# 2026 North Dakota State Bison football team
The 2026 [North Dakota State Bison football](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-dakota-state-bison-football) team represents [North Dakota State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-dakota-state-university) in the 2026 [NCAA Division I](https://www.edgepedia.org/ncaa-division-i) football season, the program's first year competing at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level and its first season as a football-only member of the Mountain West Conference.[1](https://gobison.com/news/2026/3/9/ndsu-announces-2026-football-schedule) The Bison entered the season as the reigning FCS national champions, having won 10 FCS titles between 2011 and 2024, most recently the 2024 championship under head coach Tim Polasek.[2](https://www.ncaa.com/history/football/fcs)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Season context | First FBS season; football-only Mountain West membership effective July 1, 2026[3](https://www.ndsu.edu/news/2026-02-09-ndsu-joining-mountain-west-conference) • [4](https://gobison.com/sports/2026/2/9/fbs-frequently-asked-questions) |
| Head coach | Tim Polasek, who led the Bison to the 2024 FCS national championship[2](https://www.ncaa.com/history/football/fcs) |
| Schedule structure | 12 games: eight Mountain West games, three non-conference games against FBS opponents, and one FCS opponent[1](https://gobison.com/news/2026/3/9/ndsu-announces-2026-football-schedule) |
| Record through October 10 | 5-1 overall, 2-1 in Mountain West play[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) |
| Season opener | August 29 vs. Jacksonville State, W 33-7, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) |
| First conference game | September 12 at Air Force, W 38-32[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) |
| Television | 10 nationally televised games announced May 27, 2026[6](https://gobison.com/news/2026/5/27/football-bison-slated-for-10-national-tv-games-in-2026) |
## Move to the FBS and the Mountain West
On February 9, 2026, North Dakota State announced it had accepted an invitation to join the [Mountain West Conference](https://www.edgepedia.org/mountain-west-conference) as a football-only member, while continuing its multisport membership in the [Summit League](https://www.edgepedia.org/summit-league).[3](https://www.ndsu.edu/news/2026-02-09-ndsu-joining-mountain-west-conference) Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez welcomed the program, saying the conference was thrilled to add NDSU football.[3](https://www.ndsu.edu/news/2026-02-09-ndsu-joining-mountain-west-conference) Membership became effective July 1, 2026, and the Bison began FBS play in fall 2026 with an eight-game Mountain West schedule and four non-conference games.[4](https://gobison.com/sports/2026/2/9/fbs-frequently-asked-questions)
With 10 football-playing members, the Mountain West uses an eight-game conference schedule in which each team misses one league opponent; for NDSU that team is San Jose State, which the Bison instead play as a non-conference opponent to close the regular season.[1](https://gobison.com/news/2026/3/9/ndsu-announces-2026-football-schedule) When the move was announced, the expectation was that the Bison would not be eligible for the Mountain West championship game or postseason play, including the [College Football Playoff](https://www.edgepedia.org/college-football-playoff) or a bowl game, until 2028.[7](https://nevadawolfpack.com/news/2026/2/9/general-nevada-response-to-north-dakota-state-joining-mw-as-football-only-member.aspx)
## Schedule
NDSU announced its 12-game schedule on March 9, 2026. The season opens with back-to-back home games: August 29 against [Conference USA](https://www.edgepedia.org/conference-usa) member Jacksonville State, a rematch of the 2015 FCS championship game, and September 5 against [Patriot League](https://www.edgepedia.org/patriot-league) member Fordham.[1](https://gobison.com/news/2026/3/9/ndsu-announces-2026-football-schedule) The first Mountain West game is September 12 at Air Force, with other conference road games at UNLV (October 10), [New Mexico](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-mexico) (October 24), and Hawaii (November 14).[1](https://gobison.com/news/2026/3/9/ndsu-announces-2026-football-schedule)
**Home conference slate.** Wyoming visits Fargo for the homecoming game on October 3, followed by Nevada on October 17, UTEP on October 31, and Northern Illinois on November 21.[1](https://gobison.com/news/2026/3/9/ndsu-announces-2026-football-schedule) The non-conference portion includes a September 19 game at new [Mid-American Conference](https://www.edgepedia.org/mid-american-conference) member Sacramento State, the first leg of a home-and-home agreement under which the Hornets play in Fargo on September 11, 2027, and the November 28 regular-season finale at San Jose State.[1](https://gobison.com/news/2026/3/9/ndsu-announces-2026-football-schedule)
## Season results
Through games of October 10, 2026, the Bison stood at 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Mountain West play.[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm)
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 29 | vs. Jacksonville State | W 33-7[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) |
| Sep 5 | vs. Fordham | W 38-0[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) |
| Sep 12 | at Air Force | W 38-32[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) |
| Sep 19 | at Sacramento State | W 31-10[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) |
| Oct 3 | vs. Wyoming | W 28-0[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) |
| Oct 10 | at UNLV | L 7-13[8](https://gobison.com/news/2026/10/10/football-unlv-outlasts-north-dakota-state-13-7) |
The opener against Jacksonville State drew 18,573 to the Fargodome, and the Air Force game in Colorado Springs drew 25,970.[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) Through six games the Bison averaged 364.8 yards of total offense per game while holding opponents to 239.3, and outscored them 175 to 62.[5](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm) The first loss came at UNLV, 13-7, dropping NDSU to 5-1 and 2-1 in conference play; the team returned home to host Nevada the following week.[8](https://gobison.com/news/2026/10/10/football-unlv-outlasts-north-dakota-state-13-7)
## Coaching staff
Tim Polasek entered the 2026 season in his third year as head coach.[2](https://www.ncaa.com/history/football/fcs) In February 2025, following offensive coordinator Jake Landry's departure to Iowa State, Polasek announced three staff changes: Dan Larson, on the Bison staff since 2019 and the offensive line coach from 2020 through 2024, was promoted to offensive coordinator coaching the tight ends and fullbacks; Joe Beschorner, at NDSU since January 2021, moved to quarterbacks coach; and Dylan Chmura was hired as offensive line coach after coaching the position at Tennessee State, Bemidji State, and Northern Michigan.[9](https://gobison.com/news/2025/2/27/three-staff-changes-for-bison-football-chmura-hired-as-offensive-line-coach.aspx)
## References
1. [NDSU Announces 2026 Football Schedule, gobison.com](https://gobison.com/news/2026/3/9/ndsu-announces-2026-football-schedule)
2. [FCS Football Championship History, NCAA.com](https://www.ncaa.com/history/football/fcs)
3. [NDSU joining Mountain West Conference, ndsu.edu](https://www.ndsu.edu/news/2026-02-09-ndsu-joining-mountain-west-conference)
4. [FBS Frequently Asked Questions, gobison.com](https://gobison.com/sports/2026/2/9/fbs-frequently-asked-questions)
5. [North Dakota State 2026 Game-by-Game Statistics](https://stats.gobison.com/custompages/fb/2026/teamgbg.htm)
6. [Bison Slated for 10 National TV Games in 2026, gobison.com](https://gobison.com/news/2026/5/27/football-bison-slated-for-10-national-tv-games-in-2026)
7. [Nevada response to North Dakota State joining MW as football-only member, Nevada Athletics](https://nevadawolfpack.com/news/2026/2/9/general-nevada-response-to-north-dakota-state-joining-mw-as-football-only-member.aspx)
8. [UNLV Outlasts North Dakota State, 13-7, gobison.com](https://gobison.com/news/2026/10/10/football-unlv-outlasts-north-dakota-state-13-7)
9. [Three Staff Changes for Bison Football; Chmura Hired as Offensive Line Coach, gobison.com](https://gobison.com/news/2025/2/27/three-staff-changes-for-bison-football-chmura-hired-as-offensive-line-coach.aspx)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Seasons and editions › College soccer seasons*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license