North Dakota State and the Mountain West Convention are engaged in deep discussions on a deal that will deliver the FCS powerhouse into the convention as a football-only member beginning this fall, a supply accustomed to the negotiations advised CBS Sports activities on Friday.

A deal had not been finalized as of Friday night time, however progress was being made towards an settlement that will elevate North Dakota State to the FBS stage. Such a transfer would require a negotiated entry charge paid to the Mountain West, along with the NCAA’s $5 million FBS transition charge. The scale of the Mountain West’s entry charge stays beneath dialogue, a supply stated.

If accomplished, the transfer would mark one of the crucial vital FCS-to-FBS transitions in latest historical past. North Dakota State has received 10 nationwide championships since 2011, together with its most up-to-date title in 2024. They’re 9-5 all-time in opposition to FBS opponents, with 5 wins over energy convention packages.

“North Dakota State College is repeatedly concerned in conversations about the way forward for collegiate athletics, together with convention affiliation,” the college stated Saturday in a press release posted on X. “We’re conscious of media stories and may have no additional feedback.”

This system has publicly signaled its need to maneuver to the FBS stage in latest months beneath athletic director Matt Larsen and outgoing college president David Cook dinner, who is about to turn out to be president at Iowa State College on March 1. Cook dinner’s remaining day at North Dakota State is Sunday, probably setting the stage for a notable remaining act.

Larsen stated final month that the college’s curiosity in exploring FBS membership was “as sturdy because it’s ever been.”

“I might say when it comes to our place, I feel each myself and president Cook dinner, we wish to play on the highest stage,” Larsen stated on “Scorching Mic with Dom Izzo” on Jan. 22. “And proper now, the best stage is FBS soccer. The issues that we have executed over the course of the final decade have positioned us to have the ability to do this. And if there’s a chance, I feel it is one thing we’d completely discover. If there’s not a chance, we’re poised to proceed competing at FCS at a extremely, actually excessive stage and compete for championships.”

On the time, Larsen stated the Mountain West had not initiated contact with NDSU. Talks between Mountain West management, convention presidents and North Dakota State directors intensified earlier this week, sources advised CBS Sports activities.

The negotiations come throughout a pivotal stretch for the Mountain West. The convention introduced new media rights agreements this week with CBS Sports activities, FOX Sports activities and Kiswe via the 2031-32 season, and added The CW beneath a five-year deal working via 2030-31.

The league can also be making ready for the departures of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State, all of which can be part of the re-formed Pac-12 subsequent fall. The Mountain West has backfilled these openings with UTEP, UC Davis, and Northern Illinois. Hawaii was added as a football-only member in 2012 however joins in all sports activities starting in 2026. Northern Illinois will be part of as a football-only member in 2026, whereas UC Davis’ soccer program will stay within the FCS as a member of the Huge Sky Convention.

The Mountain West will proceed to play an eight-game convention schedule in soccer subsequent season, a supply stated. Matchups for the 2026 season had been introduced in December, although dates haven’t but been finalized. Projected schedules that embrace North Dakota State at the moment are being modeled and would require minor changes.

If North Dakota State finalizes a transfer to the Mountain West, this system could be required to finish a two-year transition interval on the FBS stage, rendering it ineligible for the School Soccer Playoff and bowl video games in 2026 and 2027. The varsity might nonetheless settle for a bowl bid if there usually are not sufficient bowl-eligible groups to fill out there slots.

There are presently 136 FBS packages. Delaware and Missouri State accomplished their first full FBS seasons in 2025.