North Dakota State isn’t just knocking on the FBS door anymore; they’re kicking it down. After having dominated the FCS with an iron grip for a long time, they are very deserving of getting that promotion and making their entry to the higher levels. But this has made things difficult for Oregon, and their matchup, which is scheduled for 2028, is no longer going to be the easy game Ducks fans hoped for.

Firstly, NDSU’s talks with the Mountain West Conference are picking up speed. The Bisons made their case for membership by winning 10 FCS National Championships from 2011 onwards, winning their most recent one in 2024. NDSU was unstoppable from 2014 to 2018, the Chris Klieman era, as it won four National titles. If the Mountain West and the program end up reaching an agreement, it will mark the advancement of one of the most prolific football programs in the sport’s modern history.

But this rise puts Oregon in a fix, even though they meet two years later. The Ducks’ 2028 schedule only has two non-conference games, which include NDSU and Baylor. But with the former team becoming an FBS team, Oregon’s entire playing calendar will feature extremely competitive opponents. The top brass now has to either cancel the game or add another FCS team to protect Oregon’s playoff chances.

Cancelling the game will force Oregon to pay NDSU for the trouble. They were initially scheduled to meet in 2020, but were forced to cancel the game during the pandemic. The Ducks paid $675,000 and rescheduled the game to 2028. Backing out of this contract would force Oregon to cough up $1 million.

The Ducks have already satisfied the conference mandate of playing 9 conference games. It is loaded with extreme competition from opponents like Indiana, Illinois, USC, and Penn State. Washington sure looks like a winnable game, but the Huskies will also give them a tough fight. NDSU entering the mix adds one more tough competition for the Ducks. North Dakota State is already tabbed the No. 3 FCS team in the country by the NCAA’s Stan Becton.

North Dakota State was never really a cupcake opponent. The Bisons’ constant winning record proves that they are a force to be reckoned with and are actually 9-5 when it comes to FBS opponents. Five of those wins have come against P4 opponents. Clearly, this is a team that knows how to face big programs. The Bisons lost to Colorado and Arizona in 2022 and 2024, only after giving them a tough fight. Oregon was going to have to prepare for more than the usual.

What complicates matters for Lanning and Co. is that NDSU becoming an FBS program will attract more talent to the program. They have already hauled in the 6th-best class in the 2026 FCS recruiting cycle. One of those key recruits is Gunner Thielges, tabbed as the best prospect in the state of North Dakota. This is also a team that produced a great QB like Cole Payton, who made waves in the Senior Bowl.

If NDSU makes the move, it will be ineligible for the 2026 and 2027 playoffs and bowl games. But in 2028, these young players will be seasoned FBS players and can push back on Oregon. NDSU’s arrival into the FBS ranks will follow that of Delaware, Missouri State, and Kennesaw State. However, there are some big changes going on at the FBS level, which have given momentum to NDSU’s journey.

Why the Mountain West is picking up North Dakota State

The Mountain West will be losing Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, Utah State, and San Diego State in 2026, as the Pac-12 returns. The MWC has added UTEP, Northern Illinois (football only), and UC Davis (non-football) in their places. Hawaii also becomes a member in all sports. There are still some places open, which may be why the conference is interested in North Dakota State. Also, the MWC has added a little oomph in its future by securing a new media rights deal with CBS Sports, Kiswe, and Fox Sports until 2032.

The program brings a lot of competition to the conference in the wake of the departures of Boise State and San Diego State. The two are big programs in the MWC, with the Broncos going to the playoffs in 2024, and the Aztecs finishing No. 3 in the conference standings this season. If NDSU joins the Mountain West, the conference has a shot at fielding a playoff contender sometime in the near future. The Mountain West almost had one in the 2025 season in UNLV.

North Dakota State will have to pay $5 million to the NCAA for entering the FBS, along with an additional fee to the MWC for being a member. It seems to be a win-win for the conference and the program, but the Bisons’ P4 opponents from 2028 onwards may not be happy with their growth.