North Dakota State in Deep Talks to Join Mountain West for Football: Report

North Dakota State and the Mountain West Conference are on the verge of a landmark agreement that could move the FCS powerhouse to the Football Bowl Subdivision as early as this season, according to a report from Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.

Sources tell Dellenger that the Mountain West has engaged in serious, year-long negotiations with the Bison about joining the league as a football-only member. A deal could be finalized as soon as this weekend, though a substantial entrance fee remains the final sticking point after Mountain West presidents voted to extend an invitation.

The potential move would mark a seismic shift for a program that has dominated the FCS level. North Dakota State owns 10 national championships, including a stretch of nine titles in 11 seasons from 2011-21. The Bison rolled to an unblemished 12-0 regular-season record in 2024 and earned the No. 1 playoff seed before a stunning second-round loss to Illinois State, which ultimately finished as national runner-up to Montana State.

Since elevating from Division II in 2004, North Dakota State has built a 9-5 record against FBS opponents. The Bison famously reeled off six consecutive wins over FBS programs from 2010-16, defeating Kansas, Minnesota, Colorado State, Kansas State, Iowa State and Iowa. Their most recent FBS tests ended in narrow defeats to Arizona in 2022 and Colorado in 2024.

The Mountain West is poised for significant turnover after Boise State’s conference-title triumph over UNLV. The Broncos, along with Utah State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State, are set to depart for the Pac-12 next year. UTEP has already committed to joining as a full member, while Northern Illinois will enter for football only. Adding North Dakota State would replenish the league’s football inventory and inject a perennial championship contender into the membership.

Formal acceptance of the invitation would accelerate the Bison’s long-rumored jump to the FBS and reshape the postseason landscape for both the Mountain West and the FCS. With negotiations entering their final stage, officials from both sides are working to resolve the financial details before a potential announcement.