Saturday, August 29
Fargo, N.D.
4:30 p.m.
North Dakota State
vs
Jacksonville State
Photo by: Zachary Lucy
North Dakota State Kicks Off FBS Era Saturday Hosting Jacksonville State
8/26/2026 12:25:00 PM | Football
THIS WEEK: Six months and 20 days after announcing a reclassification to the Football Bowl Subdivision and accepting an invitation to join the Mountain West Conference, the North Dakota State football team opens its first season at the FBS level this Saturday, Aug. 29, when the Bison host Conference USA member Jacksonville State in the annual Trees Bowl game sponsored by the North Dakota Forest Service. Game time is 4:30 p.m. CT at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700).
TICKETS: Tickets may be purchased online at GoBison.com/tickets or by calling the Bison Ticket Office in the south lobby of the Sanford Health Athletic Complex at (701) 231-6378 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Game day ticket sales, if available, begin 5 hours prior to game time in the east lobby of the Fargodome.
TELEVISION: Saturday's game will be televised on CBS Sports Network with play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz, analysts Brian Kelly and Adam Breneman, and reporter Jordan Giorgio.
RADIO: Statewide network coverage on all 25 stations across the Pioneer Seeds Bison Sports Network begins at 3:30 p.m. CT including Bison 1660 and 107.9 The Fox in Fargo with Sam Neidermann (play-by-play), Phil Hansen (analyst) and Noah Gindorff (sideline) describing the action. Streaming is available on GoBison.com/allaccess and the NDSU Athletics mobile app. Saturday's game can also be heard on SiriusXM 380 and the SiriusXM app.
COACHES SHOW: Fans are invited to join NDSU head coach Tim Polasek each Thursday night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for the Bison Football Coaches Show live from Holiday Inn Fargo with host Sam Neidermann and other NDSU coaches and players. Watch the show on MW+ or listen on Bison 1660 in Fargo, KCJB-AM 910 in Minot, KSJB-AM 600 in Jamestown, KYCR-AM 1440 in Minneapolis, GoBison.com and the NDSU Athletics mobile app.
MW+ STREAMING: Visit GoBison.com/MW+ and subscribe to MW+ to watch live Bison press conferences, weekly episodes of The Bison Football Show, and other featured content and live games from around the Mountain West Conference including NDSU's home games vs. Fordham and UTEP. Sign up with the code WELCOME15 to save 15% on an annual subscription.
STRIPE OUT: Saturday's season opener is a "Stripe Out" and fans attending the game at the Fargodome are asked to wear yellow in odd-numbered seating sections and green in even-numbered seating sections.
TREES BOWL: Fans attending Saturday's game may receive a tree seedling while supplies last, compliments of the North Dakota Forest Service. Trees will be handed out at stadium exits following the game. NDSU has a 32-3 record in the Trees Bowl, which was established in 1990. The Bison have won 17 straight including a 41-14 victory over Southeast Missouri State in last year's home opener.
HOME OPENERS: North Dakota State has a 101-22-5 record in the first home game of the season, including a 41-14 win over Southeast Missouri State in the 2025 Trees Bowl game. NDSU has won 27 straight home openers since a 23-21 loss to Emporia State in 1998.
SEASON OPENERS: This is the 130th season-opening game for the Bison. NDSU is 91-32-6 and has won 9 of the last 10 openers including a 38-0 victory at The Citadel last season.
THE SERIES: Jacksonville State holds a 2-1 edge in the all-time series with North Dakota State. The teams met twice in the Division II playoffs with Jax State winning 31-7 in the 1977 semifinals and 21-17 in the 1989 quarterfinals. NDSU won the most recent meeting 37-10 for the 2015 FCS national championship. This is Jax State's first trip to Fargo.
FBS SUCCESS FOR JAX STATE: The Gamecocks have won nine games each of their first three FBS seasons, including a 9-5 record last year and a 17-13 victory in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl. Jax State went 7-1 in CUSA each of the past two seasons after a 6-2 league debut in 2023, went to three straight bowls, hosted two straight CUSA title games and won the 2024 championship.
FCS ERA BY THE NUMBERS: North Dakota State competed in the Football Championship Subdivision for 22 seasons from 2004 through 2025, spending the past 18 years in the Missouri Valley Football Conference after four years in the Great West Football Conference while reclassifying from Division II. Here are the final numbers from NDSU's FCS era:
— Overall record: 251-49 (.837)
— Record since 2011: 198-22 (.900)
— 13 conference championships (12 MVFC, 1 GWFC)
— 10 national championships (FCS record)
— 16 consecutive postseason appearances
— 51-6 in playoffs (FCS record for wins)
— 38-2 in playoffs at home
— 39-game winning streak (FCS record)
— 33-game winning streak (2nd in FCS)
— 9-5 record vs. FBS opponents
— 26 weeks of AP Top 25 votes
— 21 NFL draft picks (14 in past 8 years)
18 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: North Dakota State has won 18 football national championships. NDSU claimed three College Division national championships in 1965, 1968 and 1969 via the national polls, five Division II playoff titles in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990, and was the first team in college football history to win five straight national titles with FCS crowns in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 before winning again in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024. The Bison lost to the eventual national champion in the 2010 and 2020 quarterfinals and 2016 semifinals.
CONFERENCE CHAMPS: NDSU won 12 conference championships in 18 years of Missouri Valley Football Conference membership, including the 2024 and 2025 titles. Overall, the Bison have 39 conference championships counting 26 at the Division II level in the North Central Conference and its first FCS title in 2006 as a member of the Great West Football Conference.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: North Dakota State is 91-6 against non-conference opponents since the beginning of its first FCS national championship season in 2011. Two losses were to FBS opponents (31-28 at Arizona in 2021 and 31-26 at Colorado in 2024) and two were in the playoffs to the eventual national champion (27-17 to James Madison in 2016 and 24-20 at Sam Houston State in 2020-21). Montana's 31-29 double-overtime win in the 2023 FCS semifinals and 38-35 victory in the 2015 FCS Kickoff are NDSU's only other non-conference losses the past 13 years.
BISON AT HOME: The Bison have a 205-30 all-time record in the Fargodome since 1993, including 36-5 against FCS Top 10 ranked teams and 78-1 against FCS non-conference teams. North Dakota State had a 38-2 record in the Fargodome during the FCS playoffs and the Bison's 32-game home winning streak September 2017 through April 2021 is fifth longest in FCS history.
PRESEASON PICKS: NDSU return specialist Jackson Williams was named Mountain West Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year and claimed two spots on the preseason team as kick returner and punt returner. Other NDSU selections were offensive lineman Griffin Empey, defensive tackle Keenan Wilson and safety Darius Givance. Additionally, Williams and Empey were named to the HERO Sports G6 Preseason All-America second team and Wilson was third team.
BEDNARIK AWARD: NDSU defensive tackle Keenan Wilson was named to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award, presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football since 1994. Wilson was an FCS All-American last year starting all 13 games and posting 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.
PAUL HORNUNG AWARD: NDSU return specialist Jackson Williams was named to the preseason watch list for the 17th annual Paul Hornung Award, presented to the most versatile player in major college football. Williams was one of three players in all of Division I last season to have both a kick return touchdown and a punt return touchdown. He totaled 1,106 all-purpose yards.
MAXWELL AWARD: NDSU running back DJ Scott made the preseason watch list for the 90th Maxwell Award, presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Scott headlines the Bison backfield this year after rushing for 502 yards and six touchdowns in 2025.
RETURNING STARTERS: Fifth-year quarterback Nathan Hayes enters his first year as the Bison starter behind an offensive line that returns three starters from last year in Griffin Empey, Nate Tastad and Josh Magin. On defense, the Bison have five starters back including defensive linemen Keenan Wilson and Kelton McCaslin, linebacker Donovan Woolen and safeties Darius Givance and Jaylin Crumby.
TICKETS: Tickets may be purchased online at GoBison.com/tickets or by calling the Bison Ticket Office in the south lobby of the Sanford Health Athletic Complex at (701) 231-6378 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Game day ticket sales, if available, begin 5 hours prior to game time in the east lobby of the Fargodome.
TELEVISION: Saturday's game will be televised on CBS Sports Network with play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz, analysts Brian Kelly and Adam Breneman, and reporter Jordan Giorgio.
RADIO: Statewide network coverage on all 25 stations across the Pioneer Seeds Bison Sports Network begins at 3:30 p.m. CT including Bison 1660 and 107.9 The Fox in Fargo with Sam Neidermann (play-by-play), Phil Hansen (analyst) and Noah Gindorff (sideline) describing the action. Streaming is available on GoBison.com/allaccess and the NDSU Athletics mobile app. Saturday's game can also be heard on SiriusXM 380 and the SiriusXM app.
COACHES SHOW: Fans are invited to join NDSU head coach Tim Polasek each Thursday night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for the Bison Football Coaches Show live from Holiday Inn Fargo with host Sam Neidermann and other NDSU coaches and players. Watch the show on MW+ or listen on Bison 1660 in Fargo, KCJB-AM 910 in Minot, KSJB-AM 600 in Jamestown, KYCR-AM 1440 in Minneapolis, GoBison.com and the NDSU Athletics mobile app.
MW+ STREAMING: Visit GoBison.com/MW+ and subscribe to MW+ to watch live Bison press conferences, weekly episodes of The Bison Football Show, and other featured content and live games from around the Mountain West Conference including NDSU's home games vs. Fordham and UTEP. Sign up with the code WELCOME15 to save 15% on an annual subscription.
STRIPE OUT: Saturday's season opener is a "Stripe Out" and fans attending the game at the Fargodome are asked to wear yellow in odd-numbered seating sections and green in even-numbered seating sections.
TREES BOWL: Fans attending Saturday's game may receive a tree seedling while supplies last, compliments of the North Dakota Forest Service. Trees will be handed out at stadium exits following the game. NDSU has a 32-3 record in the Trees Bowl, which was established in 1990. The Bison have won 17 straight including a 41-14 victory over Southeast Missouri State in last year's home opener.
HOME OPENERS: North Dakota State has a 101-22-5 record in the first home game of the season, including a 41-14 win over Southeast Missouri State in the 2025 Trees Bowl game. NDSU has won 27 straight home openers since a 23-21 loss to Emporia State in 1998.
SEASON OPENERS: This is the 130th season-opening game for the Bison. NDSU is 91-32-6 and has won 9 of the last 10 openers including a 38-0 victory at The Citadel last season.
THE SERIES: Jacksonville State holds a 2-1 edge in the all-time series with North Dakota State. The teams met twice in the Division II playoffs with Jax State winning 31-7 in the 1977 semifinals and 21-17 in the 1989 quarterfinals. NDSU won the most recent meeting 37-10 for the 2015 FCS national championship. This is Jax State's first trip to Fargo.
FBS SUCCESS FOR JAX STATE: The Gamecocks have won nine games each of their first three FBS seasons, including a 9-5 record last year and a 17-13 victory in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl. Jax State went 7-1 in CUSA each of the past two seasons after a 6-2 league debut in 2023, went to three straight bowls, hosted two straight CUSA title games and won the 2024 championship.
FCS ERA BY THE NUMBERS: North Dakota State competed in the Football Championship Subdivision for 22 seasons from 2004 through 2025, spending the past 18 years in the Missouri Valley Football Conference after four years in the Great West Football Conference while reclassifying from Division II. Here are the final numbers from NDSU's FCS era:
— Overall record: 251-49 (.837)
— Record since 2011: 198-22 (.900)
— 13 conference championships (12 MVFC, 1 GWFC)
— 10 national championships (FCS record)
— 16 consecutive postseason appearances
— 51-6 in playoffs (FCS record for wins)
— 38-2 in playoffs at home
— 39-game winning streak (FCS record)
— 33-game winning streak (2nd in FCS)
— 9-5 record vs. FBS opponents
— 26 weeks of AP Top 25 votes
— 21 NFL draft picks (14 in past 8 years)
18 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: North Dakota State has won 18 football national championships. NDSU claimed three College Division national championships in 1965, 1968 and 1969 via the national polls, five Division II playoff titles in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990, and was the first team in college football history to win five straight national titles with FCS crowns in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 before winning again in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024. The Bison lost to the eventual national champion in the 2010 and 2020 quarterfinals and 2016 semifinals.
CONFERENCE CHAMPS: NDSU won 12 conference championships in 18 years of Missouri Valley Football Conference membership, including the 2024 and 2025 titles. Overall, the Bison have 39 conference championships counting 26 at the Division II level in the North Central Conference and its first FCS title in 2006 as a member of the Great West Football Conference.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: North Dakota State is 91-6 against non-conference opponents since the beginning of its first FCS national championship season in 2011. Two losses were to FBS opponents (31-28 at Arizona in 2021 and 31-26 at Colorado in 2024) and two were in the playoffs to the eventual national champion (27-17 to James Madison in 2016 and 24-20 at Sam Houston State in 2020-21). Montana's 31-29 double-overtime win in the 2023 FCS semifinals and 38-35 victory in the 2015 FCS Kickoff are NDSU's only other non-conference losses the past 13 years.
BISON AT HOME: The Bison have a 205-30 all-time record in the Fargodome since 1993, including 36-5 against FCS Top 10 ranked teams and 78-1 against FCS non-conference teams. North Dakota State had a 38-2 record in the Fargodome during the FCS playoffs and the Bison's 32-game home winning streak September 2017 through April 2021 is fifth longest in FCS history.
PRESEASON PICKS: NDSU return specialist Jackson Williams was named Mountain West Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year and claimed two spots on the preseason team as kick returner and punt returner. Other NDSU selections were offensive lineman Griffin Empey, defensive tackle Keenan Wilson and safety Darius Givance. Additionally, Williams and Empey were named to the HERO Sports G6 Preseason All-America second team and Wilson was third team.
BEDNARIK AWARD: NDSU defensive tackle Keenan Wilson was named to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award, presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football since 1994. Wilson was an FCS All-American last year starting all 13 games and posting 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.
PAUL HORNUNG AWARD: NDSU return specialist Jackson Williams was named to the preseason watch list for the 17th annual Paul Hornung Award, presented to the most versatile player in major college football. Williams was one of three players in all of Division I last season to have both a kick return touchdown and a punt return touchdown. He totaled 1,106 all-purpose yards.
MAXWELL AWARD: NDSU running back DJ Scott made the preseason watch list for the 90th Maxwell Award, presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Scott headlines the Bison backfield this year after rushing for 502 yards and six touchdowns in 2025.
RETURNING STARTERS: Fifth-year quarterback Nathan Hayes enters his first year as the Bison starter behind an offensive line that returns three starters from last year in Griffin Empey, Nate Tastad and Josh Magin. On defense, the Bison have five starters back including defensive linemen Keenan Wilson and Kelton McCaslin, linebacker Donovan Woolen and safeties Darius Givance and Jaylin Crumby.
Players Mentioned
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