North Dakota Fighting Hawks football. The North Dakota Fighting Hawks represent the University of North Dakota, competing in the Big Sky Conference in the NCAA Division I's Football Championship Subdivision. From 1973 to 2008, they played in the NCAA's NCAA Division II, winning the National Championship in 2001. From 1955 to 1972 they competed in the NCAA's College Division where they participated in and won 3 Bowl Games. North Dakota fielded its first football team in 1894. In 1922, they were one of the 9 charter members of the North Central Conference, where they competed until 2008 when they upgraded all of their athletic programs to the Division I level and joined the Great West Conference. They joined the Big Sky Conference in 2012.