North Dakota State football will play one game this fall in Fargo

North Dakota State University will play one football game this fall, meeting Central Arkansas on October 3 at the Fargodome.

The Bison, defending Football Championship Subdivision titlist, are a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. The league is intending to play its football schedule during the spring, but is allowing members to play one game during the fall.

NDSU will resume practice on Sept. 1. The team practiced for a week earlier this month but stopped when it appeared there would not be any football this fall.

Central Arkansas has eight games scheduled for the fall and has decided not to play a spring schedule, which most FCS schools are planning to do.

The Fargo Forum quoted head coach Matt Entz talking about his team's reaction to the news: "A lot of them were like, that's what we do at NDSU, we play football so let's get back to work and get going. A lot of them probably we're hoping things might change and it was good that we could make some decisions as a university and a football program. Up until this point, a lot of decisions were handed down to us."

In addition to attracting attention because NDSU has won the FCS championship eight times in the last nine years, the game will be a chance to showcase Bison quarterback Trey Lance, who is seen as a potential first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

ESPN's Mel Kiper ranks Lance, who is from Marshall, Minn., as No. 3 among quarterback prospects behind Trevor Lawrence of Clemson and Justin Fields of Ohio State.

NDSU officials have not yet said how many fans will be allowed to attend the game, the Forum reported. Tailgating will not be allowed and fans who do attend will be required to wear masks.