NDSU Football Joins Mountain West Conference This Fall

FARGO, ND—The North Dakota State University football program is moving up.  It was made official Monday that the Bison football team will move from the FCS level to the FBS level of Division One…and will move to the Mountain West Conference beginning this fall.  NDSU Athletic Director Matt Larsen talks about going to the Mountain West.

Larsen says the other Bison sports programs will remain in the Summit League (except for wrestling, which competes in the Big 12), but also says the other NDSU sports teams could move in the future.  As far as scheduling goes, Larsen says he’d like to get a team from the Power 4 conferences (Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference) on the Bison football schedule and he’s “not closing the door on scheduling current rivals” like South Dakota State or North Dakota in the future.

Bison Head Football Coach Tim Polasek talks about the new challenge of competing in the Mountain West.

NDSU will have to pay a $5 million fee for reclassifying from FCS to FBS….plus a 12 and a half million dollar entry fee to the Mountain West.  Those are one time fees and boosters are being contacted to raise that money.  Once again, the Bison will join the Mountain West Conference for football starting this fall.