THIS WEEK: Defending national champion and No. 3 seed North Dakota State (12-2) meets No. 1 seed South Dakota State (13-1) in the NCAA Division I Football Championship game at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, at Toyota Stadium (17,677) in Frisco, Texas. This is NDSU’s 10th title game in 12 years and SDSU’s second in three seasons.
TELEVISION: Live coverage will be on ABC with Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Jay Walker (analyst) and Paul Carcaterra (sideline) describing the action. Video streaming will be available on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
RADIO: Statewide coverage begins at 12 p.m. on the Pioneer Seeds Bison Radio Network including Bison 1660 and 107.9 The Fox in Fargo with Rob Hipp (play-by-play), Phil Hansen (analyst) and Cole Jirik (sideline). The network broadcast includes 1-hour pregame and 30-minute postgame shows. Streaming is available on GoBison.com/allaccess and the NDSU Athletics mobile app. National radio coverage on Westwood One Sports begins at 12:30 p.m. with Ted Emrich (play-by-play), Derek Rackley (analyst) and Taylor Davis (sideline) on SiriusXM Channel 84, the Varsity mobile app and WestwoodOneSports.com/FCS.
TICKETS: Tickets are available on the NCAA Ticket Exchange at NCAATickets.com. All tickets are issued digitally and scanned at Toyota Stadium entrances from mobile devices using the AXS app (PDF). North Dakota State is the designated visiting team and will occupy the team bench on the west side of Toyota Stadium nearest the press box.
PARKING & TAILGATING: Spectators will be able to park in the Red, Blue, Green or White parking lots, which will open at 8 a.m. The charge for parking is $20 per spot. Parking lots will stay open after the game, but all vehicles must be off property by 11:30 p.m. ADA parking is available in the Platinum, Gold, Red, Green and Blue lots on a first-come, first-served basis.
CLEAR BAG POLICY: Toyota Stadium has a clear bag and purse policy. Each guest may enter with one large clear bag or one small clutch. Approved bags include clear plastic bags that do not exceed 14″ x 6″ x 14″, small clutches less than 5.5″ x 8.5″, or one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags. Email CustomerService@FCDallas.com to get special clearance for medically necessary items. More information is available on the the Toyota Stadium policies webpage.
TEAM ARRIVALS & FAN ZONE: Fans are invited to line up on Lamar Hunt Way north of Toyota Stadium west toward World Cup Way for team arrivals beginning at 10:25 a.m. with NDSU followed by SDSU at 10:45 a.m. Stadium gates open at 11 a.m. and the NCAA Fan Zone will be open at 11 a.m. in the north plaza of Toyota Stadium.
NDSU PEP FEST: The NDSU Pep Fest presented by Gate City Bank will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, at Grandscape, 5752 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony, Texas. The first 2,000 fans will receive a free stadium bag. There will be a program, family activities, live music from The After Party and NDSU’s Gold Star Marching Band, and food and beverage available for purchase.
BISON TRACKER MOBILE APP: NDSU’s popular Bison Tracker mobile app presented by Pivot Bio launched Monday, Jan. 2. The app is a free download for Apple and Android devices and shows real-time counts of Bison fans checked-in on their way to Frisco or watching around the country.
THE SERIES: This is the 114th meeting between North Dakota State and South Dakota State dating back to 1903. NDSU leads the all-time series 63-45-5, but SDSU has won three straight including a 23-21 victory in Fargo on Oct. 15. SDSU has five wins over NDSU since 2011, North Dakota State’s first FCS national championship season, while no other team has beaten the Bison twice.
NO MARKER: The Dakota Marker, the rivalry trophy established in 2004 for NDSU-SDSU football games, is only up for grabs during regular-season matchups between the two programs. This is the fifth postseason meeting between the Bison and Jacks. NDSU won all four previous playoff games in Fargo in the 2012 second round (28-3), 2014 second round (27-24), 2016 quarterfinals (36-10) and 2018 semifinals (44-21). NDSU has a 10-9 edge in the Dakota Marker series.
PLAYOFF REMATCHES: North Dakota State is 7-0 in FCS playoff rematches with regular-season opponents. Two of those victories came after regular-season losses to Montana in 2015 and South Dakota State 2016. NDSU was 9-3 in Division II playoff rematches, including a 27-7 win over South Dakota in the 1986 championship and a 51-11 win over Indiana (Pa.) in the 1990 championship.
NDSU’s FCS Playoff Rematches
2012 – South Dakota State – Won 20-17, Won 28-3 in FCS second round
2014 – South Dakota State – Won 37-17, Won 27-24 in FCS second round
2015 – Montana – Lost 38-35, Won 37-6 in FCS second round
2015 – Northern Iowa – Won 31-28, Won 23-13 in FCS quarterfinal
2016 – South Dakota State – Lost 19-17, Won 36-10 in FCS quarterfinal
2018 – South Dakota State – Won 21-17, Won 44-21 in FCS semifinal
2019 – Illinois State – Won 37-3, Won 9-3 in FCS quarterfinal
ALL-VALLEY FINAL: This is the second time the FCS championship game has featured two teams from the same conference. The 2014 season ended with Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champions North Dakota State and Illinois State meeting in Frisco. The Bison and Redbirds did not play in the regular season that year. NDSU won 29-27. Illinois State quarterback Tre Roberson scored on a 58-yard run to put the Redbirds ahead 27-23 with 1:38 left, but the Bison went 78 yards in six plays with true freshman receiver RJ Urzendowski making receptions of 32, 13 and 33 yards before Carson Wentz‘s 5-yard TD run with 37 seconds left put NDSU ahead. Bison linebacker Esley Thorton‘s interception near midfield with 8 seconds left sealed the victory.
TITLE TILTS: North Dakota State and South Dakota State are meeting for the first time in the FCS national championship, but the teams have twice previously met in the final game of the season with a title on the line. NDSU’s 41-28 win in Fargo on the final week of the 2006 regular season clinched a Great West Football Conference championship in a 10-1 season. SDSU captured the 2007 Great West title with a 29-24 victory in Brookings and spoiled NDSU’s undefeated season with the Bison finishing 10-1. NDSU and SDSU were ineligible for NCAA postseason competition from 2004 through 2007 while reclassifying from Division II.
NOT JUST FOOTBALL: North Dakota State and South Dakota State have not only established themselves as Missouri Valley Football Conference football powers, but the Bison and Jackrabbits have been atop The Summit League in men’s basketball for many years. NDSU (5) and SDSU (6) have combined to win 11 of 14 Summit League men’s basketball tournaments since the teams became Division I postseason eligible in 2008-09. The Bison and Jacks have met four times in the Summit League title game (2013, 2015, 2016, 2022) with SDSU winning three of those four matchups in Sioux Falls, S.D. The schools have also met in Summit League tournament championship games in baseball (SDSU 2013), women’s soccer (SDSU 2015) and softball (NDSU 2018).
17 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: North Dakota State last year won its 17th football national championship. NDSU claimed three College Division national championships in 1965, 1968 and 1969 via the national polls, five Division II playoff titles in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990, and was the first team in college football history to win five straight national titles with FCS crowns in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 before winning again in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021. The Bison lost to the eventual national champion in the 2010 and 2020 quarterfinals and 2016 semifinals.
TITLE TOWN: North Dakota State is playing in its 10th FCS championship game in 15 years of Division I postseason eligibility. NDSU has won the national championship in 31 percent of its 54 years of postseason eligibility since the program’s first bowl game in 1964 and has just three losing seasons since 1964. (NDSU was ineligible for the playoffs while reclassifying to Division I from 2004-2007, a four-year span ending with back-to-back 10-1 seasons in FCS play.)
NINE FCS TITLES: North Dakota State has won a record nine FCS national championships and is 14-2 overall in playoff title games with the only losses coming in the Division II championships in 1981 to Texas State (42-13) and 1984 to Troy (18-17).
Most FCS Championship Games
10 – North Dakota State (9-0)
8 – Georgia Southern (6-2)
7 – Youngstown State (4-3)
7 – Montana (2-5)
6 – Marshall (2-4)
Most FCS Championship Wins
9 – North Dakota State
6 – Georgia Southern
4 – Youngstown State
3 – Appalachian State
13TH STRAIGHT POSTSEASON: This is North Dakota State’s 13th consecutive season in the FCS playoffs, the longest active streak ahead of No. 1 seed South Dakota State, which made its 11th straight appearance. NDSU has a 79-16 record all-time in 36 postseason appearances from 1964 to 2022 including a 74-15 record in the NCAA playoffs since 1973.
Most Consecutive FCS Playoff Appearances
17 – Montana, 1993-2009
14 – New Hampshire, 2004-2017
13 – North Dakota State, 2010-2022
11 – South Dakota State, 2012-2022
PLAYOFF SUCCESS: North Dakota State is 44-3 in the FCS playoffs, the second most FCS playoff victories behind current FBS member Georgia Southern’s 45. NDSU’s nine FCS national championships is the subdivision record.
Most FCS Playoff Victories
45 – Georgia Southern
44 – North Dakota State
35 – Montana
28 – Youngstown State
26 – Northern Iowa
Highest Winning Percentage in FCS Playoffs
.936 – North Dakota State (44-3)
.793 – Marshall (23-6)
.777 – Youngstown State (28-8)
.776 – Georgia Southern (45-13)
.667 – Sam Houston State (24-12)
SEED HISTORY: NDSU was a top-two seed in the FCS playoffs 9 of 12 previous appearances. NDSU’s only other seed was No. 3 in 2015 when the Bison hosted a semifinal after No. 2 seed Illinois State lost in the quarterfinals. The Bison beat Jacksonville State for the national title.
NCAA ELITE 90: The NCAA Elite 90 Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each of the NCAA’s 90 national championships across all divisions. North Dakota State has earned 17 awards across five different sports including eight at the FCS championship game: LB Esley Thorton (2013), QB Carson Wentz (2014-16), WR Daniel Polansky (2018), TE Ben Ellefson (2019), LB Jackson Hankey (2020) and LB Cole Wisniewski (2022).
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: The NCAA championship game Most Outstanding Player will be announced on-stage following Sunday’s game. Here are NDSU’s nine previous recipients: LB Travis Beck (2012), QB Brock Jensen (2013-14), QB Carson Wentz (2015-16), QB Easton Stick (2018), WR Darrius Shepherd (2019), QB Trey Lance (2019) and FB Hunter Luepke (2022).
TAKEAWAYS: North Dakota State is +12 in turnover margin in nine previous FCS championships. NDSU forced at least one turnover in all nine games including four in the 2012-13 win over Sam Houston State and four in the 2015-16 win over Jacksonville State. NDSU has four turnover-free games in Frisco and a high of three turnovers against Jacksonville State.
BISON HOLD OFF INCARNATE WORD: Kobe Johnson rushed for 136 yards and three touchdowns and Dawson Weber had two interceptions and a fumble recovery as North Dakota State held off Incarnate Word 35-32 in the semifinals. UIW jumped out to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Bison came back for a 17-16 halftime lead. Quarterback Lindsey Scott accounted for 362 of Incarnate Word’s 539 total yards, which was the most total offense ever by an NDSU postseason opponent. Scott was 30 of 46 passing for 282 yards and rushed 21 times for 80 yards with three total touchdowns. NDSU quarterback Cam Miller finished with 132 rushing yards and one TD, and Michael Tutsie and James Kaczor made 13 tackles each for the Bison defense.
BISON SHUT DOWN SAMFORD: NDSU held Samford to 85 yards in the first half and opened up a 24-0 lead through three quarters en route to a 27-9 quarterfinal win over the Bulldogs, who entered the game ranked No. 6 in FCS averaging 306.5 passing yards per game. Samford QB Michael Hiers came off the bench in the second half to complete 22 of 30 passes for 227 yards, but the Bulldogs didn’t find the end zone until 3:53 left in the game. Courtney Eubanks made a career- and game-high 10 tackles for NDSU, Dawson Weber made his team-leading third interception of the season, Spencer Waege blocked a field goal, and Javier Derritt had two of NDSU’s five sacks.
BISON OUTRUN GRIZZLIES: Kobe Johnson and TaMerik Williams combined for 307 rushing yards in NDSU’s 49-26 second round win over Montana. NDSU averaged 10.8 yards per carry and totaled 453 yards, the most yards per carry and second most single-game rushing yards by NDSU in the FCS playoffs. Johnson carried 12 times for 206 yards and two TDs while Williams finished with 11 carries for 101 yards and one TD. The Bison scored four touchdowns of 68 yards or longer.
BISON SECOND IN MVFC: South Dakota State clinched the Missouri Valley Football Conference outright championship and the league’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA FCS playoffs with an 8-0 record in league play. NDSU, which has won at least a share of 10 conference titles in 15 years as a league member, has finished no lower than sixth since joining the MVFC in 2008. NDSU went 7-1 for sole possession of second place this year, NDSU’s highest finish in a non-championship season.
SIX ALL-AMERICANS: Six NDSU players earned All-America honors from various organizations including LT Cody Mauch, FB Hunter Luepke, DE Spencer Waege, LG Nash Jensen, SS Michael Tutsie and FS Dawson Weber. Mauch was named Offensive Lineman of the Year by Phil Steele and the FCS Athletic Directors Association. Luepke is the fifth player in Bison history to earn All-America honors in three different seasons. Additionally, DT Jaxon Duttenhefer and LB Logan Kopp were named to the Phil Steele FCS Freshman All-America Team.
EIGHT ALL-CONFERENCE: NDSU claimed eight spots on the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team, highlighted by Hunter Luepke‘s dual selection as the first team fullback and all-purpose player. Other first teamers were LT Cody Mauch, LG Nash Jensen, DE Spencer Waege, LB James Kaczor, S Dawson Weber and S Michael Tutsie. Long snapper Hunter Brozio was named to the All-MVFC second team. The Bison had three honorable mentions (RB TaMerik Williams, DT Will Mostaert, PR Jayden Price) and three on the All-Newcomer Team (DT Jaxon Duttenhefer, LB Logan Kopp, DE Kole Menz).
ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT: Eight Bison were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® football team for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom: fullback Logan Hofstedt, safety Sam Jung, linebackers James Kaczor, Luke Weerts and Julian Wlodarczyk, right guard Jake Kubas, center Brandon Westberg and defensive tackle Will Mostaert. Nominees must carry a 3.50 cumulative GPA and have sophomore athletic and academic standing. Kaczor was voted to the MVFC Scholar-Athlete first team. Weerts and Mostaert were second team.
THE SENIORS: North Dakota State has 13 outgoing seniors who were recognized prior to NDSU’s final regular-season home game: RB Jalen Bussey, CB Anthony Coleman, TE Noah Gindorff, OG Nash Jensen, LB James Kaczor, OG Luke LaCilento, FB Hunter Luepke, OT Cody Mauch, CB Destin Talbert, S Michael Tutsie, DE Spencer Waege, S Dawson Weber and RB TaMerik Williams. Bussey and Coleman, both with junior eligibility, are graduating from school this year. Ten other seniors are eligible to return for an extra season in 2023 due to COVID-19’s impact on the 2020 season.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: North Dakota State is 76-4 in non-conference games since the beginning of its first FCS national championship season in 2011. One of those losses was to a Pac-12 opponent (31-28 at Arizona in 2021) and two were in the playoffs to the eventual national champion (27-17 to James Madison in 2016 and 24-20 at Sam Houston State in 2020-21). Montana’s 38-35 home win in the 2015 FCS Kickoff is NDSU’s only other non-conference loss the past 12 years.
BISON AT HOME: The Bison have a 184-28 record in the Fargodome, 33-6 at home against FCS Top 10 ranked teams, and winners of 79 of the last 81 home games over non-conference opponents. North Dakota State has a 34-1 record in the Fargodome during the NCAA playoffs since 2010 with the only loss coming to eventual national champion James Madison in the 2016 semifinals. NDSU’s 32-game home winning streak September 2017 through April 2021 was fourth longest in FCS history.
GAMES RECORD: The FCS championship will be NDSU left guard Nash Jensen’s 70th collegiate game, which is believed to be an NCAA all-divisions record. Jensen has made 54 starts and is one of six NCAA players with 69 career appearances. He broke the NDSU record of 65 games played by right tackle Cordell Volson from 2017 through 2021. Jensen is in his sixth year in the Bison program. He redshirted in 2017, played all 15 games on the PAT/field goal unit in 2018, and has started all but one game the past four seasons missing only the Youngstown State game Oct. 1 due to injury.
NCAA Career Games Played
69 – Nash Jensen, OL, North Dakota State (2018-2022)
69 – B.T. Potter, K/P, Clemson (2018-2022)
69 – James Skalski, LB, Clemson (2016-2021)
69 – Nyles Pinckney, DL, Clemson (2016-2020) and Minnesota (2021)
69 – Will Swinney, WR, Clemson (2017-2021)
69 – Will Spiers, P, Clemson (2017-2021)
ENTZ CLOSING IN ON 50: Fourth-year NDSU head coach Matt Entz has a 49-6 record and is seventh on the all-time wins list at North Dakota State. Eight different head coaches have won national titles at NDSU, but Entz can join Craig Bohl (2011, 2012, 2013) and Chris Klieman (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018) as the only Bison coaches to win at least three.
NDSU Coaching Wins
104 – Craig Bohl, 2003-2013 (104-32)
91 – Rocky Hager, 1987-1996 (91-25-1)
69 – Chris Klieman, 2014-2018 (69-6)
61 – Ron Erhardt, 1966-1972 (61-7-1)
57 – Don Morton, 1979-1984 (57-15)
57 – C.C. Finnegan, 1928-1940 (57-49-11)
MILLER ON CAREER PASSING CHARTS: Quarterback Cam Miller has cracked the career top 10 lists at NDSU for passing completions (8th), yards (9th) and touchdowns (8th). Miller has completed 275 of 425 passes for 3,522 yards and 27 TDs. His career completion percentage of 64.7 would rank fourth in school history. Miller has two years of eligibility remaining.
CROSA CONNECTS: Bison kicker Griffin Crosa is 64-for-64 on PAT kicks and has made 86 consecutive dating back to 2019. He is seventh all-time at NDSU in PATs made and attempted (130-for-131) and his career PAT percentage of 99.2 is second in school history behind Jake Reinholz, who was 87-for-87 from 2018 to 2021. Crosa is eighth all-time at NDSU with 23 field goals made and ranks first with an 82.1 career field goal percentage (23-for-28).
DEFENSIVE CAREER LEADERS: Safety Michael Tutsie continues to rank second all-time at NDSU with 180 career unassisted tackles just 11 behind safety Colten Heagle‘s record 191 solo stops from 2010 to 2014. Tutsie has also cracked the top 10 in career total tackles and enters the FCS championship tied for ninth place with former NDSU linebacker and current linebackers coach Grant Olson (2010-2013) at 326 total tackles. Defensive end Spencer Waege has moved into a tie for sixth place all-time at NDSU with 42.0 career tackles for loss and is tied for ninth with 20.5 sacks.
RUSHING GAME: North Dakota State’s 49 rushing touchdowns this season are the most in FCS and tied for third most in school single-season history five shy of the record 54 rushing TDs in 2018. The Bison had a season-high seven rushing TDs at Western Illinois and six against North Dakota and Montana. NDSU ranks third in FCS with 273.3 rushing yards per game and second with 6.18 yards per carry, which is sixth-best in school history.
FINALISTS: NDSU left tackle Cody Mauch finished eighth and fullback Hunter Luepke tied for 12th in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the top offensive player in the FCS. Bison defensive end Spencer Waege was 13th for the Buck Buchanan Award, the defensive player of the year award. Each award’s top three finalists remain, including Incarnate Word quarterback Lindsey Scott for the Walter Payton Award. Winners will be announced Jan. 7.
ALL-STAR INVITES: North Dakota State fullback Hunter Luepke and left tackle Cody Mauch have accepted invitations to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, widely regarded as the top college football all-star game. Left guard Nash Jensen has an invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, and defensive end Spencer Waege has an invitation to the Hula Bowl.
GOOD WORKS TEAM: Linebacker James Kaczor was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, which recognizes 11 FBS players and 11 players from FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA for outstanding contributions to their communities. Kaczor’s activities include Feed My Starving Children, Charism, River City Church and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is the ninth NDSU player named to the Good Works Team since 2004 and the third in the past five years.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: North Dakota State had eight players combine to earn nine weekly awards in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season:
— Cody Mauch, Offensive Line (9/5, 9/26)…Played 33 snaps against Drake with no sacks, quarterback pressures or tackles for loss allowed…Graded with 12 physicality points and helped the Bison rush for 274 yards and 7.4 yards per carry…Graded 93% with 25 physicality points in a 356-yard rushing performance at South Dakota.
— Griffin Crosa, Special Teams (9/25)…Converted two field goals and four extra points in the win at South Dakota…Made a 26-yard FG and his 25-yard FG with 8:27 left gave NDSU its first two-possession lead.
— Will Mostaert, Special Teams (10/9)…Blocked a 30-yard FG attempt to preserve a four-point NDSU lead late in the third quarter at Indiana State…Also had a sack and QB hurry in the 31-26 win.
— TaMerik Williams, Offense (11/7)…Rushed 12 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns at Western Illinois as the Bison ran for a season-high 453 yards and seven touchdowns.
— James Kaczor, Defense (11/14)…Game- and career-high 14 tackles plus an onside kick recovery with 37 seconds left in the 21-18 win at Southern Illinois…Made nine tackles in the first half and assisted on one sack.
— Cam Miller, Co-Offensive (11/21)…Career-high 16 carries and 93 yards and the only five-touchdown game in FCS this year with school record-tying five rushing TDs against North Dakota.
— DJ Hart, Special Teams (11/21)…Averaged 24.3 yards on three kickoff returns and had career-high 156 all-purpose yards against North Dakota…Had returns of 28, 47 and 27 yards (102 total) before penalties negated 29 yards…Led the Bison in receiving with two receptions for 83 yards.
— Nash Jensen, Offensive Line (11/21)…Graded 95% with no penalties and no sacks or QB hits allowed against North Dakota…NDSU rushed for 363 yards, 6.6 yards per carry, six TDs and had a season-high 522 yards of total offense with 35:25 time of possession.
NEXT SEASON: NDSU opens the 2023 season hosting Eastern Washington at U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings. The Bison drew 34,544 fans to its 2019 season opener against Butler at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins. After Eastern Washington, the Bison return home for three straight with Maine and Central Arkansas before the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener and homecoming game Sept. 30 against South Dakota.
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