UTEP Heading to Fargo to Face North Dakota State in 2026

The University of Texas at El Paso Miners will head to Fargo, North Dakota to play North Dakota State in the 2026 season, a scheduling update announced Feb. 24, 2026 by Mountain West/UTEP. The matchup inserts UTEP into NDSU's 2026 calendar and shifts the Miners onto a road date in one of the FCS's most hostile environments.

Mountain West/UTEP framed the change as a formal scheduling update on Feb. 24, 2026; the UTEP–NDSU game replaces a previously scheduled Mountain West pairing that had been slated. That swap was presented as an alteration to the earlier slate rather than an additional nonconference addition, meaning the Miners' 2026 schedule will now include at least one guaranteed trip to Fargo.

For UTEP, the Miners' move to play in Fargo creates a travel and matchup profile that will matter for roster planning and spring evaluation. The announcement on Feb. 24, 2026 puts North Dakota State on UTEP's 2026 itinerary and gives coaches a concrete cross-region test to prepare for during spring practices and summer conditioning.

North Dakota State gains a Mountain West opponent in Fargo for 2026 as a result of the Mountain West/UTEP scheduling update. The game alters the composition of both teams' 2026 slates by substituting the UTEP meeting for the prior Mountain West pairing that was slated; Mountain West/UTEP presented the change as part of its updated schedule release on Feb. 24, 2026.

The Feb. 24, 2026 announcement sets a clear marker for both programs as they finalize 2026 logistics, ticketing and travel. UTEP fans and North Dakota State followers now have a confirmed cross-region matchup to circle on next season's calendar, with more specifics on date and kickoff expected as the 2026 schedule is finalized.