NORTH DAKOTA STATE NORTH DAKOTA STATE FOOTBALL
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
North Dakota State has built one of the FCS's most consistently competitive programs since joining Division I football, operating from a campus of 11,952 students in the upper Midwest. The Bison football operation fields a 100-player roster under head coach Tim Polasek, competing in the Summit League during the fall season. Since the university's founding in 1890, the athletic program has emphasized sustained excellence across all levels of competition.
Polasek's tenure has emphasized defensive discipline and methodical offensive execution characteristic of Summit League football in the FCS landscape. North Dakota State plays its home games at a facility that anchors the university's athletic infrastructure for the 11,000-plus student body. The program's 100-player roster size reflects the FCS scholarship allocation, allowing the coaching staff to develop depth across both lines of scrimmage and in secondary coverage responsibilities that define FCS-level competition.
The Bison maintain conference affiliation within the Summit League, a grouping that has produced consistent playoff participants and national tournament contenders. North Dakota State's football identity centers on the stability provided by experienced coaching leadership and the recruiting advantages of a committed Division I athletics department supporting a football program that competes annually for conference honors.
KEY FACTS
| School | North Dakota State University |
| Sport | Football |
| Conference | Summit League |
| Division | D1-FCS |
| Location | North Dakota State, North Dakota |
| Venue | Home Venue |
| Head Coach | Tim Polasek |
ROSTER (2025-26)
| # | Name | Pos |
|---|---|---|
| 76 | Ryan Babatz | OT |
| 14 | Preston Brown | QB |
| 67 | Kaden Chadwick | G |
| 15 | Mekhi Collins | WR |
| 84 | Logan Conklin | WR |
| 33 | Gabriel Cunningham | TE |
| 89 | Finn Diggins | TE |
| 10 | Trey Drake | QB |
| 42 | Isaac Ellison | TE |
| 62 | Griffin Empey | G |
| 2 | Kellen Entz | WR |
| 16 | Silas Evans III | WR |
| 63 | Trent Fraley | C |
| 80 | John Gores | WR |
| 82 | SJ Green | WR |
| 19 | Chris Harris | WR |
| 34 | Jonathan Harvey | RB |
| 12 | Nathan Hayes | QB |
| 70 | Beau Johnson | OT |
| 4 | Owen Johnson | RB |
| 81 | Reis Kessel | TE |
| 21 | Chris Kiel | WR |
| 11 | Jacob Kilzer | WR |
| 44 | Luke Kokat | TE |
| 8 | Barika Kpeenu | RB |
| 47 | Barry Kpeenu | RB |
| 5 | Bryce Lance | WR |
| 28 | Cortez LeGrant | RB |
| 66 | Jack Liwienski | G |
| 69 | Devin Lockerby | G |
| 75 | Josh Magin | OT |
| 36 | McClain Miller | FB |
| 25 | Myles Mitchell | RB |
| 59 | James Nellis | G |
| 87 | Noah Nelson | TE |
| 3 | RaJa Nelson | WR |
| 68 | Coy Okeson | G |
| 83 | Cade Osterman | WR |
| 9 | Cole Payton | QB |
| 22 | Charles Ross III | RB |
| 20 | Drake Schlosser | WR |
| 61 | Gage Schmidt | C |
| 72 | Nate Schneckloth | G |
| 77 | Austin Schultz | OT |
| 7 | DJ Scott | RB |
| 13 | Zander Smith | QB |
| 17 | Isiah St. Romain | WR |
| 0 | Jaquise Alexander | CB |
| 32 | Austin Altepeter | LB |
| 51 | Sam Anderson | LB |
| 93 | Toby Anene | DE |
| 44 | Carter Appl | LB |
| 30 | Jaylen Archibald | S |
| 22 | Hudson Artz | S |
| 10 | Antoine Booth | CB |
| 33 | Walker Braaten | S |
| 40 | Chase Brixius | LB |
| 56 | Allante Burley | DE |
| 28 | Kendrick Carter | CB |
| 24 | Anthony Chideme-Alfaro | CB |
| 65 | Brody Clubb | DT |
| 6 | Jaylin Crumby | S |
| 69 | Carter Dauner | DE |
| 50 | Damian Devine | LB |
| 2 | Jailen Duffie | CB |
| 64 | Jaxon Duttenhefer | DT |
| 14 | Taylen Eady | S |
| 42 | Alex Elliott | LB |
| 53 | Chase Evink | DT |
| 31 | Mikhale Ford | S |
| 29 | Darius Givance | S |
| 66 | Jack Hansen | DT |
| 41 | Peder Haugo | LB |
| 23 | Kegan Huber | CB |
| 97 | Victor Isele | DE |
| 98 | Jack Iuliano | DE |
| 25 | Ray James Jr. | LB |
| 27 | Ryan Jones | S |
| 43 | Logan Kopp | LB |
| 94 | Logan Larson | DT |
| 55 | Oliver Lucht | LB |
| 92 | Kelton McCaslin | DE |
| 39 | Landon Meier | S |
| 34 | Marion Moore | CB |
| 96 | Abraham Myers | DE |
| 13 | Najee Nelson | CB |
| 99 | Obald Niyonkuru | DT |
| 90 | Wyatt Osterbauer | DE |
| 60 | Thomas Roberts | DE |
| 19 | Will Rosenmeyer | CB |
| 35 | Ryland Satter | LB |
| 38 | Ben Schepp | S |
| 48 | Blake Schiltz | DE |
| 45 | Gavin Sell | LB |
| 52 | Nathaniel Staehling | LB |
| 39 | Aaron Bickerton | P |
| 48 | Caleb Bowers | LS |
| 37 | Drew Klein | PK |
| 41 | Sam Knoll | P |
| 38 | Eli Ozick | PK |
OTHER SPORTS AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE
THE SUMMIT LEAGUE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS
MORE FOOTBALL IN NORTH DAKOTA
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North Dakota Football ProgramsFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What conference does North Dakota State Football compete in?
- North Dakota State North Dakota State Football competes in the The Summit League conference at the NCAA D1-FCS level.
- Where does North Dakota State play football home games?
- North Dakota State Football plays home games at Home Venue in North Dakota State, ND.
- Who is the head coach of North Dakota State Football?
- The head coach of North Dakota State North Dakota State Football is Tim Polasek.
- When was North Dakota State Football program established?
- The establishment date for North Dakota State Football is not currently available.