North Dakota State to Play Football in Hawaii

Bison's move to Mountain West Conference includes matchup with University of Hawaii

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

North Dakota State University's football team will soon be adding a new time zone to its schedule as the school has been accepted into the Mountain West Conference for football. This means the Bison will play a game against the University of Hawaii, located in the Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone.

Why it matters

This will be a new frontier for the Bison football program, which has traditionally played its games in the Central Time Zone. Traveling to Hawaii will present logistical challenges and require adjustments, but also provides an exciting new opportunity to expand the team's reach and competition.

The details

As part of joining the Mountain West Conference for football, NDSU will face off against the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. This will mark the first time the Bison have played a game in the Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone, which is 5 hours behind Central Time.

  • NDSU was recently accepted into the Mountain West Conference for football.
  • The Bison's first game against the University of Hawaii has not yet been scheduled.

The players

North Dakota State University

A public research university located in Fargo, North Dakota, known for its successful Division I football program.

University of Hawaii

The state's flagship public research university, located in Honolulu and home to the Rainbow Warriors football team.

Mountain West Conference

A NCAA Division I athletic conference that includes schools located in the western United States.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

NDSU and the University of Hawaii will need to coordinate travel logistics and scheduling for their upcoming matchup once the game date is finalized.

The takeaway

NDSU's move to the Mountain West Conference represents an exciting new frontier for the Bison football program, as they will now have the opportunity to compete against teams from the Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone, providing new challenges and experiences for the players and coaches.