North Dakota State Faces Air Force in First-Ever Meeting as Bison’s FBS Era Reaches Mountain West Play
North Dakota State Faces Air Force in First-Ever Meeting as Bison’s FBS Era Reaches Mountain West Play
North Dakota State’s first season at the Football Bowl Subdivision level continues Saturday night when the 2-0 Bison travel to Colorado Springs for a matchup with the 1-0 Air Force Falcons. Kickoff is set for 10:00 PM ET, with coverage on Fox Corporation’s FS1 network and streaming available via Fubo.
It will be the first game ever played between the two programs, and it carries added weight as North Dakota State’s debut within Mountain West Conference play. The Bison arrived in the FBS after a 12-1 campaign last year that ended with a surprise loss to Illinois State in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
Both teams enter the contest with dominant early-season resumes. North Dakota State crushed Jacksonville State in its FBS opener, then rolled past visiting Fordham 38-0 last Saturday. Quarterback Nathan Hayes completed 18 of 22 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns, while DJ Scott added two scores and 60 rushing yards on 11 carries. The Bison defense contributed a 37-yard pick-six from Marion Moore, limited the Rams to 135 total yards and forced four turnovers.
Air Force, coming off a 4-8 season in 2025, opened its year with a 34-0 shutout of Duquesne. The Falcons’ option attack churned out 431 rushing yards, with quarterback Liam Szarka running for two touchdowns and Kemper Hodges and Evan Medders each adding rushing scores. Rocco Conti contributed 74 yards on 10 carries, and Korey Johnson and Max Mustell each recorded interceptions.
The broadcast adds to a busy fall slate for Fox’s sports portfolio. Fox Corporation, which operates through its Cable Network Programming and Television segments, distributes news, sports and entertainment content across its networks; shares of Fox Corporation (FOXA) closed recently at $65.94, up 1.17% from the prior close of $65.18, valuing the company at roughly $26.8 billion.
For the Bison, Saturday represents another early test of how their lower-division dominance translates to the FBS. For the Falcons, a home win over a high-profile newcomer would provide an early boost in what is now a conference affair.
What to watch
- Whether North Dakota State can carry its 2-0 start — which includes two blowout wins over FCS opponents — into its first Mountain West game.
- Air Force’s rushing attack, which produced 431 yards in its opener, against a Bison defense that held Fordham to 135 total yards.
- Upcoming conference results for both programs as North Dakota State’s inaugural FBS season unfolds.
- Fox Corporation’s upcoming quarterly earnings report, which will cover fall sports programming performance across its networks.
Source: original release