The 2026 North Dakota State Football Schedule runs 12 regular-season games with seven home matchups at Fargodome and the team’s full Mountain West slate set after the league’s May 27 broadcast release. NDSU kicks off its FBS debut in Week 0 against fellow MW newcomer Jacksonville State on Saturday, August 29 at 5:30 PM ET on CBS Sports Network, then hosts FCS Fordham on September 5 in the program’s first home game as a Mountain West member. The Mountain West announced kickoff times and television assignments for the full conference slate on May 27, with most games landing on CBS Sports Network, FOX Networks, The CW, FS1, or the new MW+ streaming platform that launches July 1.
2026 North Dakota State Bison Football Overview
Tim Polasek enters his third season as the Bison head coach in NDSU’s historic first season in the Mountain West and at the FBS level. The Bison compete in the Mountain West Conference with two bye weeks (Saturday, September 26 and Saturday, November 7) on the slate and a regular season that closes with Black Friday at San Jose State on November 27.
2026 North Dakota State Football Schedule
| Wk | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Sat, Aug 29 | vs Jacksonville State Gamecocks | 5:30 PM | CBS Sports Network |
| 1 | Sat, Sep 5 | vs Fordham Rams | TBA | CW or MW+ |
| 2 | Sat, Sep 12 | @ Air Force Falcons | 10:00 PM | FS1 |
| 3 | Sat, Sep 19 | @ Sacramento State Hornets | 10:30 PM | ESPN |
| BYE | Sat, Sep 26 | Open Date – Bye Week | – | – |
| 5 | Sat, Oct 3 | vs Wyoming Cowboys | 3:30 PM | CW |
| 6 | Sat, Oct 10 | @ UNLV Rebels | 7:00 PM | CW |
| 7 | Sat, Oct 17 | vs Nevada Wolf Pack | 7:00 PM | CBS Sports Network |
| 8 | Sat, Oct 24 | vs New Mexico Lobos | TBA | CW or MW+ |
| 9 | Sat, Oct 31 | vs UTEP Miners | 3:30 PM | MW+ |
| BYE | Sat, Nov 7 | Open Date – Bye Week | – | – |
| 11 | Sat, Nov 14 | @ Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors | 11:00 PM | CW |
| 12 | Sat, Nov 21 | vs NIU Huskies | 4:00 PM | CW |
| 13 | Fri, Nov 27 | @ San Jose State Spartans | 3:30 PM | CBS Sports Network |
All times Eastern. Bold entries are network-confirmed from the May 27, 2026 Mountain West broadcast release. TBA entries have a confirmed network but the kickoff time will be announced about 12 days before the game. FOX Networks selections will be assigned to a specific channel during the regular season.
More 2026 College Football Resources
- 2026 College Football Schedule Hub (printable PDFs by team and conference)
- All Mountain West Team Schedule PDFs
2026 North Dakota State Football FAQ
Who is North Dakota State’s head coach in 2026?
Tim Polasek enters his third season as the Bison head coach in NDSU’s historic first season in the Mountain West and at the FBS level.
How many home games does North Dakota State have in 2026?
North Dakota State Bison have seven home games on the 2026 schedule, all played at Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota.
When is North Dakota State’s bye week in 2026?
North Dakota State has two bye weeks (Saturday, September 26 and Saturday, November 7) on the 2026 schedule.
When will North Dakota State’s remaining game times and TV channels be announced?
FOX Networks and MW+ kickoff times and specific channel assignments will be confirmed about 12 days before each game by the network. CBS Sports Network, CBS, FS1, FOX, and The CW games are all locked in from the May 27 broadcast release.
Is 2026 NDSU’s first FBS football season?
Yes. 2026 marks North Dakota State’s first season as an FBS program and as a Mountain West Conference football member. The Bison were a 9-time FCS national champion before making the jump as part of the league’s 2026 realignment.
