The ETSU Buccaneers have replaced the North Dakota State Bison with a Division II opponent on their 2026 football schedule, the school announced Tuesday.
ETSU was originally scheduled to travel to North Dakota State for a matchup at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D., on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. However, following NDSU’s recent announcement that it will transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the game will no longer be played.
The 2026 meeting was set to complete a home‑and‑home series that began in 2024, when the Bison earned a 38-35 victory in Johnson City, Tenn.
As a replacement, ETSU has added a home game against Tusculum for Sept. 5, 2026. The Pioneers compete in Division II as members of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC).
ETSU is slated to open the 2026 season at home against Campbell on Saturday, Aug. 29. The Buccaneers’ remaining non‑conference slate includes a road trip to North Carolina on Sept. 12 and a home contest against West Georgia on Sept. 19.
Earlier Tuesday, North Dakota State’s 2026 Mountain West opponents were announced. The Bison will host Nevada, NIU, UTEP, and Wyoming, and will travel to Air Force, Hawai‘i, New Mexico, and UNLV.
NDSU’s non‑conference opponents for the 2026 season have not yet been finalized. In addition to ETSU, the Bison had been slated to visit UIW and Central Arkansas and to host Austin Peay.
FOOTBALL SCHEDULES
Obviously, NDSU isn’t going to play at UIW or Central Arkansas. Apparently no word on what the payout was back to ETSU for this game?
That’s another expense to factor in for Sac State as well, they had 8 FCS games on the schedule and many of those will no longer happen and have to be paid out.
hopefully NDSU will have to pay at least $250K.
Likely NDSU will play Sacramento State on this date and play USC on August 29. No other FBS available.
Thus avoiding USC to have to play FCS team which they have never done. I believe they are the only one left with that distinction.
There will be plenty of drama for USC 12th opponent.