North Dakota State, the most successful football program at the FCS level, will move up to the FBS, joining the Mountain West Conference ahead of the 2026 season. In totality, the move will cost the university $17 million, with a Mountain West entrance fee of $12 million in addition to the $5 million that it now costs for programs to move up in the NCAA, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger previously reported on talks between the two sides, stating that the eight-figure entrance fee was a major negotiation point.

The Bison have been a force at every level in which they’ve competed on the gridiron. The program won eight national championships at the Division II level from 1965 to 1990. NDSU jumped to Division I and the FCS football level in 2004, claiming its first national title at that level in 2011. It was the first of five consecutive FCS national titles for the Bison, who would add to the trophy case in ‘17, ‘18, ‘19, ‘21 and ‘24.

Alongside rivals like North Dakota, South Dakota, South Dakota State and this year’s upstart Illinois State, North Dakota State helped make the Missouri Valley Conference one of the most competitive in college football. Now, they’ll look to take a leap as member of the Mountain West, a league looking to establish an identity after losing many of its most impressive members to the rebuilding Pac-12 conference. Adding a dynastic program like the Bison, who have proven they can compete with FBS programs numerous times over the last few years, is a solid step forward.

The move is expected to be a football-only jump for North Dakota State, with the rest of the Bison programs expected to remain in the Summit League.

How the Mountain West Conference football membership looks with addition of North Dakota State

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NDSU will become the 10th football-playing member of the Mountain West, joining eight existing programs and Northern Illinois, which has a similar arrangement after leaving the MAC and parking the rest of its sports in the Horizon League. With many of the Mountain West’s existing members leaving for the Pac-12, here is what the league looked like in 2025, and what league membership will be in ‘26.

(Teams in italics are leaving for the Pac-12, teams in bold are new additions for 2026, * indicates football-only members.)

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2025	2026
Air Force	Air Force
Boise State Advertisement	Hawai’i
Colorado State	Nevada
Fresno State	New Mexico Advertisement
Hawai’i	North Dakota State*
Nevada	Northern Illinois*
New Mexico Advertisement	San José State
San Diego State	UNLV
San José State	UTEP Advertisement
UNLV	Wyoming
Utah State
Wyoming

UTEP is the only school joining as a full-time member from a different FBS league, leaving Conference USA—its home since 2005—to join the Mountain West.

What Pac-12 membership will look like in 2026 after poaching from the Mountain West

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The Pac-12 was hollowed out by the last major round of conference realignment. The Big Ten was the initial aggressor, grabbing UCLA and USC and later Oregon and Washington. The Big 12 added Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah in the wake of those moves, while Cal and Stanford made the geographically confounding jump to the ACC.

Oregon State and Washington State, sitting on a pile of exit fee money from their former conferencemates, reformed the Pac-12, with the league to be reborn as a Group of 6 conference in 2026. Most of the new members come from the MWC, but the Pac-12 also added fast-growing Texas State from the Sun Belt and brings in basketball power Gonzaga as a non-football-playing member.

(Teams in bold are new additions for 2026, * indicates basketball-only member.)

2026 Pac-12 membership
Boise State Advertisement
Colorado State
Fresno State
Gonzaga*
Oregon State
San Diego State Advertisement
Texas State
Utah State
Washington State

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Other affiliate Pac-12 members for non-revenue sports as of 2026 include Arkansas-Little Rock, Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield and Northern Illinois (men’s wrestling), Dallas Baptist (baseball) and Southern Utah (women’s gymnastics).

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The western part of South Dakota tends to get the most attention from visitors to the region. After all, from the natural wonders of the Needles Highway to the wild road trip destination of the Badlands National Park, there’s a lot to see and do in this part of the Mount Rushmore State. But those who decide to visit the southeast find friendly small towns, pretty scenery, and far fewer crowds. The city of Elk Point is one such spot you may want to add to your itinerary for its history, camping, and a walkable Main Street filled with interesting local businesses.

Derek Tuttle, the City Administrator, tells Southeast South Dakota Tourism that “Elk Point is a close-knit, family-friendly community” with an exceptional quality of life. Herrity Real Estate notes the city’s charm and highlights that Progressive Farmer found it one of the “best places to live in rural America.” And, since it’s just a 25-minute drive from the affordable Iowa destination of Sioux City, it’s easy to access the amenities and facilities of a larger metropolis should you want to take a break from the quieter small town experience.

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Explore Elk Point’s local businesses and campground

One of the highlights of Elk Point is the local businesses you find clustered around the town’s Main Street. Blue Tequila, a Mexican restaurant that serves up tasty classics like enchiladas, tacos, and burritos, boasts a 4.7-star rating on Google. Just across the street you’ll find Union Bean & Co., a coffee shop that also has an ice cream bar (be sure to note that the hours are geared towards breakfast and lunch, as it closes no later than 1 p.m.). Essential businesses like the local supermarket, Jones’ Foods Center, and Lewis Family Drug, Elk Point’s pharmacy, are also within walking distance.

The Elk Point campground is another great spot to visit. Located in the city park, about a ten-minute walk from Main Street, there are 23 sites here, along with a volleyball court, picnic shelters, fire pits, a bathhouse, a kids’ playground, and a disc golf course on site. One Google review described it as a “beautiful park that is well thought out,” a sentiment that was echoed by another reviewer who stated that the campsite is “so beautiful.” The campground is open from May 1 to October 1.

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Discover the history of Elk Point

Elk Point was named after the Lewis and Clark expedition, which camped here in 1804 and noticed many signs of elk in the area. Following the death of the sergeant, the men voted to elect a new leader, Sergeant Patrick Gass. Per the National Park Service, the “election at Elk Point [was] the first U.S. election held west of the Mississippi River.” You can view a historic marker denoting this spot right by the campground.

For more historic attractions, visit the beehive brick kiln near the Charles Murtha House. The kiln was used for making bricks that were utilized in building developments around southeast South Dakota. A number of houses from the town’s early history remain standing today as well, including one that was built by First Lieutenant Michael Hoffman, who found himself amongst the town’s residents after he escaped from a Confederate P.O.W. camp.

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The closest airport to Elk Point is Sioux Gateway Airport; with daily non-stop flights to Denver and Chicago, it’s about a 30-minute drive from here to Elk Point. The largest major international airport, Des Moines International Airport, is a 3.5-hour drive away. If you don’t want to camp at the city campground, the most convenient accommodation in town is the Hometowne Inn, a locally owned motel with a 4.4-star rating on Google; a number of reviewers highlight the property’s cleanliness and helpful staff.

South Dakota State and South Dakota meet on Saturday at 5 p.m. inside First Bank & Trust Arena. The Jackrabbits and Coyotes compete in a matchup as a part of the Interstate Series, presented by First Interstate Bank. 

The Jackrabbits have split their two games as a part of a three-game home stand so far. SDSU defeated Oral Roberts last Saturday 95-72, but fell to St. Thomas on Wednesday 77-62. SDSU is 11-13 overall and 4-4 in Summit League play. 

SDSU has been led in Summit League competition by Joe Sayler who averages 18.1 points. He’s now scored double digits in eight of nine games including a team-high 16 last time out against the Tommies. Sayler is followed in scoring during league play by Damon Wilkinson (14.4), Jaden Jackson (12.6), Kalen Garry (10.6) and Matthew Mors (9.6). 

The Coyotes enter Saturday’s contest with a 13-12 overall record and sit 5-5 in conference action. South Dakota has played into overtime in each of its last two games. The Yotes nearly came back from down double digits to North Dakota State on Jan. 31, but eventually lost to the Bison 89-84. South Dakota rallied from multiple deficits late this past Wednesday at Kansas City to beat the Roos, 82-75.

South Dakota was led by Isaac Bruns in scoring in the opening five conference games, averaging 20.8 points, before a season-ending injury. The Yotes have an active trio that score in double digits which includes Jordan Crawford (17.7), Cameron Fens (17.5) and Uzziah Buntyn (15.1). Fens also averages a league-best 10.4 rebounds. 

The Jackrabbits have a 141-97-1 all-time record over the Coyotes. SDSU won both meetings a season ago to extend its winning streak over USD to 10. That stretch is the longest by either team in the series, topping a previous best span of nine straight wins by South Dakota State that ran from 1920-23. 

SDSU has won 24 of the last 30 matchups heading into Saturday. The Jacks are 18-2 in Brookings against the Yotes during the 21st century. SDSU’s last loss against USD in Brookings came during the 2020-21 season.

COVERAGE INFORMATION

The contest between the Jackrabbits and Coyotes will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network. Streaming options are available depending on television provider.  Live stats for the game are available on GoJacks.com. Every SDSU men’s basketball game can be heard on the Jackrabbit Sports Network, at GoJacks.com.watch or on the Varsity App. To keep up with the Jackrabbits, follow along with the program on their social media accounts @GoJacksMBB or visit GoJacks.com. 

-GoJacks.com-