As recently as 2022, Jacksonville State and North Dakota State were members of the FCS. In 2026, the recent FBS additions will open against each other in a Week 0 showdown.
The non-conference matchup between the rising Conference USA power and the former FCS dynasty-turned Mountain West member is slated for Saturday, Aug. 26, 2026 and will kick off from the Fargodome in Fargo, ND. This upcoming Week 0 contest is the first leg of a home-and-home, and the return trip to Jacksonville, AL is scheduled
for Sept. 22, 2029.
This will be the fourth-ever meeting between the programs, which previously battled at both the Division II and FCS levels. Jacksonville State and North Dakota State share important history from about a decade ago, squaring off in the 2015 FCS National Championship Game. Led by quarterback Carson Wentz and wide receiver Darrius Shepherd, the Bison defeated the Gamecocks 37-10 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX to claim their fifth-consecutive FCS national title.
The Week 0 matchup also serves as the first-ever North Dakota State contest at the FBS level, and it’s a home game for the Bison. Jax State also made its FBS debut at home in 2023, defeating UTEP in a Week 0 matchup. Thus, this will be the Gamecocks’ second appearance in Week 0 in their four years of FBS membership.
For Jacksonville State, this matchup replaces a recently-canceled home-and-home series vs. San Jose State, which was announced in January. The Gamecocks were supposed to play at San Jose State on Sept. 26 but the series was axed, and North Dakota State filled the vacancy.
With this non-conference matchup set in stone, Week 0 now showcases seven matchups, including five in the United States:
- North Carolina vs. TCU (in Dublin)
- NC State vs. Virginia (in Rio de Janeiro)
- Jacksonville State at North Dakota State
- Hawaii at Stanford
- Memphis at UNLV
- New Mexico State at Florida State
- San Jose State at USC
