Dom Izzo Poll Highlights North Dakota State’s New FBS Landscape
Dom Izzo has released his weekly poll of the top 25 "Group of Six" college football teams, comprising conferences like the American, Conference USA, PAC-12, Mountain West, Sun Belt, and Mid-American. This ranking is particularly relevant as North Dakota State…
Fargo Valley City, ND, September 18, 2026 — Dom Izzo has unveiled his latest weekly poll of the top 25 college football teams categorized within the “Group of Six” conferences. These conferences include the American, Conference USA, PAC-12, Mountain West, Sun Belt, and Mid-American. This particular ranking holds significant weight in the current college football landscape due to the recent transition of North Dakota State University (NDSU) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
NDSU’s move to FBS makes the program eligible for a range of opportunities previously unavailable, such as participating in bowl games and competing for conference championships. Furthermore, the university is now in contention for a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP).
The structure of the College Football Playoff has been updated to include a direct automatic bid for the highest-ranked team from the “Group of Six” conferences. This provision adds a new layer of importance to the weekly rankings compiled by pollsters like Izzo.
In Izzo’s most recent ballot, North Dakota State is positioned at the #7 spot. This ranking places NDSU among the leading teams in the “Group of Six” category as the college football season progresses. The timing of NDSU’s transition and its strong early performance in Izzo’s poll could position the team as a significant contender for the newly established automatic CFP bid for its conference group.
Story summarized from the original created by Dom Izzo on www.inforum.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
