North Dakota State is eligible for postseason play in 2026

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North Dakota State fans rejoice. The NCAA Division I cabinet voted to repeal the rule that effectively barred teams transitioning from FCS to FBS from playing in a bowl game in their first season.

This means that the newest member of the FBS and MWC will be eligible to make a bowl game this upcoming season.

The rule was originally put into place to dissuade schools from making the jump to FBS. However, with the increase in bowls and the decrease in eligible teams, the rule quickly became unpopular.

It became more scrutinized during the 2023 season, when the James Madison team that went 11-1 and only made a bowl game due to a lack of eligible teams.

The Bison have a shot to become the first school to play in the FCS and FBS playoffs in back-to-back years. They were an FCS powerhouse, winning 10 national championships since 2011, with nine wins over FBS teams since 2004 to add to their resume. Now, North Dakota State will test its program’s talent and reputation against a higher level of competition. They are expected to be one of the better teams in the Mountain West in the 2026 season. While they are far from a lock to reach the MW title game, now that they are allowed to play, it could make things interesting. The Bison are a great bet to make a bowl game this season.

North Dakota State kicks off the 2026 season on August 29th when they host Jacksonville State. They start MWC play on September 12th with a visit to Air Force.

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