Former Bison Coach Entz Pushed Hard for FBS Move, Says 'It's About Damn Time'

Now at Fresno State, Matt Entz began advocating for NDSU's move to a higher level when the pandemic ruined the Bison's 2020 season.

Feb. 17, 2026 at 12:23pm

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Matt Entz, the former head coach of the North Dakota State Bison football team, is excited about the school's move to the Mountain West Conference. Entz, who is now the head coach at Fresno State, was an early and strong advocate for NDSU to make the jump from the FCS to the FBS level, even if he couldn't be as public about it at the time. Entz felt the Bison program was "running on a treadmill" and needed to take the next step, especially after the pandemic disrupted the 2020 season.

Why it matters

Entz's advocacy for the FBS move highlights the long-standing desire within the NDSU program to compete at the highest level of college football. The transition to the Mountain West Conference will provide the Bison with new challenges and opportunities, and Entz believes it will help the school retain top talent that may have otherwise left for larger programs.

The details

Entz began pushing for the FBS move in late 2020 after NDSU struggled to find opponents to play that fall due to the pandemic. He felt the Bison program had reached a ceiling in the FCS and needed to take the next step. Entz had numerous discussions with NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen about the logistics and budget implications of the move. While there was briefly talk of NDSU joining Conference USA, that league wanted the Bison for all sports, which was not feasible.

  • In November 2020, Entz first called a reporter to discuss NDSU needing to move to the FBS level.
  • In December 2020, the first column was published calling for NDSU to prepare for a move to the FBS.
  • In 2021, NDSU conducted the first of two feasibility studies looking at potential FBS conference options.

The players

Matt Entz

The former head coach of the North Dakota State Bison football team from 2019-2023, who is now the head coach at Fresno State. Entz was an early and vocal advocate for NDSU to make the move from the FCS to the FBS level.

Matt Larsen

The athletic director at North Dakota State University, who had numerous closed-door conversations with Entz about the logistics and feasibility of NDSU moving to the FBS.

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What they’re saying

“I'm excited. It's about damn time. It probably should've happened a couple of years ago.”

— Matt Entz, Head Coach, Fresno State

“There were a couple of years there where we lost some kids to the transfer portal because they saw there were really two levels above us, the Power Four and the Group of Five. Some of the guys went to the highest level, but there were some others who went places that you asked, 'Is that really better than here?' It didn't really seem to matter whether they played better football, it was still a bigger brand.”

— Matt Entz, Head Coach, Fresno State

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.