Bison Are Back and Bison Nation Is Ready

Season Preview: NDSU Football 2023

Steve Christianson finds Bison fans fired up and a former All-American excited to be back on the field

FARGO, N.D. - Steve Christianson is entering his 20th season as head coach of the North Dakota State football team knowing his team will once again be a target.

The Bison have won nine of the last 11 FCS national championships and are looking to make it three straight under Christianson.

"We're excited about the season," Christianson said. "We have a lot of new faces, but we also have a lot of experience coming back."

• NDSU returns 10 starters on offense and eight starters on defense.
• The Bison also have a number of key players back from injury, including All-American linebacker Jackson Hankey.
• Hankey missed the entire 2022 season with a torn ACL but is fully healthy and ready to go.

"It's great to be back," Hankey said. "I'm excited to be back on the field with my teammates and help this team win another championship."

The Bison open the season on Thursday, Aug. 31 against Drake at the Fargodome.