The 2016 North Dakota State Bison football team represented North Dakota State University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season.

The team played their 24th season in the Fargodome, entering the season as the five-time defending national champions and five-time Missouri Valley Football Conference Champions.

The Bison have been members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference since the 2008 season.

[1] The Bison went 12–2 on the season and won their sixth straight conference title with their lone loss coming on a last-second touchdown versus rival SDSU.

The Bison received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated San Diego and South Dakota State in the second round and quarterfinals before losing to James Madison in the semifinals, ending their five-year championship run.