North Dakota State needed a scheduling overhaul with the recent move to the FBS, and it’s going to crystalize sooner than later.
Bison insider Dom Izzo of the Fargo Forum and WDAY reported that he spoke with athletic director Matt Larsen last week regarding scheduling. Larsen told Izzo that, “three of the four non-conference games are done and awfully close on a fourth.”
NDSU already had the Mountain West Conference schedule released last week, but awaits the four open dates for conference games. As for the timing of the non-conference game announcements, Larsen told The Big Mountain podcast that it could land during the first week of March, which Izzo also wrote.
NDSU originally had Incarnate Word, Austin Peay, East Tennessee State, and Central Arkansas on the non-conference schedule before the FBS move. East Tennessee State announced replacing the Bison on the 2026 schedule last week, but the other three had the Bison listed on their respective official website schedules at the time.
The Bison couldn’t get USC on the schedule since the Trojans chose San Jose State as a Zero Week opponent. Overall, NDSU’s move to the FBS in February left few options in non-conference.
Izzo floated predictions on who the Bison will play this season, including forecasted dates for the Mountain West.
Dom Izzo Drops Hints Amid Bison Predictions
For non-conference Izzo predicts the Bison will play Jacksonville State on Aug. 29, possibly UC Davis on Sept. 5, Sacramento State on Sept. 19, and another Group of Six school on Oct. 24.
Jacksonville State is “near-100% accurate” Izzo wrote, based on his information. Now a member of Conference USA, JSU and NDSU would set a rematch of the 2016 FCS championship game but at home in the Fargodome this time. The Gamecocks have reached bowl games each of the past three years and could make a quality kick-off game for the Bison.
For the UC Davis game, Izzo wrote that, “I was told the FCS game would be against an ‘old friend,’ but it’s not a Dakota school” In addition, Izzo noted that it won’t be a former conference rival from the Missouri Valley Football Conference. He noted that NDSU had UC Davis, a Big Sky Conference team, on the schedule before, too.
After NDSU plays a few Mountain West games, Izzo anticipates the Bison will face fellow FBS newcomer Sacramento State. He noted the date because the Hornets had Youngstown State on the schedule originally before the FBS move. Izzo anticipates it will be a home-and-home deal if this one happens.
Lastly, Izzo predicts the Bison will face a team from either CUSA, Sun Belt or MAC. While he didn’t hint at CUSA squad Louisiana Tech being the team, Izzo noted the Bulldogs are in flux with a pending move to the Sun Belt.
“I’m guessing here, but I would anticipate a Bison road game against a school out of these leagues, however this mess gets sorted out,” Izzo wrote.
Mountain West Game Projections
Izzo predicts the Bison will kick off the Mountain West era on the road at Air Force on Sept. 12 since Foo Fighters are performing at the Fargdome that same weekend.
“Bison fans that missed seeing the triple option or the veer will get it in spades with the Falcons, who routinely lead the country in rushing yardage,” Izzo wrote. “It’s one of the bigger stadiums in the Mountain West and should serve as a great opener for the Bison into the Mountain West Conference.”
For the conference home opener, Izzo predicts it will be against Nevada on Sept. 26. Izzo noted that Wolfpack head coach Jeff Choate once coached Montana State and lost twice in Fargo against the Bison during the FCS playoffs in 2018 and 2019.
“The anticipation for this game will be through the roof, signalling a new era for Bison football with its first conference game,” Izzo wrote.
NDSU will then travel to Hawaii, Izzo predicts, for an Oct. 3 game. That would give NDSU an Oct. 10 bye, followed by a unique, new rivalry game on Oct. 17, Izzo anticipates.
That’s the “Craig Bohl Bowl” as Izzo calls it — the game against Wyoming at the dome. Bohl led the Bison to the first three FCS championships between 2011 and 2013 before he bolted for Wyoming, where he coached future Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Bohl has since retired, but Bison and Cowboys fans haven’t forgotten him.
Then, Izzo predicts the Bison will visit New Mexico on Oct. 31, host UTEP on Nov. 14, visit UNLV on Nov. 21, and host Northern Illinois on Nov. 28.
Insider Offers Update on North Dakota State FBS Schedule