McFeely: NDSU, SDSU presidents deny report they are seeking spots in Mountain West

FARGO — The presidents of North Dakota State and South Dakota State flatly deny they are seeking spots in the Mountain West Conference for their schools, countering a claim made by a former University of Montana athletic director.

Jim O'Day, AD at Montana from 2005-2012, made a few waves last week when he told a Missoula radio show that NDSU president David Cook and SDSU president Barry Dunn are "actively" trying to get their Football Championship Subdivision schools into the Mountain West Conference, a higher-level Football Bowl Subdivision league.

Speaking about the broader topic of conference realignment that has dominated college athletics in recent years, O'Day ventured into discussion about schools located on the West Coast and the importance of geography in realignment. That's when he brought up NDSU and SDSU.

"North Dakota State and South Dakota State, their presidents are actively trying to get into the Mountain West. They're actively trying to get in," he told radio host Colter Nuanez on ESPN Missoula. "They're a step up. They're looking at it seriously. But again, do they fit with the others schools? They may not."

While NDSU administrators and coaches have long let it be known they'd be interested in the possibility of moving to an FBS conference, they've denied speaking with any leagues. SDSU has been more circumspect about a potential FBS move. Former head football coach John Stiegelmeier said in 2021 the Jackrabbits weren't interested in moving up, but athletic director Justin Sell said in January SDSU wants to be "extremely prepared" for whatever the future holds.

Through a spokesperson, Cook flatly denied talking to the Mountain West about membership.

"I have not and am not in conversations with the Mountain West Conference about FBS football, nor have I been in conversations with South Dakota State University about the Mountain West Conference," Cook said.

Also through a spokesman, Dunn essentially said the same thing about SDSU.

"South Dakota State has not had any conversations with the Mountain West or had any conversations with North Dakota State about the Mountain West," said Mike Lockrem, the school's director of marketing and communications.

In a Twitter post Monday, O'Day's tone softened somewhat.

"It's been a rumor for some time... if they are, they are only doing their due diligence should any opportunity ever arise." O'Day wrote. "All presidents in their position should. Their job is to put their schools in the best positions to succeed — academically, athletically & financially."

Cook's denial echoes that of Bison athletic director Matt Larsen, who last month told The Forum the school hasn't had any discussions with the Mountain West or any other FBS conference.

"I can't speak for everybody else at NDSU because I just don't know, but to my knowledge no," Larsen said.

Larsen was asked whether that includes Cook.
"Not that he has told me, and I think he would tell me if he had," Larsen said.

With the Pac-12 losing UCLA and USC to the Big Ten and the Big 12 making rumblings about expansion, there will likely be another round of realignment soon. NDSU believes it is ready to entertain the idea of moving to an FBS league if one called, although the challenge of Fargo's isolated geography and a relative lack of TV viewers won't change.

The Mountain West has often been eyed by Bison boosters as a potential FBS conference. The American Athletic Conference has been mentioned by head football coach Matt Entz as his FBS preference. Conference USA has added several teams, including three from FCS, in the past year.

David Samson/ The Forum

"What I tell President Cook is the same thing I told (past) President (Dean) Bresciani," Larsen said last month. "We have to be ready to answer, because we can't say 'give us six months to figure this out.' The answer might be no, but we have to be ready to have an answer if a call comes."

San Diego State of the Mountain West has long been viewed as a potential Pac-12 team should that Power Five league choose to expand. San Diego State, in fact, notified the MWC it intended to leave before later trying to pull back an exit letter it sent the conference. That would appear to be a door opening for NDSU or other FCS schools wanting to move up.

But Larsen wasn't sure that's what will happen.

"The Mountain West has probably been one of the most stable conferences in college athletics for a long time, so I don't know if you can speculate what they're going to do," Larsen said last month. "The last time there was major movement, they thought about adding and they eventually decided, 'we're going to stand pat.' I think they liked their geographic makeup, how they're composed. I think they liked where they were, the presidents liked where they were and they decided not to do anything.

"I mean, I could very well see that same approach this go-around."