participated in the postseason due to a lack of bowl-eligible teams.

Delaware, Missouri State Join Conference USA: Inside Their FCS-to-FBS Transition

James Madison, arguably the model for FBS newcomers after its breakthrough College Football Playoff trip, was barred from postseason competition in its 2022 debut.

NCAA bylaws bar programs from postseason eligibility during their two-year transition period. The Bison, however, are applying for a waiver that would allow them to compete in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game and a bowl game, should they qualify.

"If you're asking a program to have to recruit for two years without the ability to play in the postseason, boy, that's really hard to build a roster and maintain a roster," Larsen said. "And if the goal of that two-year period is to have you, by Year 3, be a fully fledged FBS program in really good shape and good standing, it's almost a little counterintuitive."

North Dakota State coach Tim Polasek gestures during his team's game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on Aug. 29, 2024.Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

In weighing the risks of the move, Larsen acknowledged the uncertainty that has beset college athletics, specifically the FBS, in recent years. That includes realignment, revenue sharing, proliferation of the transfer portal and playoff expansion. Still, the rewards were deemed worth it for NDSU to accept its invitation to the FBS.

(Sacramento State soon followed suit, throwing millions at the MAC to join the highest level of college football and bring the FBS membership to 138 come July 1.)

Larsen believes the Bison have the potential to sustain themselves financially and acquit themselves on the field at the FBS level. And even if that fiscal and football success doesn't materialize overnight, NDSU made this move with the long view in mind. Larsen has been emboldened by the reaction locally and nationally to their decision, reinforcing the belief that the program is indeed prepared.

"We've been an FBS program in FCS clothes for years," Larsen said. "The type of kids we recruit are next-level kids. The way we operate our program, we do it at the next level. And so that doesn't guarantee you wins, right? But I do think we have all the pieces in place to go in and be competitive in Year 1."

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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