Northern Illinois Huskies at North Dakota State Bison
Sat Nov 21 · 3:00 PM CT
By Pablo SanchezUpdated 5d ago·2 min read
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NDSU
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Two brand-new Mountain West members close out year one against each other in Fargo, and neither program looks anything like it did a season ago.
Bush’s Picks
NIUNDSU
NIUNDSU
OverUnder
Best BetNorth Dakota State
North Dakota State is the program with two decades of infrastructure behind it, even in year one at this level, while Northern Illinois is replacing its head coach and coming off a 3-9 season. The Bison's returning offensive line and defensive continuity should be worth more than NIU's late-season road mileage. Back North Dakota State to take care of business at home.
Northern Illinois
+2023 Notre Dame upset shows program has a ceiling
+Staff has found instant-impact small-school defensive talent
−Finished 3-9 in 2025, head coach left for NFL job
−Six of first nine 2026 games on the road
North Dakota State
+Decades of FCS-dynasty infrastructure and culture
+Offensive line returns starters and depth
−Losing QB, leading rusher and top receivers from last year
−Untested Nathan Hayes stepping into first-time starter role
This one's a scheduling quirk with real stakes attached: Northern Illinois and North Dakota State both walked away from their old leagues this year to join the Mountain West, and the conference scheduled them to run into each other in the season's final stretch. NIU said goodbye to the MAC after nearly three decades. NDSU jumped from FCS, where it's been the sport's most dominant program for two decades, straight into the FBS grind. By Nov. 21, both will know exactly what they signed up for.
NDSU's move up in class is the bigger story here. This is a program with a mountain of FCS national titles, and it enters its FBS era needing to replace serious production — quarterback Cole Payton (72% completion, 16 touchdowns, 777 rushing yards) is gone to the Eagles, and running back Barika Kpeenu took over 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns with him. Senior Nathan Hayes steps into the job with size, mobility and a strong arm, but no proven track record as a starter. The one thing that travels regardless of personnel: NDSU's offensive line returns starters and depth, and this program simply does not stop running the ball well.
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NIU Northern Illinois
NDSU North Dakota State
Northern Illinois arrives with its own overhaul. Thomas Hammock, who had the Huskies at three winning seasons in five years and delivered the 2023 Notre Dame upset that's still their calling card, left for an NFL job with the Seahawks. Rob Harley takes over after a rough 3-9 finish in 2025, and the schedule isn't doing him any favors — six of the first nine games land on the road as NIU adjusts to a new league. A trip to Fargo against an FBS-newcomer program with this kind of pedigree is the sort of test that either humbles a rebuilding team or reveals real progress.
Northern Illinois Huskies
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
North Dakota State Bison
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Where NIU can find an edge is depth at the margins — this staff has leaned on under-recruited small-school talent, especially defensive backs like Yassine Falke and Liam Lindo, to plug secondary spots fast. That's a fine formula for stealing a game or two against MAC competition. Whether it holds up against a Bison team that's spent 20 years steamrolling lesser programs, even in a lower-resourced first FBS season, is the actual question this game answers.
Northern Illinois Huskies
Nov 13?vs Nevada—
Nov 6?@ San José State—
Oct 31?@ UNLV—
Oct 23?vs Hawai'i—
Oct 17?@ Wyoming—
Oct 10?vs Air Force—
Sep 25?@ Georgia State—
Sep 19?@ Arizona—
Sep 12?vs Illinois State—
Sep 5?@ Iowa—
North Dakota State Bison
Nov 14?@ Hawai'i—
Oct 31?vs UTEP—
Oct 24?@ New Mexico—
Oct 17?vs Nevada—
Oct 10?@ UNLV—
Oct 3?vs Wyoming—
Sep 19?@ Sacramento State—
Sep 12?@ Air Force—
Sep 5?vs Fordham—
Aug 29?vs Jacksonville State—
Recent form.
Strip away the conference-realignment novelty and this is a program built on physicality and a rushing attack (NDSU) hosting a rebuilding team that's short on continuity at both the top and the roster (NIU). The Fargodome crowd will be loud for a program experiencing its first taste of major-college football, and that environment alone is worth something for a home team still figuring out its new league.
