The North Dakota State Bison won 10 of the past 15 FCS championships, and now they will start their FBS era, kicking it off Saturday, Aug. 29, against Jacksonville State. The Bison joined the Mountain West after going 12-1 last season and losing in the second round of the FCS Playoffs to eventual runner-up Illinois State. The Gamecocks have numerous starters returning from a 9-5 team that went 7-1 and lost in the C-USA title game in their second season in the conference. They won the conference championship in their 2024 debut. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. ET at Gate City Bank Field in Fargo, N.D. Bet on college football games with the latest FanDuel promo code and get up to $350 in bonus bets:

The Bison were looking to defend their FCS championship last season but ran into a hot Illinois State team and suffered their first loss at the Fargodome since 2023. It was just the second home loss in the postseason in the history of a program that has won 18 national titles. In addition to the 10 FCS championships, the Bison have five in Division II plus three small college titles and have won 37 conference crowns. The Gamecocks have won nine conference titles in the past 15 years, seven of those in the Ohio Valley.

North Dakota State is a 6.5-point home favorite in the college football odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, and the total is set at 47.5. Fans who want to try betting on college football can sign up and get betting promos at any of the best sports betting apps to place wagers on Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State. Here, we’re looking at everything bettors should know before the Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State game. For even more college football analysis, check out what SportsLine experts and the SportsLine Projection Model have to say. Claim the latest DraftKings promo code for new users here and get $200 in bonus bets after wagering $5+:

Jacksonville St. vs. North Dakota St. betting odds (via FanDuel)
Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State money line:Jacksonville State +205, North Dakota State -255Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State over/under:47.5 (Over -110, Under -110)Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State spread: North Dakota State -6.5 (-110)Jacksonville St. vs. North Dakota St. betting preview

The Bison are moving up to face a new challenge, but they have been dominant in FCS for well over a decade. They have an 809-385-34 record (.673) going back to 1894 and have had just three losing seasons since 1964. Coach Tim Polasek is 26-3 in his first two seasons after returning in 2024 to replace Matt Entz, who left to be an assistant at USC and is now head coach at Fresno State. Polasek served as offensive coordinator at Wyoming from 2021-23 under Craig Bohl, who coached NDSU from 2003-2013 and won three consecutive FCS titles before leaving Fargo. Polasek was named Missouri Valley Coach of the Year for last season after leading NDSU to its first unbeaten conference mark since 2019.

Polasek has a strong cast of veterans, and the team will have a lot of incentive in the opener as it kicks off in a new division after a heart-breaking 29-28 loss in last year’s FCS Playoffs. They do need to replace some key skill players, and senior quarterback Nathan Hayes will take over an offense that was No. 3 in scoring and 12th in total offense last season. The Bison led FCS with an average of 16.6 yards per completion. Cole Payton, a fifth-round pick of the Eagles, led the unit last year, and Hayes threw for 381 yards with four TDs and one interception in limited duty. NDSU doesn’t turn the ball over much, as the team threw just five interceptions and lost nine fumbles in 2025 — and three of the fumbles came in one game.

DJ Scott will take over as the lead running back after rushing for 502 yards (5.3 per carry) and six touchdowns as the third option last season. The Bison rushed for 213 yards per game in 2025 and scored 43 rushing touchdowns, while the defense allowed only 11. Payton also rushed for 777 yards, and he and lead back Barika Kpeenu combined for 33 of those rushing scores. Top receiver Bryce Lance also is in the NFL now — he was a fourth-round pick of the Saints — after posting 1,079 receiving yards, so there are big shoes to fill. Tight end Reis Kessel (335 yards in 2025) is the top returning target, with wideouts Jackson Williams (293 yards) and Mekhi Collins (159) expected to play much bigger roles.

The Bison have been known for a high-powered offense, but they can play defense too. They also lost some pieces but were No. 1 in the FCS in both total and scoring defense, allowing 252 yards and 13 points per game in 2025. They were second in FCS with 28 takeaways. The defense had five interceptions in the loss to Illinois State to end the season, but the defending champs were outgained 422-179 in total yards. NDSU also had 33 sacks, and Keenan Wilson (1.5 in 2025) is strong on the interior, while Kelton McClasin and Victor Isele can cause trouble off the edge. Linebacker Donovan Woolen led the team with 86 tackles, broke up nine passes and had three interceptions, and transfers Keith Williams (Cornell) and Alex Elliott (Minnesota) were brought in to help. Toby Anene, who had a team-high seven sacks last season, left for Colorado. Bet on college football with the DraftKings promo code and get bonus bets:

Jacksonville State has nine starters back from last season, including quarterback Caden Creel, after coach Charles Kelly worked some magic to get the team to nine wins in his first campaign as a head coach. The 58-year-old, who spent decades as a top defensive coordinator for programs like Florida State and Colorado, had a major rebuilding job on his hands after Rich Rodriguez took most of his key pieces with him to West Virginia. Just four starters returned for last season, but Creel stepped up and led a strong rushing attack. New offensive coordinator Taylor Housewright, who was the team’s tight ends coach last year, will be relying on Creel to do even more in 2026.  

Creel, who redshirted in 2023 and didn’t see the field in 2024, threw for 1,514 yards and rushed for 1,075 (5.9 per carry) while accounting for 16 touchdowns and throwing four interceptions. The junior led a rushing attack that also featured Cam Cook, who transferred to West Virginia after rushing for 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns. Running backs Khristian Lando and Andrew Paul, who combined for 327 yards and four scores in 2025, plus big-play threat Jalen Likely and power back Justus Savage should all get the opportunities in the run game.  

With a solid offensive line, the backs should find room to maneuver, and Savage can make plays as a pass-catcher. Tackle Lance Johnson was named to Conference USA All-Freshman team after last season, and transfer guards Ryan Walker (North Alabama) and Caleb Holmes (Pitt) came in to keep the offensive line up to par. JSU was fifth in the nation in averaging 241.5 rushing yards per game last season. The Gamecocks also have a game-changing wideout in 6-foot-8, 220-pound Deondre Johnson, who caught 30 passes last year, leading the nation with a 24.1 yards per catch average and scoring six times.  

Defensively, the Gamecocks allowed 379 yards per game in their first year led by coordinator Brian Williams. He has his top three tacklers back, led by Mac Sanders, who had 85 tackles. Fellow linebacker Walker O’Steen was second with 84 and added 2.5 sacks and produced five takeaways. Safety Caleb Nix had a team-high four picks to go with his 63 tackles, and he returned one of them for a score. JSU had at least one takeaway in every game, getting two or more in seven of them. The Gamecocks tied for 13th in FBS in turnover margin at plus-10. Meanwhile, NDSU was second in FCS with 18 more takeaways than turnovers.

Both teams come into this one feeling good about the 2026 season, and while the Bison have the pedigree, they will be facing much tougher competition on a weekly basis in FBS. Still, NDSU is a 6.5-point favorite in spread betting at FanDuel and a -255 favorite in money line betting. If you’re interested in Over/Under betting, the line for combined points is 47.5. Use the BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS to get bonus bets when wagering on college football games:

Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State picks, predictionJacksonville State +6.5

The Bison were famously one of the top teams in FCS for a long time, but now they’re stepping up to the big time. Their methodical and mostly mistake-free brand of football will translate in any scenario, so they should be able to fare well in FBS. SportsLine college football expert Thomas Casale expects them to reach a bowl game in their first attempt. Still, with a new quarterback taking over and many other pieces needing to be replaced, they might not get off to a great start to the season. The loss of Payton, Kpeenu and Lance are massive blows, and replacing the 41 touchdowns they scored (and the 16 Payton threw) is a tall task, Coach Polasek has a history with the program, so he knows what’s expected and what it takes to get there.

The Gamecocks also have a lot of rebuilding to do, but not nearly as much as last year, so Kelly expects his team to take it to the Bison at the Fargodome. The loss of Cook hurts, but the running back room is loaded with possibilities, and the line should open holes. North Dakota State might still have more talent, but a lot of it is untested. The hosts should come out victorious in their FBS debut, but it could be closer than oddsmakers expect. Casale got JSU at 7 points but says his breakdown has the Bison closer to a 3.5-point favorite. NDSU is “a little overvalued here,” Casale says. “I expect a competitive, close game throughout.” The SportsLine model has Jacksonville State winning in 41% of its simulations as a big plus-money underdog, good for a B grade. Claim the latest Fanatics Sportsbook promo code CBSFAN26 here: