Less than 24 hours before the North Dakota State University Football team was scheduled to have a closed door meeting, ESPN’s Pete Thamel is reporting that the Bison are moving up to the FBS.
Thamel’s report says that NDSU will be accepting an invitation to the Mountain West as a football only member beginning this upcoming 2026 season. The school is expected to pay around $12 million in entry fees to join the MWC. There will also be an additional $5 million fee to the NCAA to complete the transition from FCS to FBS.
https://x.com/PeteThamel/status/2020601477312717212
It is uncertain as to what NDSU will need to pay the Missouri Valley to exit the conference along with what adjustments will be made to the upcoming non-conference schedule.
The Bison will be the MWC’s 10th football member joining Air Force, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada, Northern Illinois, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP, and Wyoming.
A formal announcement by NDSU is expected on Monday.
