North Dakota State opens Mountain West Conference play for the first time on Saturday at Air Force, and the Bison are going with a fitting look for it.
NDSU announced the team’s uniform combination for Saturday, which will be the team’s green harvest helmets and with white jerseys and green pants. The Bison rolled out the helmet in 2015 as an occasional departure from the team’s traditional gold helmets.
After decades of gold helmets and pants, the Bison began expanding uniform options as an FCS program. It started with green pants in 2005, followed by gold jerseys in 2011.
NDSU wears the harvest helmet with either white, gold or green jerseys. The Bison have rarely lost in the harvest helmets, and the program’s most notable defeat occurred in an FCS championship game against South Dakota State in the 2022 season.
Fortunately, uniform combinations don’t impact how teams really perform, and the Bison are coming into Colorado Springs fresh off two big home wins. That said, the Falcons blew out Duquesne on Sept. 5 in a 34-0 victory, and the Bison expect a tough game on Saturday night to kick off the Mountain West era.
Former Bison Fullback Transporting the Gear
Jedre Cyr once played fullback for the Bison during the FCS dynasty, and now he works with the team in transporting the team’s gear via a semi.
“I enjoy going to the games, the entertainment of getting to watch football,” Cyr told Jeff Kolpack of the Fargo Forum. “It’s a little bit of giving back, just my way to be involved and I enjoy it.”
Cyr is one of many alumni from the FCS dynasty still involved in the program. Kolpack detailed Cyr’s journey and how the Bison are adjusting to the longer trips, especially Hawaii, in an article that can be read here.
Bison Coach Gives Insight on Air Force Approach
The Bison are facing one of the three military service academies in the FBS for the first time ever on Saturday, and those teams play a different but physical brand of football. Life is different for football players attending a service academy such as Air Force, and Bison director of football operations Derrick Luken shared his insights with the team in light of his time with Air Force.
“It really gave an understanding and perspective on what they are and who they are,” Bison linebacker Alex Elliott told the Fargo Forum’s Jeff Kolpack in an article that can be read here.
After all, the cadets at Air Force are living an austere life off the field in training for military service. Kolpack detailed this in a separate article, which can be read here.
“The bond you create with teammates that are doing the same thing as you is something special and that’s what allows us to go into each game having that sense of respect for each other and that pride to go compete and give it your 100%,” Air Force quarterback Liam Szarka told Kolpack.
NDSU Makes Announcement Before Air Force Game