It was only a matter of time before North Dakota State University made the move to the FBS level. They’ve been one of the most dominant programs in the Football Championship Series (FCS) level for quite some time. One could only imagine James Madison’s miraculous run to the College Football Playoff sparked the Bison to make a move to the highest level of Division I football.
NDSU will only be a football-only affiliate in the Mountain West in the 2026 season. They will have to pay $17.5 million total for the move — $12.5 million to the Mountain West and $5 million to the NCAA — but it will add a ripple to college football realignment, which has already been unhinged.
It makes you wonder what took so long for NDSU to make the move to FBS. In just the last two years, Kennesaw State, Sam Houston State, Missouri State and Delaware have all made moves. Since 2021, six teams have made the jump and they’ve made it pretty seamless. Here’s what we learned from their transition and how NDSU will add to it.
Which former FCS teams have had the most success in the FBS?
|
TEAM |
FBS MEMBER SINCE |
INAUGURAL SEASON RECORD |
BEST SEASON RECORD IN FBS |
|---|---|---|---|
|
James Madison Dukes |
2022 |
8-3 |
2025: 12-2 (CFP appearance) |
|
Jacksonville State Gamecocks |
2023 |
9-4 |
2023: 9-4 |
|
Sam Houston State |
2023 |
3-9 |
2024: 10-3 |
|
Kennesaw State Owls |
2024 |
2-10 |
2025: 10-3, C-USA champs |
|
Delaware Blue Hens |
2025 |
7-6 |
— |
|
Missouri State Bears |
2025 |
7-6 |
— |
Curt Cignetti showed everybody he could win in both the FCS and the FBS. You could even credit James Madison’s College Football Playoff run to what Cignetti built with the Dukes. James Madison was the first team to go from the FCS to the FBS to reach the CFP and it just finished its fourth season in the FBS.
Considering how much success NDSU had in winning FCS national championships, it’s safe to think they’ll have a smooth transition to the FBS level. I’m not saying they’re going to be dominant by any means, but they’re set up for more success than probably any other team that’s made the transition, not named James Madison.
Why NDSU is destined for immediate success in the FBS
- NDSU has a 9-5 record against FBS teams
- NDSU had a six-game win streak against FBS teams from 2010-16
- Bison have won 10 FCS national championships
The fact that NDSU already has a winning record against FBS teams is a bonus for them. They’ve been a team that’s never been shy to play their FBS counterparts. On top of that, they have even had teams avoid playing them in an early-season FCS-FBS clash. The Bison’s dominance is perfectly setting them up for their transition.
When it comes to conference play, they currently have a 1-1 record against Mountain West teams, most recently knocking off Colorado State in 2012. They also have wins against the Big Ten, Big 12 and Mid-American Conference. North Dakota State last played an FBS team in 2024, losing to Colorado that year.
Along with success against FBS teams, NDSU has been known to produce NFL Draft prospects. Notable names on NFL teams include Carson Wentz, Trey Lance, Grey Zabel, who just won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, and Christian Watson. North Dakota State might be the most prepared FCS team for the transition to the FBS.
North Dakota State should have an easy transition to the FBS. They’ve already run their football program like an FBS program for more than a decade. They’ve accomplished everything they ever needed to and more in the FCS. The only thing left was to embark on a new challenge against the country’s best football programs.
