North Dakota State in talks to join Mountain West: FCS powerhouse could join league for football in 2026

North Dakota State and the Mountain West Conference are engaged in deep discussions on a deal that would bring the FCS powerhouse into the conference as a football-only member starting this fall, a source familiar with the negotiations told CBS Sports on Friday.

A deal had not been finalized as of Friday night, but progress was being made toward an agreement that would elevate North Dakota State to the FBS level. Such a move would require a negotiated entry fee paid to the Mountain West, in addition to the NCAA's $5 million FBS transition fee. The size of the Mountain West's entry fee remains under discussion, a source said.

If completed, the move would mark one of the most significant FCS-to-FBS transitions in recent history. North Dakota State has won 10 national championships since 2011, including its most recent title in 2024. They are 9-5 all-time against FBS opponents, with five wins over power conference programs.

The program has publicly signaled its desire to move to the FBS level in recent months under athletic director Matt Larsen and outgoing university president David Cook, who is set to become president at Iowa State University on March 1. Cook's final day at North Dakota State is Sunday, potentially setting the stage for a notable final act.

Larsen said last month that the school's interest in exploring FBS membership was "as strong as it's ever been."

"I would say in terms of our position, I think both myself and president Cook, we want to play at the highest level," Larsen said on "Hot Mic with Dom Izzo" on Jan. 22. "And right now, the highest level is FBS football. The things that we've done over the course of the last decade have positioned us to be able to do that. And if there's an opportunity, I think it's something we would absolutely explore. If there's not an opportunity, we're poised to continue competing at FCS at a really, really high level and compete for championships."

At the time, Larsen said the Mountain West had not initiated contact with NDSU. Talks between Mountain West leadership, conference presidents and North Dakota State administrators intensified earlier this week, sources told CBS Sports.

The negotiations come during a pivotal stretch for the Mountain West. The conference announced new media rights agreements this week with CBS Sports, FOX Sports and Kiswe through the 2031-32 season, and added The CW under a five-year deal running through 2030-31.

The league is also preparing for the departures of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State, all of which will join the re-formed Pac-12 next fall. The Mountain West has backfilled those openings with UTEP, UC Davis, and Northern Illinois. Hawaii was added as a football-only member in 2012 but joins in all sports beginning in 2026. Northern Illinois will join as a football-only member in 2026, while UC Davis' football program will remain in the FCS as a member of the Big Sky Conference.

The Mountain West will continue to play an eight-game conference schedule in football next season, a source said. Matchups for the 2026 season were announced in December, though dates have not yet been finalized. Projected schedules that include North Dakota State are now being modeled and would require minor adjustments.

If North Dakota State finalizes a move to the Mountain West, the program would be required to complete a two-year transition period at the FBS level, rendering it ineligible for the College Football Playoff and bowl games in 2026 and 2027. The school could still accept a bowl bid if there are not enough bowl-eligible teams to fill available slots.

There are currently 136 FBS programs. Delaware and Missouri State completed their first full FBS seasons in 2025.