FCS powerhouse North Dakota State has finalized an agreement to join the Mountain West Conference in football only starting in 2026, it was announced Monday.
The school will pay $12.5 million to join the conference, athletic director Matt Larsen said. The fee is in addition to the $5 million it will pay the NCAA to move to the FBS.
"The Bison bring a championship mindset and a bold vision for growth that aligns with the unwavering commitment to the excellence of the Mountain West," commissioner Gloria Nevarez said in a statement. "Their dedication to elevating the student‑athlete experience -- on the field, in the classroom, and throughout the community-- will energize the Mountain West and help propel our football profile to new heights nationwide."
The move is an axis-shifting one at the FCS level, as the Bison have won 10 of the past 15 national championships in football.
It will give the Mountain West 10 football teams for 2026 and is part of that conference's rebuild after losing Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State to the Pac-12.
The Bison will play a full Mountain West schedule in 2026 but will not be eligible for the conference championship game or postseason play, including the College Football Playoff or bowl games, until 2028 while undergoing the two-year transition. NDSU, however, could still be chosen for a bowl if there are not enough bowl-eligible teams.
North Dakota State has been one of college football's most dominant brands, and its transition to the FBS level will be a fascinating one. It comes at a time when the Mountain West, like most leagues outside the power conferences, need both revenue and football prowess amid the annual roster churn to higher levels.
North Dakota State will join a Mountain West football lineup consisting of Northern Illinois, UTEP, Air Force, Hawai'i, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV and Wyoming.
"One of the concerns was, 'Will NDSU be competitive?'" interim university president Rick Berg said. "I think we will. Unlike others, we've been preparing for this moment for years and years, and I think they're going to be surprised when NDSU hits the Mountain West."
Coach Tim Polasek won the 2024 FCS national championship in his first year as head coach of the Bison. North Dakota's State's past four coaches all won national titles, with Polasek joining Matt Entz, Chris Klieman and Craig Bohl.
North Dakota State will remain in the Summit League in other sports.
The Bison's football program will need more scholarships and staff support and a bigger travel and recruiting budget. NDSU also won't be able to fully access conference or College Football Playoff revenue until 2032 -- after the current media rights contracts expire.
However, in a state with no major professional sports franchises, the Bison enjoy robust fan support in the growing Fargo area along the state's eastern border with Minnesota and from a proud network of alumni in the region. The university has about 9,700 undergraduate students this school year.
"There's going to be an increase, and it's going to be a significant increase, but we'll get it to a level where we can compete based on dollars in Fargo, North Dakota," Larsen said.
The move will take effect on July 1, mirroring the departure Northern Illinois is making for football only from the Mid-American Conference.
UTEP will become a full member for all sports starting with the 2026-27 school year, along with Hawaii, which was already playing football in the Mountain West. UC Davis, which will remain in the FCS, and Grand Canyon, which does not play football, will join the Mountain West for all sports except football.
The Bison spent 18 seasons in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, winning 12 titles in the most consistently competitive FCS league.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.