NDSU Joins MWC for Football 2026

[Chex]

I honestly didn’t think NDSU would pass up being the big fish in the FCS pond. I think Weber State could have made a pitch to try and join the MWC but the current administration is a show up and collect a paycheck.

I do like FCS and playoffs for football, but the Wildcats might want elevate to survive.

 

[talhadfoursteals]

Something the MW would never do, but wouldn't it be awesome to have a Big Sky/MW challenge? Especially once the schools in the current MW leave to reform the now Midmajor PAC 12. Good grief, I'd love a Big Sky/Pac whatever challenge. Neither never would. Too many schools would lose to Big Sky programs.

 

[Chex]

Something the MW would never do, but wouldn't it be awesome to have a Big Sky/MW challenge? Especially once the schools in the current MW leave to reform the now Midmajor PAC 12. Good grief, I'd love a Big Sky/Pac whatever challenge. Neither never would. Too many schools would lose to Big Sky programs.

I’d love to see that too, but that’s not going to happen. I think Weber State was one play from beating Wyoming twice and a blocked FG at Colorado State. There was also the rescue job at San Diego State…so I’m sure these teams don’t want to schedule conference-wide agreements. Idaho State gave UNLV all it could handle this year and Northern Colorado basically blew a win at Colorado State.

It will be interesting to see NDSU in the MWC along with Northern Illinois and UTEP. The new look PAC will be different, too.

 

[talhadfoursteals]

I’d love to see that too, but that’s not going to happen. I think Weber State was one play from beating Wyoming twice and a blocked FG at Colorado State. There was also the rescue job at San Diego State…so I’m sure these teams don’t want to schedule conference-wide agreements. Idaho State gave UNLV all it could handle this year and Northern Colorado basically blew a win at Colorado State.

It will be interesting to see NDSU in the MWC along with Northern Illinois and UTEP. The new look PAC will be different, too.

Personally, I feel it is only a matter of time before the MW, New look PAC, and Big Sky are all playing football at the same level. The bowl system is the only thing holding it up. Weirdly, NDSU is paying $17M to make the jump. I'm not sure this is the wisest move by the Bison (NDSU's total athletic budget 2024 was: $30.5M), but who am I.

As an aside, James Madison's students pay around $1,900 in student fees (just fees) per semester. Most go directly to athletics for the right to get their backsides kicked by Oregon. JMU used 55M of student fees for their athletic department in 2024. That cannot be a long term solution. As a comparison, Weber's students pay roughly $500 per year and around $74 of that goes to athletics.