What Is the Future of FCS Football After North Dakota State's FBS Move?

North Dakota State announced its long-awaited move to the FBS level, joining the Mountain West as a football-only member beginning next season. It's a move that many FCS fans have discussed for the better part of 5-10 years as the Bison dominated the subdivision.

I want to start this column by saying, it was time. This is what was best for both the FCS and North Dakota State.

The Bison have won 10 of the past 14 FCS national titles, putting together one of the greatest dynasties in college football history. It's also proof that the Bison have outgrown the FCS level, which can be seen by the decreasing fan engagement inside the Fargodome.

At the end of the day, NDSU fans felt like they had accomplished everything they possibly could at this level, and they aren't wrong. It was time for the Bison to take on a new challenge, and it's time for new contenders to emerge at the FCS level.

So what's next? I have no doubt that the Bison will find plenty of success in the Mountain West, becoming instant championship contenders, but what about the FCS?

Will the FCS be better or worse after North Dakota State's departure?

I've been asked this during multiple appearances since NDSU's announcement, and my answer has been the same every time. I believe NDSU's departure will be a net-positive for the FCS.

There will be obvious drawbacks, such as losing an extremely passionate fanbase like North Dakota State, but I think the subdivision has been on an upward trajectory over the past few seasons, and I don't see why that would stop after NDSU's move to the FBS.

One key factor here is that I don't think this move is good for every program in the subdivision. Obviously, South Dakota State loses its key rival, and the FCS loses one of the best rivalries in the sport in the Dakota Marker.

Even North Dakota has started to emerge as a potential FCS contender, making that in-state battle more interesting over the past few years. Now the Fighting Hawks are in a similar position that they were in 2004 when the Bison jumped to Division I and left them at the Division II level.

I even think Montana and Montana State fans feel like they lost their biggest competition on a national level. Both the Bobcats and the Grizzlies have had some memorable postseason battles with the Bison, which is sure to play a role in the emotions of both fan bases.

I still want to look forward, though, and despite those notable drawbacks, I believe all four of the teams I mentioned above feel like they can become the next FCS powerhouse, which creates a level of excitement around each of those teams.

To add further context, Montana State has only won two FCS national titles since 1984, South Dakota State has only won two national titles since moving up to Division I in 2004, Montana hasn't won it all since 2001, and North Dakota has never made it past the quarterfinals.

I point that out because, as much as NDSU's departure may be a negative for those teams, there's still a massive opportunity at the FCS level for all of them. None of their fans are "tired" of winning in the FCS, which gives them an opportunity to build their brand as the next FCS dynasty.

It's ironic that NDSU's move comes after the FCS had one of the most exciting playoffs in recent memory. A majority of it came without NDSU, which was eliminated in the second round by national runner-up Illinois State.

Even after NDSU's elimination, this year's playoff averaged 1.4 million viewers nationally on ESPN networks, which is the best audience since 2009-10. The subdivision also had the most-watched playoff game on record when Montana-Montana State averaged 2.8 million viewers, peaking at over 3.0 million.

The FCS National Championship game drew 2.3 million viewers on ESPN, making it the 3rd-most watched championship game in FCS history. We also saw the quarterfinals draw its best average audience since 2011.

Illinois State tight end Scotty Presson Jr. (11) is tackled by Montana State’s Taki Uluilakepa (2) and Bryant Meredith (6) during the first half of the FCS National Championship game | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

I give all those statistics to show that the subdivision has continued to grow despite multiple national brands making a move to the FBS level. The FCS has survived losing some outstanding programs, including James Madison, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Marshall, and Delaware. I don't see how this time will be any different.

I'm encouraged by how Illinois State has rallied support after making a run to Nashville last season. Since that game, the Redbirds have announced over $3.5 million in gifts to the athletic department, which were given to ensure the future success of Redbird football.

Obviously, Montana State, South Dakota State, and Montana are the obvious candidates to be the next FCS powerhouse to emerge, but I don't think it's a stretch to say the field is much more wide open now.

Would it shock you if, in five years, Tarleton State, UC Davis, Illinois State, North Dakota, South Dakota, Villanova, Rhode Island, Abilene Christian, Idaho, or Tennessee Tech made a run to Nashville? What type of excitement and support could that build for any of those teams?

If you need further proof that the FCS is going to be just fine, how about we take a quick look ahead to next season? Yes, Montana State looks to be the heavy favorite to repeat with Brent Vigen returning as head coach and over 25 key contributors returning from last season's team, but what about the rest of the subdivision?

If I were forced to pick, I would lean South Dakota State at No. 2 right now due to Chase Mason and some solid returning defensive talent. Outside of the Jackrabbits, the rest of my Top 5 would be wide open with some major question marks at Montana, Illinois State, Villanova, and Tarleton State.

We also have to consider Youngstown State, which has Beau Brungard returning after winning the Walter Payton Award, along with Rhode Island, which is led by All-Americans Devin Farrell and Marquis Buchanan.

What about all the other potential contenders I didn't mention? UC Davis, North Dakota, Southern Illinois, Austin Peay, Stephen F. Austin, Tennessee Tech, Mercer, and Yale have all been postseason contenders in recent seasons. It feels like the field is wide open behind the Bobcats, making this one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory.

I would caution people who want to write a eulogy on the future of FCS football, because this subdivision has always found a way to survive.

Maybe it doesn't look the same in 10-15 years as the landscape of college football shifts drastically, but one can make an argument that this level is the last example of what made millions of people fall in love with college football.

The North Dakota State era has ended, but now it's time to build excitement around what's coming next. The countdown has officially begun for one of the most-anticipated seasons in the subdivision's history.

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