North Dakota State is preparing to petition the NCAA for immediate access to the College Football Playoff and all competition as a new member of the Football Bowl Subdivision, the school’s athletics director told CBS Sports.
The FCS powerhouse finalized an agreement Sunday to move to the FBS on July 1, joining the Mountain West as a football-only member beginning next season. Under current NCAA rules, programs transitioning to the FBS must complete a two-year probationary period that bars them from postseason play, including conference championship games and the CFP.
The Mountain West is aware of NDSU’s plans and will support the school’s petition to the NCAA, a conference spokesperson told CBS Sports.
North Dakota State intends to argue that the bylaw is outdated, crafted before the transfer portal allowed programs to rapidly upgrade rosters and accelerate competitive timelines. The school intends to ask the NCAA for a waiver next season and also push the organization to permanently revise the rule to allow future transitioning programs immediate postseason eligibility.
“It’s a very antiquated rule,” NDSU athletics director Matt Larsen told CBS Sports. “A lot of things have changed in our industry, and you could argue that’s an overly punitive rule now.”
NDSU enters the FBS as the most dominant program in modern FCS history, having won 10 national championships over the past 15 years. The Bison are 9-5 all-time against FBS opponents, including five wins over power conference teams. Their arrival comes during a period of upheaval for the Mountain West, which is rebuilding its membership ahead of the departure of five schools to the Pac-12. The league’s reset coincides with NDSU’s arrival as a potential immediate contender in the…
..
[ad_2]