North Dakota State head coach Tim Polasek is receiving a big pay raise and the program’s FBS move, and one local columnist is calling it out.
Rob Port of the Fargo Forum voiced his opinion of Polasek’s $1.16 million annual salary on a seven-year contract. Port went on to point out the injustices he’s seeing with the move.
He detailed how Polasek is making more than anyone else in North Dakota higher education, the impact on state tax payers and likely rising tuition for college students. Port’s column can be read here.
Before NDSU’s move up to the FBS, the state had only one other top-level Division I sports program in North Dakota men’s hockey, which made the Frozen Four this year. North Dakota has a state population of 805,300, so taxpayer money is limited to begin with, amid the addition of an FBS program.
NDSU’s Mountain West Conference opponents spend significant money for playing the FBS. UNLV ranked 75th nationally with $190 million spent for 2025, per CNBC.
Running Rebels head coach Dan Mullen is also the highest-paid coach in the conference with $3.5 million annually, per USA Today. Air Force head coach Tory Caulhoun makes $1.55 million and San Jose State head coach Ken Niumatalolo makes $1.5 million as the next two highest-paid coaches.
Polasek’s annual pay notably edges former Bison head coach Matt Entz‘s pay, $1.1 million with Fresno State, a former Mountain West program.
Bison Athletic Director Addresses Tim Polasek’s Salary
NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen addressed Polasek’s salary with Bison insider Jeff Kolpack of the Fargo Forum recently. Polasek will make more than Mountain West coaches from Wyoming, New Mexico, Nevada, Hawaii, UTEP and Northern Illinois.
“It’s consistent with everything that we looked at in making the jump,” Larsen told Kolpack. “It’s about coming in with an opportunity to compete right away with everything from scholarships to support staff to salaries. We feel like it’s a good investment in all those areas.”
NDSU paid $17.5 million combined between the FBS and Mountain West moves with entry fees this year. The rest of Larsen’s interview can be read here.
Tim Polasek Believes the FBS Move Will Benefit NDSU Overall
Polasek believes the football program’s success in the FBS will impact NDSU well beyond the FargoDome walls.
“From a university standpoint, it’s about enrollment,” Polasek told Bison Illustrated. “Does this attract a different level of faculty member? Does this attract a different type of student? Do we get into some areas where we become attractive to students we weren’t before?”
“And from a fan standpoint, I think about the game day environment,” he added. “How exciting is it for a fan base to know you could have a JMU, Sam Houston State, Georgia Southern back on the schedule as home-and-homes? We could potentially play some of those teams that have moved up and renew some classic big games.”
NDSU played JMU and Sam Houston in past FCS championship games, and the Bison had a dramatic FCS semifinal game with Georgia Southern in 2012. JMU notably made the College Football Playoff last year, where the Bison hope to go sooner than later.
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