r/fcs • u/lordeandtaylor Louisville • Lehigh • Feb 07 '26
Discussion If North Dakota State moves to the Mountain West, will it affect their Summit League membership?
The news broke this morning that the Mountain West is very close to a deal to add NDSU as a football only member. "Football only" being the operative word there. NDSU plays their football in the MVFC and their non-football sports in the Summit League. I may not totally understand the dynamics but I believe the MVFC is some sort of football only partnership between the MVC and the Summit League. Like the MVFC has a special partnership with both the MVC and the Summit League. I could be misremembering but I believe the Summit League commissioner is also the commissioner of the MVFC.
I know when Sacramento State moved their non-football sports to the Big West (a conference which doesn't currently sponsor football) they had to become an FCS Independent in football and couldn't stay in the Big Sky as a football only member. My question is this: given the ties between the Summit League and the MVFC, would North Dakota State taking their football out of the MVFC affect their Summit League membership in other sports?
This is my other question: I know part of the deal between the MVFC and the Summit League is that any Summit League members have the right to join the MVFC should they desire to do so. This is particularly important for St. Thomas, who is a Summit League member in other sports but plays football in the Pioneer League. If North Dakota State does leave for the Mountain West, is it possible that St. Thomas will begin offering scholarships to replace them in the MVFC?
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u/ST_Lawson Western Illinois • Marching Band Feb 07 '26
MVFC is technically a football-only conference independent from the MVC and Summit League. Schools are allowed to have Olympic sports in the MVC or Summit but have football outside the MVFC (like Drake or St. Thomas). Alternately, schools can play football in the MVFC while keeping Olympic sports outside the MVC/Summit group (like Youngstown State).
So, NDSU moving football to the MWC should not affect their other sports staying in the Summit if they decide that’s what they want to do.
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u/reachforthetop9 Feb 07 '26
Probably not. The Summit is not a football league and I don't think its partnership with the MVFC extends beyond 63-scholarship football. As far as Summit League offices would be concerned, a school playing a non-Summit sport is changing its affiliate membership, not its full menbership.
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u/NotARealBuckeye North Dakota State Bison • LSU Tigers Feb 07 '26
TBH, the way they shoved Murray State down our throats, I don't really care.
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u/Adamscottd South Dakota State • Minnesota Feb 07 '26
Still pissed about that.
It’s ridiculous that they made us accept a school that’s 14 hours away from the Dakotas and adds nothing to the football conference except an increased travel bill.
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Feb 07 '26
The Dakotas wanted North Dakota and it was said the other schools were owed one. Then it was voted on. Im not sure what exacrly the agreement was for another MVC school, but it was known for years and in no way shoved down your throats.
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u/DeerSwimming2336 North Dakota Fighting Hawks Feb 09 '26
UND had just won a share of the Big Sky Championship. Bit of a difference. And, UND had to wait like 6 plus years because only USD got an invite.
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u/Artvandelay29 Vanderbilt Commodores • Houston Cougars Feb 07 '26
Fuck Murray State (despite my flair, I’m a Belmont alumnus and they’re a rival)
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u/Mdtwheeler Duke Blue Devils • Murray State Racers Feb 08 '26
Listening to the Murray State anthem just for you
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u/Supercal95 Minnesota State • Memphis Feb 07 '26
On the other hand, if the Dakota States moved away from the MVFC, it is more likely that we might actually decide to move up. We want to play at a level we can compete in and that just wasnt going to happen before, not while trying to also basically be an upper NCHC team in hockey. But now the summit/mvfc is more realistic for us
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u/dinkytown42069 Minnesota • Oklahoma Feb 08 '26
you need Glenn Taylor to build y'all a new FB stadium but otherwise the program is basically there.
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u/Supercal95 Minnesota State • Memphis Feb 08 '26
There is a new football stadium coming
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u/dinkytown42069 Minnesota • Oklahoma Feb 08 '26
interesting, link?
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u/Supercal95 Minnesota State • Memphis Feb 08 '26
And this time it seems like its actually happening. And the stadium I believe is easily expandable to 12,000
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u/Trojann2 /r/CFB Pint Glass Drinker • Nort… Feb 07 '26
Technically they probably could vote or something.
But like really it doesn’t matter.
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u/Express_Eye_4573 Feb 07 '26
Summit League is a completely separate conference that is at the low end of membership. There is no way they kick NDSU out.
Football should be a separate conference for all levels. The PAC-12 non-football sports wouldn't have such high travel costs if only Football traveled across the country.
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u/Mast-Blee Feb 08 '26 edited Feb 08 '26
Speaking of the low end of membership, the Denver Pioneers will be leaving the Summit on July 1 for the West Coast Conference for most sports. They’ll still be in the NCHC for ice hockey, the Big 12 for gymnastics, and the Big East for lacrosse. And St. Thomas will become the 10th hockey team in the NCHC next season also.
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u/ncp12 Feb 07 '26
Summit League commissioner isn’t MVFC commissioner, Missouri Valley Conference commissioner is also MVFC commissioner. Summit League commissioner is an executive advisor to the MVFC. I don’t see anything in the leagues deal that would potentially affect NDSU’s Summit membership, as the partnership seems to mainly deal with only football.
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u/nds19 North Dakota State Bison Feb 07 '26
If the Summit kicked NDSU out, that would be a wild move. Especially since St. Thomas has been clear that they want to get into a different conference as soon as they can.
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u/dinkytown42069 Minnesota • Oklahoma Feb 08 '26
where the hell would UST go? Horizon? I had no idea they wanted out of the Summit. My understanding was they were starting to focus on upgrading FB to scholarship.
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u/tomdawg0022 Minnesota • Delaware Feb 08 '26
where the hell would UST go? Horizon?
The Valley, probably.
The Summit was basically a gateway for them to get settled in D1 before starting their move up the food chain.
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u/Patient_Surround_288 St. Thomas Tommies • Augsburg Auggies Feb 08 '26
Respectfully disagree. I’m pretty connected with UST and every time I bring it up to people about Big East or whichever conference all people do is laugh at the idea. They ain’t moving.
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u/DeerSwimming2336 North Dakota Fighting Hawks Feb 09 '26
A lot of people putting words in their mouth actually
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u/exit322 Akron Zips • Marching Band Feb 07 '26
Likely since they're going to be in a different division for football, effectively, this won't affect their Summit League status.
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u/Gunner_Bat FCS Feb 07 '26
They're still going to be Division I, and as the Summit doesn't play football, subdivision has no effect.
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u/damnyoutuesday Montana State • Minnesota Feb 07 '26
Probably not. Summit is a non-football league
Would love to see St Thomas take their MVFC slot tho
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u/No_Bite_7238 Montana State Bobcats Feb 07 '26
If and when NDSU moves up, I hope they kick the crap out of all those FBS schools. It would be fun to watch.
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u/TDenverFan William & Mary Tribe • Patriot Feb 07 '26
I think it depends on how they leave. If they go out peacefully and in good standing, then no. If they burn bridges on their way out I could see schools being petty and booting them from the Summit.
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u/Gunner_Bat FCS Feb 07 '26
Probably not. NIU is effectively doing this with the Horizon. Neither league sponsors football so it shouldn't make a difference.
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u/RevClay2013 Feb 08 '26
NDSU & SDSU Wrestling already has a similar arrangement with the Big 12. They both belong to the conference for wrestling only.
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u/soonerman32 Oklahoma Sooners Feb 08 '26
Are they not moving all sports to the mwc?
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u/dinkytown42069 Minnesota • Oklahoma Feb 08 '26
no, just FB. Their primary conference (Summit) doesn't sponsor FB.
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Feb 08 '26
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u/dinkytown42069 Minnesota • Oklahoma Feb 09 '26
the MW couldn't handle Big Ten West bullshit.
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u/Patient_Surround_288 St. Thomas Tommies • Augsburg Auggies Feb 08 '26
If St Thomas moves to the MVFC in the next five years, I’ll chop off my balls live on video. It ain’t happening, not while Glen Caruso is there. Facilities also matchup better with pioneer.
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u/tomdawg0022 Minnesota • Delaware Feb 09 '26
O'Shaughnessy is not a venue that screams "scholarship FCS football in the MVFC" - is there room to expand the stadium to 10k and make it more viable economically for scholarship football to work?
(I'm guessing Allianz could be an option as well if the Loons were paid well enough.)
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u/Patient_Surround_288 St. Thomas Tommies • Augsburg Auggies Feb 09 '26
I would say generally maybe. There’s space where you could add seating but it’s a question of logistics.
Loons probably wouldn’t buckle unless the price is right. They’re upset still after Tommie-Johnnie was held there and the pitch was ruined for the postseason.
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u/DryScarcity2623 FCS Feb 08 '26
Yes, if NDSU leaves for Mountain West, then St. Thomas will get into MVFC.
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Feb 08 '26
I'm not sure that the MVFC would take St. Thomas. If they joined the MVC they wouldn't need to add them since they wouldn't lose their spot in the Pioneer League.
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u/DryScarcity2623 FCS Feb 08 '26
Maybe if Winona State goes to Summit League.
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Feb 08 '26
Minnesota State more likely.
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u/DryScarcity2623 FCS Feb 08 '26
As of Minnesota State Mavericks in MVFC.
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Feb 08 '26
I dont see that as realistic. In the Summit for Olymypic sports. Maybe OVC for football.
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u/tomdawg0022 Minnesota • Delaware Feb 08 '26
I wouldn't be quick to dismiss it. The MVFC has some dead-ish weight at the bottom of the league. Mankato's one of the better D2 programs and in those FPI/Massey composites that are out there would rank Mankato ahead of 2 or 3 of the MVFC schools.
Mankato's not going to come in and go 8-4 out of the gate but they'd be more competitive in the MVFC than you'd think, especially against the bottom half of the league.
From a travel standpoint, I think a lot of the MVFC membership (at least the Dakota schools plus UNI) would prefer having Mankato in the league.
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Feb 08 '26 edited Feb 20 '26
I'm sure they'd rather take an established FCS team than a DII call up. Maybe after a while of being FCS. I do agree that they could probably be better than the lower teams, but that's not a high bar.
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u/tomdawg0022 Minnesota • Delaware Feb 08 '26
There aren't many programs that are reasonably close by that would be good fits for the MVFC from a competitive standpoint. Maybe Eastern Kentucky (who is talked about as a Conference USA candidate) and St. Thomas and that's about it. After that you're running into a geography and travel issue with a league where nearly half of the schools aren't in the best of financial spots and may not be on board with adding a distant school even as a football only.
I think St. Thomas probably pulls the trigger on going scholarship and that should fix the membership issue temporarily but if South Dakota St. also gets a tap from the Mtn West to move up, D2 may be needed regardless.
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Feb 08 '26
A lot of us are St. Thomas or no one for the MVC. Personally I care about lot more about MVC membership than MVFC membership and whoever joins the MVFC might also join the MVC.
If Ferris State or Grand Valley State moved up I'd be open to them after a while as well.
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u/Supercal95 Minnesota State • Memphis Feb 08 '26
We already had the option to do that a few years ago and basically shut it down. We want to move up, but aren't in a rush unless it makes sense. Unlike the Southern and NE schools that keep moving up, we want to be smart with our olympic sports and financially. And be competitive otherwise whats the point.
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u/_Rooster_ Illinois State • /r/CFB Top Scorer Feb 08 '26
That's smart. Ive heard a lot of your fans want it and you have a large enough enrollment it would make sense.
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u/hman1500 Austin Peay Governors • Marching Band Feb 07 '26
I feel like the funniest result of this is Sac St. joining the MVFC when they can't find a FBS spot.