McFeely’s Tip Sheet is a compilation of notes, quotes, rumors, gossip and commentary by Forum columnist Mike McFeely. If you have a tip, a note or a hot rumor feel free to send it along to mmcfeely@forumcomm.com. Not all will be printed because of, you know, legal reasons. But they might lead to something. All tip sources will remain anonymous.
FARGO — The Tip Sheet is spending time this summer catching up with some of North Dakota State’s old foes in the FCS who’ve made the move up to FBS, just to see what they’ve learned from the move.
Calls were made last week to old friends K.C. Keeler, who coached Sam Houston through its transition to Conference USA before moving to Temple of the American Conference last season, and Bobby Williams, who remains the athletic director for the Bearkats.
You remember those guys? They got to know the Bison well as Sam Houston played NDSU seven times between 2007 and 2021 — including twice in the FCS national title game (when Willie Fritz was coaching the Bearkats) and three other playoff games (when Keeler was coach).
North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller targets Christian Watson in the fourth quarter against Sam Houston State on Sunday, May 2, 2021, during the FCS quarterfinals at the Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.
David Samson / The Forum
Sam Houston beat the Bison in the playoff quarterfinals at Huntsville, Texas, in the silly spring season of 2021 en route to the Bearkats first (and only) FCS national championship.
Knowing the Bison are looking for entertaining nonconference games with the move to the Mountain West Conference, the Tip Sheet tried to do his part by asking Keeler and Williams if their programs would be interested in scheduling the FBS newbie to home-and-home series — one game at the Fargodome and the other at Temple or Sam Houston.
An American Conference team coming to Fargo with a return trip to historic and interesting Philadelphia to play at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles? Heck, yeah.
Are you interested, K.C.?
“No interest whatsoever,” Keeler said. “If I never see those uniforms again, that’s fine. And then playing (at the Fargodome) … oh my God, that crowd. The great thing about North Dakota State is that they’ve earned the chip they have on their shoulder and they play with that chip on their shoulder.
“That program and those fans, they’ve earned the fact they have something special going on and they live up to the standard. … That history, it’s just absolutely incredible.”
Keeler’s last trip to Fargo was a 55-13 thrashing in the FCS semifinals in 2017.
North Dakota State’s Bruce Anderson breaks away from Sam Houston State’s Adrian Contreras on a 37-yard touchdown run during the FCS semifinals at the Fargodome on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017. David Samson / The Forum
He did say that with so many FBS teams on the East Coast the Owls don’t have to travel far for nonconference games. Temple has home-and-homes with Penn State, Rutgers, UConn, Massachusetts and Delaware in future seasons.
Your turn, Bobby. Any interest in scheduling a home-and-home?
“Oh, man. I think both fan bases, with our history, that would be a positive. I know our fans would be good with that. That would be kind of neat to do that. Hopefully that’ll happen. If I’m still around, we can always have that conversation,” he said.
Williams told an interesting story about the last time he scheduled a home-and-home with the Bison.
Missouri State canceled a game in Huntsville against the Bearkats, so then-NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor called Williams looking to schedule a game. They came to an agreement to schedule a home-and-home with a game in Fargo in 2007 and the return contest at Sam Houston in 2009.
Usually that’s the deal — one game at one place, the other at the other school. There was a twist this time. Taylor agreed to pay Sam Houston a $175,000 guarantee for the game in Fargo, Williams said.
“So we got a game against them down here and when we went up there we came away with a little bit of money. That was unique,” Williams said.
Phil Steele picks Bison fifth in MWC
The latest national prediction of where NDSU will finish in its inaugural season in the Mountain West Conference has the Bison in the middle of the pack.
In his gargantuan “College Football ’26 Preview,”
veteran writer Phil Steele picks NDSU to finish in fifth place.
Steele’s outlook:
New MexicoUNLVAir ForceHawaiiNDSUWyoming NevadaUTEPSan Jose StateNorthern Illinois
This comes after Brett McMurphy of On3 Sports pegged the Bison to win the Mountain West championship and be the Group of Six’s while ESPN’s analytics guru Bill Connelly has the Bison finishing third.
Much of Steele’s pessimism seems to stem from the Bison’s tough league road schedule (at Air Force, New Mexico, UNLV and Hawaii) and returning production, especially at quarterback. He has the Bison’s Nathan Hayes ranked as the eighth-best starting QB in the 10-team conference.
However, Steele hedges his prediction by saying the Bison might surprise given their long history of success.
“There is easily a scenario where the Bison win the league in their first year so that makes it very tough to put them here,” Steele wrote.
Fargo South’s Drew Kessel heads upfield after a reception against Fargo North on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at Fargo North Field.
David Samson / The Forum
Something that probably won’t happen, but if it does I’ll look like a genius:
–
With the addition of NDSU-bound Drew Kessel as a transfer from Fargo South,
the Moorhead High School offense will be unstoppable in 2026 and the Spuds will win the Minnesota Class 6A state championship.
There is a strong belief among Fargo and Fargodome officials that NDSU has to get some skin in the game if the school is serious about major renovations to the dome happening, either through fundraising or going to the state legislature to ask for money. …
to help pay for renovations. … Watch for the Fargo City Commission to choose the Civic Auditorium site downtown for the new convention center at its June 22 meeting as a way to kill two birds with one stone — build the voter-approved convention center while saving the city the problem of finding a use for the vacant sports arena. … Former MSUM quarterback Jack Strand has become something of a folk hero among Atlanta Falcons fans because of his size, arm strength and small-school background. … Expect him to play a good amount in Atlanta’s first two preseason games, against the Denver Broncos at home and at the Indianapolis Colts. … At the least, expect Strand to end up on the Falcons’ practice squad if he doesn’t beat out veteran Trevor Siemian for the QB3 spot behind Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Cam Miller (15) and quarterback Mark Gronowski (16) work during rookie minicamp on May 8, 2026 at Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Sam Navarro/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There were at least three single-game American Association records set in Fargo-Moorhead’s 25-9 loss to Kansas City on Thursday afternoon at Newman Outdoor Field, according to the Tip Sheet’s research. Kansas City’s eight home runs topped the record of seven set by several teams. The Monarchs’ 55 total bases broke the former record of 53 set by Sioux Falls in 2010. The 25 earned runs allowed by the RedHawks topped the old mark of 24 set twice by Shreveport in 2008 and 2010. … Another astounding statistic from the game: Kansas City left 14 runners on base in the nine-inning affair. … KC was one run away from the league record for runs in a game (26 by Sioux Falls in 2008) and one RBI away from the league record in a game (25 by Sioux Falls in 2008 and Grand Prairie in 2011). … It should be a fun season at Jim Gotta Stadium at Moorhead High School. Woodbury, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie and Edina all visit the Spuds in football this fall. … Sports Illustrated predicts the Miami Dolphins will keep only two quarterbacks on its 53-man roster this fall, starter Malik Willis and backup Quinn Ewers. That leaves former NDSU signal-caller Cam Miller and ex-South Dakota State QB Mark Gronowski on the outside looking in. However, both Miller and Gronowski would be candidates for the emergency QB3 or a practice squad spot. … The prediction market website Kalshi has NDSU as the favorite to win the Mountain West championship with a 49% chance, followed by UNLV at 37% and New Mexico at 21%. … New Mexico completed a $7.5 million expansion to its weight room and training area, paid for by the state legislature. … Former Bison head coach Chris Klieman and athletic director Gene Taylor will be in Fargo for the Roger Maris Celebrity Golf Tournament.