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UND sets 2025, 2026 schedules as Bison travel back-to-back to Grand Forks

Tom Miller, Grand Forks Herald
·3 min read

Dec. 27—GRAND FORKS — The Missouri Valley Football Conference has locked in schedules for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

One of the few surprises is North Dakota State will play in Grand Forks both years.

NDSU will visit the Alerus Center on Oct. 18, 2025, and Oct. 10, 2026.

NDSU deputy athletic director Todd Phelps told WDAY's Dom Izzo the reason the Bison will come to the Alerus Center on consecutive seasons is because NDSU wanted to avoid years in which the Fargodome hosts UND and South Dakota State in the same season.

The schedules had originally been set for years out but were readjusted as Western Illinois is exiting the league for the Ohio Valley Conference and Murray State (Ky.) has entered.

In addition to NDSU coming to UND both seasons, the Hawks will visit Southern Illinois in both seasons.

In 2025, UND opens at Kansas State (Aug. 30), a game moved from the COVID-19 season of 2020. The Wildcats are 8-4 this season and play North Carolina State on Thursday night in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Fla.

After Kansas State, UND will play a non-conference game against the Big Sky Conference's Portland State (Sept. 6). Portland State went 5-6 in 2023.

The Hawks will then visit 2023 FCS national championship participant Montana on Sept. 13. The non-conference portion of the schedule will conclude with a home game against non-scholarship Valparaiso on Sept. 20.

The final week of September, UND will host South Dakota State on Sept. 27. The Jackrabbits are playing in a second-consecutive FCS title game to close the 2023 season. Then, UND will visit South Dakota the following weekend (Oct. 4). The Hawks lost to the Coyotes 14-10 in the DakotaDome in 2023.

The month of October will also see North Dakota take a trip to Murray State (Oct. 11), host North Dakota State (Oct. 18) and visit Northern Iowa (Oct. 25).

The Fighting Hawks will then host Youngstown State (Nov. 1) to open the month of November. After an open week on Nov. 8, UND will close out its regular season at Southern Illinois (Nov. 15) and host Missouri State (Nov. 22).

In 2026, UND opens at home against St. Thomas, where former players Jake Landry and Brett Holinka are assistant coaches at the Pioneer League program. The month of September closes with road games at Portland State (Sept. 12) and Nebraska (Sept. 19).

Following an open week (Sept. 26), the MVFC slate for UND will start at Missouri State on Oct. 3. For the second consecutive season, the Hawks will then host the Bison (Oct. 10).

After facing NDSU, the Hawks host Murray State on Oct. 17 and then will travel to Southern Illinois on Oct. 24. On Halloween, UND will face USD inside the Alerus Center. The Yotes haven't won in Grand Forks since 1985.

The final month of the regular season will see the Hawks fly to Youngstown State (Nov. 7), host Northern Iowa (Nov. 14) and visit South Dakota State (Nov. 21).

2025 UND football schedule

Aug. 30 — at Kansas State

Sept. 6 — Portland State

Sept. 13 — at Montana

Sept. 20 — Valparaiso

Sept. 27 — South Dakota State

Oct. 4 — at South Dakota

Oct. 11 — at Murray State

Oct. 18 — North Dakota State

Oct. 25 — at Northern Iowa

Nov. 1 — Youngstown State

Nov. 15 — at Southern Illinois

Nov. 22 — Missouri State

2026 UND football schedule

Sept. 5 — St. Thomas

Sept. 12 — at Portland State

Sept. 19 — at Nebraska

Oct. 3 — at Missouri State

Oct. 10 — North Dakota State

Oct. 17 — Murray State

Oct. 24 — at Southern Illinois

Oct. 31 — South Dakota

Nov. 7 — at Youngstown State

Nov. 14 — Northern Iowa

Nov. 21 — at South Dakota State