Brookings — Appalachian State University, Georgia Southern University, Jacksonville State University, Sam Houston University, James Madison University, Kennesaw State University, University of Delaware.
And now Missouri.
The streak of FCS-to-FBS departures continues, but the latest one hits closer to home in the Dakotas as the Missouri State Bears become the first team from the powerhouse Missouri Valley Football Conference to move up to college football's premier tier.
The Bears are questionable as a first choice as they have arguably been one of the worst teams in the conference over the past decade-plus: Since changing their name from Southwest Missouri State in 2005, the Bears have only had a few winning seasons and have finished more than one game above .500 just once since the turn of the century.
That happened in 2021, when Bobby Petrino led Missouri State to an 8-4 record and an FCS playoff appearance. The next season they went 5-6, Petrino left and the Bears went 4-7 last year under coach Ryan Beard.
But the energy Petrino has infused into the program was enough to convince Missouri State brass that a move to the FBS would work, and earlier this month it was announced that the Bears had accepted an invitation to join Conference USA's Football Bowl Subdivision. They'll play their final season in the Valley in 2024, then move up to the 85-scholarship level and join a conference that includes teams stretching from New Mexico to Florida.
As expected, Missouri State's announcement sparked a strong reaction in Fargo, where many had long since grown tired of the FCS, its 63-scholarship slots and its dwindling list of top prospects.
Matt Zimmer/Sioux Falls Live
The Bisons football dynasty reached phenomenal proportions in the 2010s, and NDSU, at one point, had won eight of nine national championships and beat nearly every FBS opponent that hosted them, so there's no doubt they have what it takes to succeed in the FBS.
With that in mind, it’s no wonder that Fargo fans and media are looking at the list of schools moving up the rankings and asking the Bison to do the same.
“It's time for NDSU to take the plunge, whatever the hell it takes,” Jeff Kolpack, a longtime Bison reporter for the Fargo Forum, wrote in response to Missouri State's announcement.
Fargo columnist Mike McFeely criticized NDSU administrators for not being more aggressive in pushing for FBS affiliation.
McFeely: NDSU remains in FCS for now
“Where was the vision?” McFeely wrote. “Where was the sales pitch?”
Surely there are fans in Fargo who share this frustration, and NDSU administration would likely embrace it if an invitation to an FBS conference came along, but this seems more like jealousy than analysis. There's a reason NDSU hasn't received an FBS invitation, and that reason is geographic. The Fargodome is closer to Canada than any FBS conference that would be a potential landing spot.
Losing tradition aside, Missouri State is the southernmost team in the Valley, which is the main reason they're going there.
With the Bears expanding C-USA to 12 teams, the door to further expansion has likely been closed, and unless existing FBS leagues want to go beyond 12 teams, we likely won't see any more FCS teams promoted in the near future.
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All of this brings us to South Dakota.
It took time, but the Jackrabbits have risen to NDSU's level: They've won consecutive national championships, regularly sent players to the NFL, seen growing attendance numbers and are generally recognized in college football circles as an FBS-caliber program.
But for now, no one in or around the Jacks program is calling for SDSU to move up to the Bowl Subdivision.
What's the rush? The Jackrabbits have never had more momentum as a program. They're poised to win their third straight championship this fall, bring more fans to Dana J. Dykehouse Stadium and add new players to their NFL alumni list. SDSU coaches of any sport are often targets for bigger programs. The entire athletic department is booming, with both basketball teams making appearances in the NCAA Tournament. SDSU certainly doesn't need to worry about what other schools are doing, especially the Missouri State Bears.
That doesn't mean Jax should bury his head in the sand and ignore what's going on around him. teeth It's beyond the FCS level, and many of SDSU and NDSU's peer universities are no longer putting in the effort required to stay at the top of this classification (just look at UNI).
But even if the Jacks aspire to move up, they're in the same situation as the Bisons: They don't fit into an actual conference, mainly for geographic reasons, so they'll remain in the FCS for the time being.
And guess what? It's okay.
Matt Zimmer/Sioux Falls Live
There has been speculation for the past few years that the FBS level is headed toward a game-changing split, either with the wealthiest prestigious programs leaving the NCAA altogether or broadly splitting the FBS into power conferences (Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, ACC, remnants of the Pac-12) and the Group of Five conferences (MAC, C-USA, Mountain West, AAC, Sun Belt) with each side of the split competing for its own national championship.
That speculation includes the idea that elite FCS teams could be invited to join the Group of Five level and remain in college football's second tier. Such a split would see the current FCS relegated to the third tier, a glorified Division II entity that flagship land-grant schools like Dakota State and Montana State don't want.
As others have pointed out, there's no guarantee that SDSU and NDSU will be invited into the newly created G5 classification. But here's the thing: this “Great Split” is not the end of expansion, realignment, and change in college football. No matter how groundbreaking the redrawing of boundaries may be, it's not the final act. Schools will forever compete for greener pastures, or more specifically, more profitable home bases. So being excluded from the FBS picture in the first place is not a permanent thing for the Jacks, Bison, or anyone else.
For years, San Diego State University athletic director Justin Sell has fielded questions from the media and fans about how the Jacks will respond to the latest groundbreaking changes in college sports, and his answers have been remarkably consistent.
Sell said South Dakota State isn't going to be reactionary as a program. They're not going to worry about what other schools are doing. They're going to worry about themselves. Because, as Sell has stated many times, if you're a strong program, someone is going to want you. The Jackrabbits program has hardly gone wrong under Sell's guidance. I would trust him.
Matt Zimmer/Sioux Falls Live
SDSU plays in one of the best stadiums at the FCS level and is beginning to sell out regularly. They are set to open a new basketball arena. Nearly all of their teams have been successful and their fan base continues to grow. Their coaching staff regularly gets opportunities to advance to more lucrative positions across the country. The Jackrabbits have become a nationally known brand. Perhaps they are at their peak as an athletic department right now and may not continue to be this great in the future, but it would be hard to name a university of comparable size and profile to SDSU that is better athletically. Maybe North Dakota State University.
And that's the point.
The promotion of SDSU and NDSU to Division I was a great thing for Dakota sports, as it gave both states a foothold in what had previously seemed like the empty plains of the Midwest.
Someone will finally welcome them with open arms when the “Great Split” happens, and that's when SDSU should leave, when a new second tier of college football can be established and the Jacks can continue to compete for a national championship that will be decided in a playoff tournament.
Maybe Fargo is prepared to give up the FCS playoffs and all of December to play the University of Miami in the Myrtle Beach Bowl over Christmas week, but I don't think there are many Jackrabbit fans excited about that prospect.
There's no doubt that the FCS lost most of its top programs. But the Dakota and Montana schools alone make up a strong group of contenders. And those teams have meaningful rivalries and regional interest. There's nothing wrong with being big fish in a small pond for a little while longer. SDSU and NDSU can continue to play for the FCS championship while still maintaining their rivalry. And when the “Great Split” happens, they'll finally find their place.
