According to a report by FBSchedules.com, Iowa State has agreed to a 2024 non-conference game with North Dakota.

…Who?

This isn’t exactly a matchup that is going to get anyone out of bed. And before you say, ‘Hey, wait a minute. Didn’t the Cyclones lose to them a couple of years ago?’, the answer is no. That was North Dakota State that knocked off the Cyclones in 2014. Different team. This matchup will be against the Fighting Hawks, not the Bison.

According to FBS, Iowa State will pay North Dakota $550,000 for the warm up. Let’s just hope the Cyclones aren’t paying half a million dollars for another embarrassing loss to an FCS school. After all, the Bison aren’t exactly the last ones to do it. Thankfully, coach Matt Campbell has seven years before he has to worry about that.

If the report is true, and these guys are pretty good at covering this kind of thing, then that would fill two of the three available non-con spots for the Cyclones in 2024. Arkansas State is already on the schedule. So, that would mean the remaining spot would need to be filled by a power five school to meet the Big 12’s non-conference scheduling requirements. My guess is that it will be Iowa; as they play the rivalry game with the Hawkeyes every year.