LAS VEGAS – North Dakota State safety Darius Givance listed a long list of challenges he anticipates facing when traveling to Air Force in September for the Bison’s first game as a member of the Mountain West.

There’s the discipline required to defend the triple option under the ever-present threat of one mistake leading to a touchdown. The risk of a pass, even if it happens only a few times a game. The preparation required, all while knowing the real thing is going to be totally different.

“And, you know, we can’t wait,” Givance said this week at Mountain West Media Days. “That’s kind of the mentality we have here at NDSU. Put our back on the wall and start swinging.”

The Mountain West opened the door to North Dakota State after a run of dominance at the FCS level that included a record 10 national championships (all since 2011) and a 198-22 record over the past 15 seasons. In 2025 it outscored opponents by an average of 41-13 per game.

The Bison have won six of their 10 games all-time vs. teams from power conferences, with Colorado narrowly escaping becoming the seventh victim two years ago before a pair of second-half touchdowns from Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter put the Buffaloes in front during a 31-26 victory.

“When we were in the SEC, it was, ‘Hey, we’re looking for an FCS game. Do you want to play North Dakota State?’” said UNLV coach Dan Mullen, who was previously at Mississippi State and Florida. “Nope. No, I don’t. We’ll pass on them.”

History suggests the transition will be smooth, particularly when looking at the instant success of James Madison – the only team even remotely comparable – as it moved up to the FCS level and has thrived. The Dukes are 40-11 through four seasons at the FBS level, climbing into the top 25 at various points in three of those four seasons.

Wyoming coach Jay Sawvel spent four seasons as an assistant with the Cowboys under Craig Bohl, who helped build the Bison’s dynasty and led them to three consecutive titles from 2011-13. Sawvel calls adding NDSU “the best possible thing the Mountain West could do.”

Players and coaches from the conference understand the threat the Bisons present.

“They’re going to fit right in,” said New Mexico linebacker Jaxson Eck, who spent his first two seasons at the FCS level with Idaho. “They’re going to be competing to win it all right away.”

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun noted that North Dakota produces the most barrels of oil per day in the United States, behind Texas and New Mexico, and that money has and will continue to help the Bison’s program.

“Let’s be real in this day and age, money allocation,” Calhoun said of a factor that will help North Dakota State as it moves up. “I think, especially when it comes to players. You know, they have a good number of chips that are being pushed forward.”

One of the teams the Bison are replacing in the new-look Mountain West is Boise State, which also built its brand as a national champion at the division then known as NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) before moving up to the Western Athletic Conference. The WAC at that time included Hawaii, Nevada San Jose State, UTEP – all now in the Mountain West.

The Broncos maintained their standard through the move and was the unquestioned best team throughout their run in the Mountain West.

Now they are headed to the Pac-12, along with Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State.

The void in in the Mountain West is being filled with North Dakota State, Northern Illinois and UTEP.

One advantage North Dakota State won’t have is that of surprise. The Mountain West is well aware of what it is adding.

“They’re a really, really good team,” San Jose State coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “They’ve been one for so many years. Their résumé and what they’ve done is beyond reproach because they’ve done it for so long.”

And it’s a team that welcomes a challenge.

“We came to compete,” NDSU quarterback Nathan Hayes said. “We came to win the conference and compete in the College Football Playoff. And if we weren’t able to do that, we wouldn’t have moved up.”