Gage Gilbert, who hails from Buffalo, South Dakota, will be a Bison. 

Gilbert, a 2023 Harding County High School graduate, recently announced his intentions to transfer from Dickinson State University to North Dakota State University to play football. Gilbert, a two-time all-conference tight end, totaled 49 receptions for 489 yards and caught seven touchdowns in 15 career Dickinson State University games. 

Gilbert, a 6-foot-6, 250-pounder, opted to see what other opportunities were available after last season and began reaching out to schools. 

“I have nothing but good things to say about Dickinson,” Gilbert said. “I loved it there. I loved everything about it. I just wanted to see how high I can go.”

Gilbert contacted college coaches at NDSU, South Dakota State University and Division II Northern State University. He also received interest from Division I New Mexico, which is where fellow Harding County graduate Steven Koch is on the football staff. 

Gilbert, however, picked North Dakota State University and he will follow in his cousins’ footsteps up to Fargo. Gilbert is cousins with Pierre High School graduates Grey and Jett Zabel. 

Grey, a former All-American offensive lineman for the Bison, was a 2025 NFL Draft first-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks. Jett will be a sophomore tight end for the Bison.

NDSU and its football tradition also stood out to Gilbert. North Dakota State has won 10 FCS national championships between 2011 and ‘24. 

“I really like all their culture stuff and their mindset about things,” Gilbert said. “It’s really exciting.”

Gilbert was a four-sport standout in high school, competing in football, basketball, rodeo and track and field. Gilbert was an all-Little Moreau Conference performer in football and basketball, while he also earned all-state honors on the gridiron. He mostly ran relays in track and field, while he team roped and steer wrestled in rodeo. 

And rodeo is where he envisioned his college future. 

“My plan was initially to go college rodeo somewhere,” Gilbert said. “That was what I wanted to do and Dickinson just called me one day and asked if I wanted to play football. I figured that I could only play football for so long. I could rodeo the rest of my life. So that’s what I did.”

At Dickinson State, he followed his father Matt’s footsteps playing for the Blue Hawks. Matt played linebacker for legendary coach Hank Biesiot at Dickinson State from 1993-97.  

“There’s a sense of pride kind of doing what my dad did and that sort of thing,” Gilbert said.  

After a redshirt season in 2023, Gilbert earned all-conference honors in 2024 and ‘25. He totaled 33 receptions for 273 yards and three touchdowns last season, including 10 receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns against Valley City State University. 

He will now represent Buffalo, South Dakota, at the Division I level. The town is located in the far northwest corner of South Dakota, and is known for its blue-collar mentality, rancher roots and successful high school football program.  

Gilbert plans to lean on his Harding County core values in Fargo. 

“Growing up where I grew up, everyone values hard work and responsibility,” Gilbert said. “That’s the foundation of every kid that grows up there, and that’s the same for all of our sports. Just hard work and having to do everything all the time. It’s really a big factor in my success, and it will continue to be.”