North Dakota State University (NDSU) is reportedly in advanced discussions to join the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member, according to a report by Ross Dellenger from Yahoo! Sports. This potential move could be finalized as early as this weekend, marking a significant transition for the FCS powerhouse as they aim to elevate their program to the FBS level.
For quite some time, speculation has surrounded the timing of NDSU's transition from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Bison have established themselves as a dominant force within the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), achieving the top seed in this year's FCS Playoffs, although they faced a surprising defeat against MVFC rival Illinois State.
Should North Dakota State officially join the Mountain West, they would be required to pay a substantial entry fee. Additionally, this move would expand the Mountain West's membership to ten teams in football by 2026, especially following the addition of Northern Illinois, which will also participate in the conference solely for football after departing from the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
NDSU's impressive track record underscores the rationale behind the speculation regarding their potential leap to FBS. The Bison have clinched 10 national championships over the past 15 years, further fueling discussions about when they would ascend to the higher division. Notably, since experiencing a challenging 3-8 season in 2009—just two years after joining the Missouri Valley—they have consistently achieved at least 11 wins in every complete season that followed, even managing a commendable 7-3 record during the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19.
Throughout this remarkable period, NDSU has showcased its championship pedigree, with their most recent victory coming in 2024. In the last season, they entered the postseason boasting an undefeated record of 12-0, including an unblemished 8-0 mark in conference play, thereby reclaiming the MVFC title before suffering an unexpected first-round loss to Illinois State. The Redbirds subsequently advanced to the championship game, ultimately losing to Montana State in a nail-biting overtime finish.
As the Mountain West gears up for the 2026-2027 season, the addition of North Dakota State would signify a transformative phase for the conference. The Mountain West has recently seen several member institutions depart for the Pac-12 during the latest round of realignment, including prominent teams such as Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State. However, a resilient core of schools remains committed to the Mountain West, including Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, UNLV, and Wyoming. Furthermore, Hawaii is set to join as a full member, and UTEP is on board for the upcoming summer. With the addition of Northern Illinois for football and potentially NDSU, the Mountain West could solidify its roster at ten teams.
In conjunction with these developments, the Mountain West recently unveiled its new media rights agreements, which will bring together major networks like FOX Sports, CBS Sports, The CW, and Kiswe starting with the forthcoming season.
