North Dakota State Bison: A Football Dynasty's Rise to the FBS
The North Dakota State Bison football program, representing North Dakota State University, has established itself as a dominant force in college football. From their humble beginnings as the NDAC Farmers to their current status as a multiple-time NCAA Division I FCS National Champion, the Bison have a rich history marked by consistent success and a relentless pursuit of excellence. This article delves into the program's history, its remarkable achievements, and its recent decision to transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Early Years and Formation
The North Dakota State Bison fielded their first team in 1894 and were originally known as the NDAC Farmers. The first coach for the new NDAC football team was Henry Bolley, who also fielded the first football program at Purdue University in 1887 and was their first Quarterback. He challenged the University of North Dakota to a football match in 1890, but did not have enough players until 1894, the first official year of football at NDSU. From the early 1900s to 1921, the nickname of the school then known as North Dakota Agricultural College was the Aggies. In 1902, Eddie Cochems, known as the father of the forward pass was hired as head coach of the Bison where he experimented building an offense around his new technique; which subsequently became legal in the 1906 college football season; Cochems went 9-1 in his two-year stint as head coach. The college hired famed Michigan halfback Paul Magoffin, the first player to ever catch a forward pass in 1907, as head coach, but he left for the head coaching position offered to him by George Washington University a year later. The 1918 season was canceled due to the outbreak of the Spanish Flu in conjunction with the first World War. The 1943 and 1944 seasons were also canceled due to World War II and the shortage of eligible players.
The Bison Mascot
Keeping with their Michigan favoritism, the NDAC hired Stanley Borleske in 1919 to coach the football, basketball, and baseball teams. After six years of on and off coaching. and a 36-36-7 record, Borleske left for Fresno State but is largely credited with developing the Bison mascot. It was well known he was not a fan of the "Aggies" mascot, wanting something 'strong and fierce' he came up with the 'Bison' which remains the mascot today.
Conference Affiliations and Rivalries
In 1921, NDSU became a charter member of the now-defunct North Central Conference, which they remained affiliated with for 82 years until 2003. Their primary rival during this time were the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux (now the Fighting Hawks) whom they competed with to win the Nickel Trophy.
In 2004, all North Dakota State athletic teams moved to Division I. From 2004 to 2007, the Bison were members of the Great West Football Conference. Since 2008 they have been affiliated with the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Since moving to Division I, their primary rival are the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits whom they compete with each year for the Dakota Marker.
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A Coaching Legacy
The team's former head coach was Craig Bohl, who led the Bison from 2003 to 2013. Bohl holds the school record for most wins by a head coach, going 104-32 in his tenure at NDSU. Bohl's successor Chris Klieman went 69-6 in his five seasons (2014-2018). During the Bison's successful run to the 2018 FCS title, Klieman was named as the successor to the retiring Bill Snyder as head coach at Kansas State, though both schools agreed that Klieman would remain at NDSU while the Bison were involved in the FCS playoffs.
Dominance in FCS
Since 2011, the North Dakota State Bison have a record of 186-21 (.899) which included a record 22-game playoff win streak, making them the most successful college football program in Division I FCS in the last two decades. The Bison are 239-48 (.833) since moving to Division I in 2004. Since 1964, the Bison have had only three losing seasons and an overall record of 588-145-4 (.801) through that 58-year span, one of the best in all of college football. Among FCS programs, North Dakota State has more all-time program wins than any non-Ivy League program, over 750. Of all teams established after 1894, only Oklahoma has won a higher percentage of its games than NDSU.
Collectively, the Bison have won 37 conference championships, and 18 national championships. They were selected as NCAA College Division II champions by polling three times (1965, 1968, 1969), won the NCAA Division II National Football Championship five times (1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990), and have won the NCAA Division I Football Championship ten times in fourteen seasons (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024). The 2019 Bison are the first of any Division I team since 1894 Yale to finish 16-0. From 2012 to 2014, the Bison had a formerly FCS record of 33 straight wins (which is tied for the third longest in modern NCAA history).
National Recognition and ESPN's College GameDay
The NDSU Bison are the only FCS program to ever be ranked higher than #34 in the AP National Football Poll. After the 2012 season, the Bison again broke the barrier and became the first-ever FCS team to breach the poll twice by receiving 1 vote and ending at #36 in the nation. Due to the overwhelming support and attention NDSU got during this run, ESPN announced that it would host its ESPN College GameDay program in downtown Fargo on September 21, 2013. The Bison ended up beating Delaware State 51-0 later that day. The Bison finished the 2013 regular season with an undefeated 11-0 record, their first perfect season since 1990. The Bison became the first FCS team to ever finish the regular season ranked on the AP Poll at #34 with 1 vote.
In 2014, after beating their 5th consecutive FBS team, Iowa State, and their subsequent game against Weber State; which was their 26th straight victory, ESPN again announced they would bring College GameDay back to downtown Fargo on September 13, 2014, to cover the Bison's amazing run for the second straight year.
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Undefeated Seasons and Championship Runs
The 2013 team also had a perfect 15-0 season, becoming the first program to do that since Marshall in 1996. They won their third consecutive national championship, tying an FCS record. A majority of the starters played in all 3 national championship games and went 43-2 in their three-year stint, a number unrivaled in Division I FCS football. The Bison only lost 2 games in the three-year span by a combined 6 points.
After the 2013 season, the Bison were ranked #29 in the National Division I AP Poll, tallying a massive 17 votes, far beyond what any other FCS team had ever received. Through 2013, the Bison outscored their opponents by a combined 581-169 (+412) on the season. Only two other teams in FCS history have had a larger point spread through a season, 1996 Marshall (+448) and 1999 Georgia Southern (+485).
NDSU went 15-0 for the second time in school history and had only one game all season decided by less than one touchdown (the Dakota Marker matchup against #3 South Dakota State). NDSU captured their seventh title in eight years, defeating Eastern Washington 38-24 on January 9, 2019. It was also Chris Klieman's fourth title in five years. The 2018 Bison defeated opponents by an average score of 41.5 - 12.6, good for a score differential of 28.9 points. The season saw quarterback Easton Stick finish his college career with a record of 49-3, the highest win total for any quarterback in FCS history.
Ground-and-Pound Strategy and Defensive Prowess
Unlike the Marshall and Georgia Southern teams, NDSU's defense held their opponents to just 127 points in the regular season (11.5 ppg) and just 11 points on average through the playoffs that year. NDSU won its playoff games with an average margin of victory of 32.75 points, which just falls behind the 1996 Marshall team, which averaged a 34-point spread. In 2013, the Bison tallied three shutouts, and held nine teams to 10 points or less, including a streak of nine consecutive quarters without allowing a point.
The offense was known for a ground-and-pound strategy, which wore opponents down and controlled the time of possession. The team averaged over 34 minutes of possession per game, while allowing an average of just 250 yards of opposing offense. In the 12 playoff games they played from 2011 to 2013, they allowed an average of 9.3 points per game, an FCS record. The only playoff loss the seniors experienced in their four-year career was the 38-31 overtime loss at eventual champion Eastern Washington in 2010 in the FCS quarterfinals.
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Winning Streaks and Playoff Dominance
The Bison won an FCS record 33 straight games from 2012 to 2014, which is also the third longest in the history of Division I NCAA football. From 2010 to 2014, the Bison did not lose a single road game, a span of 22 games. They also had a winning streak of 26 home games (2012-2015) and have a record streak of 22 wins in the FCS playoffs.
North Dakota State appeared in a total of 16 NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, all of which were consecutive. The Bison hold an overall record of 51-6 in postseason play since becoming eligible in 2008, including a record streak of 22 consecutive playoff wins from 2011 to 2016. The Bison have won more Division I FCS playoff games than any other program (past or present). NDSU has won 10 national championship games, lost 1 and have advanced to the quarterfinal round in every playoff they have appeared in except one.
Recent Seasons and Coaching Changes
2015 would start with a surprise loss to #13 Montana broadcast nationally on ESPN; however, the season would extend both the MVFC and National Championship runs to five consecutive titles ,culminating in a 37-10 national title game against Jacksonville State. 2016 brought about one of the high points in Bison football history when, in week three, NDSU defeated #13 ranked Iowa on the road. Despite the impressive win, 2016 would be the worst season for the team since 2010. Not only would the team have the fewest wins since 2010 (12), they also lost the Dakota Marker for the first time since 2009. 2017 would be a return to form for NDSU, where only two games all season were decided by one possession, the best mark since the 2013 season. On December 15, NDSU became the only team in FCS history to make 7 consecutive semifinal appearances in the playoffs.
Before the semifinal matchup against South Dakota State, Klieman was hired by former Bison athletic director Gene Taylor to lead the Kansas State Wildcats. On March 4, 2019, President Donald Trump hosted the NDSU football team at the White House. The Bison started the 2019 season with 57-10 victory over Butler in front of record-breaking "home" crowd of 34,544 at Minneapolis's Target Field. 2019 saw the first game against in-state rival North Dakota since 2015. On October 20, 2019, it was announced that ESPN would be bringing their College GameDay program to Brookings, South Dakota to cover the Dakota Marker featuring #3 South Dakota State and #1 North Dakota State. The Bison defeated SDSU 23-16.
On May 2, 2021, the NDSU Bison, under Entz, ended a three-championship win streak by losing 24-20 to Sam Houston State University in the quarterfinals of the 2020 FCS playoffs. On October 2, 2021, the NDSU Bison played in-state rival North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks for the first time since 2003, with NDSU and UND, respectively, ranked 5th and 10th at the time. The Bison won this matchup, 16-10. On November 6, 2021, the 22nd edition of the battle for the Dakota Marker ended with a SDSU victory, 27-19. NDSU was ranked 2nd at the time and SDSU ranked 9th. On January 8, 2022, the Bison played the Montana State Bobcats for the FCS championship. On January 8, 2023, the Bison lost the 2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game to rival South Dakota State, 21-45.
On September 2, 2023, the Bison hosted Eastern Washington in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the first ever college football game to be played at US Bank Stadium. The 2023 season was the first fall season since 2010 that the Bison were unseeded heading in to the playoffs. On December 10, 2023, North Dakota State announced that Entz would be leaving Fargo for the vacant USC linebackers position coach job. He was allowed to finish the 2023 playoff run at NDSU. The Bison would fall at Montana later in the week in double overtime.
On December 21, 2024, North Dakota State defeated arch rival South Dakota State in the FCS semifinals to start their first winning streak over the Jacks since they strung three wins together in 2018 and 2019. On January 6, 2025, the Bison defeated Montana State, 35-32 to win their 10th FCS national championship and 18th national title at any level. On October 25, 2025, the Bison defeated arch-rival South Dakota State in a 38-7 rout to keep the Dakota Marker for the second season in a row, and match their longest streak in the series since 2019. On December 6, 2025, the Bison lost to Illinois State in the 2025 NCAA Division I Second Round to be eliminated from the playoffs. It was their earliest exit from the postseason in the Division I era.
Transition to FBS and the Mountain West Conference
After capturing 10 national championships in the last 15 years at the FCS level, North Dakota State football is making the leap to the FBS, announcing a move from the Missouri Valley Conference to the Mountain West in time for the 2026 season.
Around the beginning of the 2024 season, North Dakota State was rumored to have had conversations with the Mountain West Conference, a conference that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, about the Bison moving into the conference. However, those conversations seemingly went cold for the time being, as both sides would distance themselves from the conversation publicly.
NDSU will challenge the NCAA’s rule that requires a team to complete two transitional seasons at the FBS level before being eligible to play in the postseason-both the College Football Playoff and bowl games. The current rules have been in place since the early 2000s when the two levels were still known as Division I-A and I-AA. In response from a challenge by James Madison in 2023, NCAA president Charlie Baker wrote, “The Division I Board of Directors and council believe clear standards and timelines for reclassification processes will promote strategic membership growth and allow for a uniform experience for all reclassifying institutions.”
To North Dakota State athletic director Matt Larsen, the rule doesn’t reflect the modern era of college athletics, with the advent of NIL, revenue sharing and the transfer portal. “It’s a very antiquated rule,” Larsen told CBS Sports. “A lot of things have changed in our industry, and you could argue that's an overly punitive rule now.”
In response to the idea that the transition period allows programs to build up to FBS contention, including the rise in scholarships for a football program from 63 at the FCS level to 85, Larsen says that recent programs to make the same jump as the Bison have proven that the transition period is no longer necessary. “I would argue whether I'm spending $5 million on football or $50 million on football, if my team is good enough, that shouldn’t matter,” Larsen said. “… If you’re truly trying to allow that program to be the most successful they can be, well, let them compete for championships. That’s going to help keep your players and maintain your roster.”
Even without a rule change, there is a pathway for North Dakota State to make a bowl game in 2026-27, albeit one that requires the Bison to get some help. Delaware and Missouri State, two teams that transitioned up in ‘25, both made bowl games as there were not enough eligible teams to fill 82 bowl spots. That would not, however, give NDSU a pathway towards the College Football Playoff in the event that the Bison immediately establish themselves as the top Group of 6 program.
Financial Considerations for the FBS Move
NDSU faces a new reality with NIL amid a move up to the FBS, but the Bison won’t follow suit with one new conference opponent. Hawaii recently asked the state House Finance committee for $5 million for NIL funding, and NDSU insider Jeff Kolpack of the Fargo Forum wrote that sort of thing won’t happen in North Dakota. That’s despite the increased costs for NDSU moving to FBS with the $12.5 million Mountain West Conference entrance fee and the $5 million NCAA fee for the FBS move.
NDSU’s Progress Financially Amid FBS Move. Kolpack made it clear that the Bison are making headway financially in the high-priced move to the FBS, especially with Team Makers, a non-profit organization the has supported Bison athletics since the 1950s. “NDSU is off to a good start, with Team Makers booster group saying around $25 million toward the FBS move was tentatively raised in a two- to four-week period preceding the Mountain West announcement,” Kolpack wrote.
James Madison's Success as a Roadmap
Another recent addition to the FBS ranks, 2025 College Football Playoff participant James Madison, found itself in a similar place just a few years ago. JMU made its jump to the FBS and Sun Belt Conference in 2022, and the Curt Cignetti-led Dukes found immediate success, going 8-3 with a 6-2 league record, good enough to put them atop the East Division.Cignetti’s team took a step forward from that impressive debut in 2023, winning its first nine games of the season, a start that would have had the program firmly in the mix for a College Football Playoff berth, though their postseason ineligibility kept the Dukes from being included in the selection committee’s rankings while they entered the AP and Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings. As a result, James Madison embarked on a mid-season push to change the NCAA rules, the same charge North Dakota State now makes ahead of its first FBS season. Two years later, the postseason exclusions hardly blunted James Madison’s impressive move to the top of the Group of 6 ranks. After Cignetti’s departure for Indiana, the Dukes fell back to 9-4 (4-4) in their first year under Bob Chesney, but won their bowl game debut against Western Kentucky in the Boca Raton Bowl. And in 2025 JMU posted a miraculous 12-2 record, reaching the College Football Playoff as a second G6 program in the field, the main beneficiary of Duke’s ACC championship upset of Virginia. North Dakota State likely sees JMU’s success as a roadmap for its own jump to the FBS ranks after years of speculation, but the Bison don’t intend to wait two years to prove themselves in December and beyond.
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