Gone are the days of the Missouri Valley Conference, which includes the UND Fighting Hawks and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. The Bison will begin a new era in the Mountain West Conference starting in 2026. The Bison will play teams like the Wyoming Cowboys and the San Jose State Spartans.
jeremiahboyce.com has your exclusive interview with former Buffalo Bills star and current Bison radio analyst Phil Hansen. jeremiahboyce.com had time to ask Hanson what he thought the Bison’s future would look like in the Mountain West Conference for football. Hansen said his best guess is that it would take the Bison 6 years to become king of the Mountain West. When asked how many wins the Thundering Herd would get in year one, he guesstimated 8. Phil doesn’t think the Bison will have a tough season in year one in the new conference. Hansen also stated he did not know what the Bison would look like on the field this fall. When jeremiahboyce.com asked Hansen what he thought the Bison would learn in year one that will help them in the future, Hanson stated, “higher competition brings out better players.” When asked what he will miss about the Missouri Valley Conference, he said “day games.” Their first matchup as a member of the Mountain West Conference will be in late August, with the full schedule to be announced later.
