Expansion Thread 2026

[Lobot]

Out with the old in with the new year

[True Bearcat]

https://www.footballscoop.com/2026/0...erest-fbs-move

Some smoke about NDSU moving to the Mountain West. I think they should try for the Pac

[True Bearcat]

NDSU to Mountain West confirmed!

https://www.kvrr.com/2026/02/08/espn...st-conference/

[True Bearcat]

Sacramento State and the MAC are in discussions.

https://sports.yahoo.com/college-foo...183507211.html

[swilsonsp4]

Sacramento State and the MAC are in discussions.

https://sports.yahoo.com/college-foo...183507211.html

Sac State is rolling in booster bucks. Some big-name backers out there, and they want out of FCS/Big Sky. They pushed to join the reconstituted P12 & MWC but were turned aside. They appealed to the NCAA to allow them to move up to FBS as an independent and, once again, were shot down. [The NCAA requires all new FBS teams to be in a conference.] Who knows who else might have said, "no thanks". The American and C-USA at least have members West of the Mississippi. With NIU moving their football program to the MWC, the nearest school to Sac State would be in Muncie.

[True Bearcat]

Sacramento State is Macaction!

https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ll-only-member

[bearcatbret]

Geographically, this makes no sense.

[Illuminerdski]

Geographically, this makes no sense.

Agreed. I remember when UMass joined and there was chatter of it extending travel for existing members. This blows that out of the water.

[bearcatbret]

From social media: PFSN CFB ·

Follow
17h ·
North Dakota State won 10 FCS national championships since 2011, produced three first-round NFL draft picks, and compiled a 9-5 record against FBS opponents. No program has ever dominated the FCS the way the Bison did for over a decade. N
ow NDSU is making the jump to the Mountain West starting this July, and athletic director Matt Larsen is petitioning the NCAA to waive the two-year postseason ban that currently blocks the Bison from bowls, the conference title game, and the College Football Playoff until 2028. The Mountain West is backing the appeal.
Larsen called the rule "antiquated," arguing that the transfer portal and other industry changes have fundamentally changed how fast programs can build competitive rosters. Delaware and Missouri State both reached bowls in their first FBS season last year.
James Madison went 11-1 during its own transition in 2023, got denied the same waiver twice, then reached the College Football Playoff two years later once the ban expired. Critics point to that exact timeline as proof the system works.
NDSU also enters FBS spending roughly $7.5 million on football, well below the Mountain West average of roughly $15 million.
If the Bison go undefeated in 2026 and can't compete for a playoff spot, the NCAA faces a PR disaster. If the waiver gets granted, every future transitioning program will expect identical treatment.

[swilsonsp4]

From social media: PFSN CFB ·

Follow
17h ·
North Dakota State won 10 FCS national championships since 2011, produced three first-round NFL draft picks, and compiled a 9-5 record against FBS opponents. No program has ever dominated the FCS the way the Bison did for over a decade. N
ow NDSU is making the jump to the Mountain West starting this July, and athletic director Matt Larsen is petitioning the NCAA to waive the two-year postseason ban that currently blocks the Bison from bowls, the conference title game, and the College Football Playoff until 2028. The Mountain West is backing the appeal.
Larsen called the rule "antiquated," arguing that the transfer portal and other industry changes have fundamentally changed how fast programs can build competitive rosters. Delaware and Missouri State both reached bowls in their first FBS season last year.
James Madison went 11-1 during its own transition in 2023, got denied the same waiver twice, then reached the College Football Playoff two years later once the ban expired. Critics point to that exact timeline as proof the system works.
NDSU also enters FBS spending roughly $7.5 million on football, well below the Mountain West average of roughly $15 million.
If the Bison go undefeated in 2026 and can't compete for a playoff spot, the NCAA faces a PR disaster. If the waiver gets granted, every future transitioning program will expect identical treatment.

They'll need to spend a whole lot more than $7.5M now. FCS schools have been limited to 63 scholarships. They're going to need funding for a heck of a lot more depth for an FBS schedule.

[bearcatbret]

I'd say that the NCAA should allow them to play in post season if they qualify. Heck, they are allowing pay to play and all of the other nonsense. Let the little guy have a chance.