The North Dakota State Bison have announced their 2026 non-conference football schedule, their first at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level.
North Dakota State, which has competed at the FCS level since 2004, announced on February 9 that it was moving up to the FBS and joining the Mountain West Conference. As a result, the Bison have a completely new slate of opponents for the 2026 season.
NDSU will kick off its inaugural FBS season in Week Zero on Saturday, August 29 against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. The Bison are eligible to play in Week Zero this season due to playing at Hawaii in Honolulu.
The following week on September 5, the Fordham Rams visit the Fargodome. In other non-conference action, NDSU will visit Sacramento State on Sept. 19 and San Jose State on Nov. 28. Although both schools are Mountain West members, the NDSU-San Jose State game will not count in the league standings.
In Mountain West action this fall, North Dakota State will host Nevada, Northern Illinois, UTEP, and Wyoming, while traveling to Air Force, Hawaii, New Mexico, and UNLV. Check out the complete 2026 football schedule for the North Dakota State Bison below.
2026 NDSU Football Schedule
08/29 – Jax State
09/05 – Fordham
09/12 – at Air Force*
09/19 – at Sacramento State
09/26 – OFF
10/03 – Wyoming*
10/10 – at UNLV*
10/17 – Nevada*
10/24 – at New Mexico*
10/31 – UTEP*
11/07 – OFF
11/14 – at Hawaii*
11/21 – NIU*
11/28 – at San Jose State
* MWC contest.
Wyoming, Nevada, UTEP, and NIU don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into.
Wow all these schools this late in the year having to look for extra games now because of NDSU and Sac St moving up. I wonder how their contracts read with these other schools.
Since it’s 2 schools moving up and disrupting schedules, the disrupted schools could hook up with other ones that were jilted.
@Richard, most of the dates don’t match up for that to take place. NDSU had four FCS games they changed and added in Fordham and Sac State changed out six out of seven and kept the powerhouse Mississippi Valley State. Why all these games were scheduled by Sac State and then they pour out that ridiculous amount out to join the MAC is nuts. Then again, Woody is nuts.
Good for North Dakota State’s athletic department. I’m sure it was a headache getting everything moved, but this is a pretty solid schedule all things considered. I am so pumped to see what North Dakota State will do in the FBS!
I can see 10-2 with this schedule.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
closer to 6-6 than 10-2.
The buffalo ego does arrive before the bull actually walks in though.
You obviously have no idea how good North Dakota State is. 10-2 is completely reasonable. 12-0 wouldn’t shock me.
North Dakota State is going to succeed in FBS.