THIS WEEK: No. 2 seed North Dakota State (13-2) faces top-seeded Montana State (15-0) in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, at Toyota Stadium (17,677) in Frisco, Texas. This is NDSU’s 11th title game in 14 seasons.
TELEVISION: Live coverage on ESPN begins at 6 p.m. with Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (reporter) on the call. The broadcast will also be available to ESPN+ subscribers on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
RADIO: Statewide network coverage on all 25 stations across the Pioneer Seeds Bison Sports Network begins at 5 p.m. including Bison 1660 and 107.9 The Fox in Fargo with Sam Neidermann (play-by-play), Phil Hansen (analyst) and Noah Gindorff (sideline). Streaming is available on GoBison.com/allaccess and the NDSU Athletics mobile app. National radio coverage on Westwood One Sports begins at 5:30 p.m. with Ted Emrich (play-by-play), Ryan Leaf (analyst) and Morgan Uber (sideline) on WestwoodOneSports.com, the Varsity Network app, the TuneIn app, and on affiliate radio stations.
TICKETS: Tickets are available online at NCAA.com/FCS. All tickets are delivered digitally using the AXS mobile app. North Dakota State is the away team and will occupy the west sideline closest to the press box and suites between sections 103 and 109.
PARKING & TAILGATING: Parking lots open at 1 p.m. on game day. Payments are cashless only (credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay). General admission parking is $30 in the Red and Blue lots and $20 in the Green and White lots. RVs and campers will be charged for each space taken up by the vehicle.
CLEAR BAG POLICY: Toyota Stadium has a clear bag and purse policy. 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 Toyota Stadium policies webpage.
TEAM ARRIVALS: Fans are invited to line up on Lamar Hunt Way north of Toyota Stadium west toward World Cup Way for team arrivals beginning at 3:15 p.m. with North Dakota State followed by Montana State at 3:35 p.m. Stadium gates open at 4 p.m.
PREGAME PARTY: The Bison Tailgate Party presented by Gate City Bank is a free, all-ages event from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, on Dr. Pink Field adjacent to Toyota Stadium. Celebrate the FCS championship game with bounce houses, yard games, music, face painting, and more. Food and beverage will be available for purchase.
THE SERIES: This is the 39th meeting between North Dakota State and Montana State. MSU leads the all-time series 21-17 dating back to 1914. NDSU has won the last five straight matchups, all in the FCS playoffs, including the 2021 national championship.
Bison/Bobcats FCS Playoff History
2010 – NDSU 42, Montana State 17 (2nd round in Bozeman)
2018 – NDSU 52, Montana State 10 (2nd round in Fargo)
2019 – NDSU 42, Montana State 14 (semifinal in Fargo)
2021 – NDSU 38, Montana State 10 (championship in Frisco)
2023 – NDSU 35, Montana State 34, OT (2nd round in Bozeman)
AGAINST NUMBER ONE: The Bison are 4-3 against FCS top-ranked teams including a 13-9 regular-season victory over then No. 1-ranked South Dakota State in October. Four of the seven previous games against No. 1 opponents were in Frisco, Texas, for the FCS national championship.
NDSU vs. No. 1-Ranked FCS Opponents
12/11/2010 – at Eastern Washington – L, 31-38 (OT)
1/7/2012 – vs Sam Houston State – W, 17-6
1/9/2016 – vs Jacksonville State – W, 37-10
1/6/2018 – vs James Madison – W, 17-13
1/8/2023 – vs South Dakota State – L, 21-45
11/4/2023 – at South Dakota State – L, 16-33
10/19/2024 – South Dakota State – W, 13-9
POSTSEASON HISTORY: This is North Dakota State’s 38th postseason appearance and 15th straight dating back to 2010. The Bison have advanced to the quarterfinals or beyond all 15 years in the FCS playoffs. North Dakota State has an 85-18 record in the postseason, 80-17 in the NCAA playoff format since 1973, and the Bison own the record for FCS playoff victories with a 50-5 mark, including 38-1 in the Fargodome.
Most Consecutive FCS Playoff Appearances
17 – Montana, 1993-2009
15 – North Dakota State, 2010-2024
14 – New Hampshire, 2004-2017
13 – South Dakota State, 2012-2024
Highest Winning Percentage in FCS Playoffs
.909 – North Dakota State (50-5)
.793 – Marshall (23-6)
.776 – Georgia Southern (45-13)
.763 – Youngstown State (29-9)
SEED HISTORY: North Dakota State has a top-two seed for the 10th time in 15 FCS playoff appearances. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have home field advantage through the semifinals, and this is the 12th time NDSU has hosted through the semifinals. The Bison were No. 3 in 2015 and hosted a semifinal en route to the national title that year after a quarterfinal loss by No. 2 Illinois State. The Bison were No. 3 again in 2022 and won a home semifinal against No. 7 Incarnate Word after UIW beat No. 2 Sacramento State 66-63 in the quarterfinals.
17 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: North Dakota State has won 17 football national championships. 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 11th FCS championship game in 17 years of Division I postseason eligibility. NDSU has won the national championship in 30 percent of its 56 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. The Bison are 14-3 overall in playoff title games with the only losses coming in 2022 to South Dakota State (45-21) and at the Division II level in 1981 to Texas State (42-13) and 1984 to Troy (18-17).
Most FCS Championship Games
11 – North Dakota State (9-1)
8 – Georgia Southern (6-2)
8 – Montana (2-6)
7 – Youngstown State (4-3)
6 – Marshall (2-4)
Most FCS Championship Wins
9 – North Dakota State
6 – Georgia Southern
4 – Youngstown State
3 – Appalachian State
16-GAME WINNERS: Montana State is riding a school-record 15-game winning streak and with a victory would become just the second team in modern college football history to finish a season 16-0, joining North Dakota State’s 2019 national championship team. NDSU has played one other 16-game season, winning the 2014 FCS national title with a 15-1 record.
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 20 awards across five different sports including nine 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 (2022-23).
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: The NCAA championship game Most Outstanding Player will be announced on-stage following the 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 (2020) and FB Hunter Luepke (2022).
CONFERENCE CHAMPS: North Dakota State tied with South Dakota and South Dakota State for the Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with 7-1 league records. It is NDSU’s 11th title in 17 years of MVFC membership. NDSU has won six outright titles (2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) and shared five (2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2024). Overall, this is NDSU’s 38th football conference championship counting 26 at the Division II level in the North Central Conference and its first FCS title in 2006 as a member of the Great West Football Conference.
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Bison QB Cam Miller was voted Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year and RB CharMar Brown was selected as Newcomer of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Miller is the fourth NDSU player to be named Offensive Player of the Year joining quarterbacks Brock Jensen (2013), Easton Stick (2018) and Trey Lance (2019). Brown is the sixth player in MVFC history and third from NDSU to sweep the league’s Newcomer and Freshman of the Year awards, joining linebacker Jabril Cox (2017) and quarterback Trey Lance (2019).
ALL-CONFERENCE: NDSU had nine all-conference selections and five honorable mentions. QB Cam Miller was one of six All-MVFC first team picks along with LT Grey Zabel, RT Mason Miller, WR Bryce Lance, DT Eli Mostaert and LB Logan Kopp. RB CharMar Brown made the second team with K Griffin Crosa and RS Jackson Williams. Honorable mentions were FB Truman Werremeyer, TE Joe Stoffel, DT Kody Huisman, S Sam Jung and LS Caleb Bowers. Mostaert finished second in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year behind South Dakota lineman Mi’Quise Grace, and first-year head coach Tim Polasek was second for MVFC Coach of the Year behind Bob Nielson from South Dakota.
ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM: NDSU had five players named to the MVFC All-Newcomer Team including RB CharMar Brown, C Trent Fraley, RS Jackson Williams, S Jaylin Crumby and CB Anthony Chideme-Alfaro.
MVFC SCHOLAR-ATHLETES: NDSU had five players voted to the MVFC Scholar-Athlete Team with GPAs of 3.5 or better. Bison S Sam Jung, LB Logan Kopp and WR Bryce Lance made the first team and LB Luke Weerts and DT Eli Mostaert made the second team. Honorable mentions included DT Jaxon Duttenhefer, DT Will Mostaert, FB Truman Werremeyer and C Trent Fraley.
REGIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR: First-year NDSU head coach Tim Polasek was named FCS Region 4 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association. Polasek is in his third stint at NDSU after working as an assistant coach under Craig Bohl from 2016 to 2012 and offensive coordinator under Chris Klieman from 2014 to 2016.
JERRY RICE AWARD: North Dakota State running back CharMar Brown won the 14th annual Jerry Rice Award, presented to the FCS national freshman of the year. Brown is the second winner in NDSU history, joining 2019 quarterback Trey Lance.
WALTER PAYTON AWARD FINALIST: Quarterback Cam Miller is one of the three top finalists for the Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the FCS offensive player of the year. The winner will be named at the Jan. 4 FCS National Awards banquet in Frisco, Texas. Bison defensive tackle Eli Mostaert was 14th in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award (defensive player of the year).
ALL-AMERICANS: North Dakota State has four first team FCS All-Americans: LT Grey Zabel, RT Mason Miller, QB Cam Miller and DT Eli Mostaert. Additionally, the Bison have four FCS Freshman All-Americans: RB CharMar Brown, OG Griffin Empey, KR/PR Jackson Williams and S Jaylin Crumby.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: North Dakota State had nine players earn 14 Missouri Valley Football Conference player of the week awards this season.
— Cam Miller, Offense (9/2, 10/7)…Had 358 yards of total offense and three TDs at Colorado including a career-high 277 yards on 18 of 22 passing…Also carried 16 times for 81 yards with a 20-yard TD that pulled NDSU within five points with 2:19 to play…Had 207 total yards and three TDs against North Dakota, leading the Bison to points on six of their first seven drives.
— CharMar Brown, Newcomer (9/23, 9/30, 10/28, 11/4)…Rushed 24 times for 126 yards and three TDs in the win over Towson, including 41 yards on five straight carries in the fourth quarter as NDSU scored to make it a two-possession game…Ran for 100 yards on 17 carries at Illinois State the following week…Had 97 yards on 13 carries with 3 TDs at Murray State…Rushed for 124 yards and one TD on 18 carries against Northern Iowa.
—Jackson Williams, Special Teams (9/23)…Game-high 169 all-purpose yards in the win over Towson, including a 67-yard touchdown on his first collegiate punt return…Also averaged 21.3 yards on four kickoff returns.
—Eli Mostaert, Defense (9/30)…Had two of NDSU’s five sacks in the win at Illinois State, helping limit the Redbirds to eight net rushing yards and 4 of 12 on third down.
—Grey Zabel, Offensive Line (10/7, 11/4)…Graded 94% with zero sacks, hurries or TFLs allowed as the Bison rushed for 208 yards, converted 11 of 16 third downs and held the ball for more than 34 minutes in the win over North Dakota…Graded 94% with zero sacks, hurries, TFLs or missed assignments in the 42-19 win over Northern Iowa.
—Logan Kopp, Defense (10/21)…Made six tackles and sealed the 13-9 win over South Dakota State with an interception at the NDSU 38 with 1:00 left.
—Kaedin Steindorf, Special Teams (10/21)…Averaged 43.8 yards on five punts with two 47-yarders, one out-of-bounds at the SDSU 4 helping limit the Jacks to zero punt return yards.
—Griffin Crosa, Special Teams (11/18)…Scored 11 points on eight PATs and a 32-yard field goal against Missouri State, breaking the NDSU all-time scoring record.
—Mason Miller, Offensive Line (11/18)…Graded 93% with no sacks or TFLs allowed as NDSU averaged 9.6 yards per carry and rushed for a season-high 364 yards against Missouri State.
TURNOVERS: NDSU has committed the fewest turnovers in FCS this year (six) with one fumble and five interceptions. The FCS leader in turnover margin last season at plus-17, NDSU currently leads the FCS at plus-19, matching NDSU’s best two seasons in turnover margin at the FCS level in the 2017 and 2018 national championship seasons. NDSU has two defensive touchdowns this year, a 34-yard interception return by LB Enock Sibomana at Murray State and a 31-yard pick six by LB Logan Kopp against Abilene Christian. DE Toby Anene is tied for third in the FCS with four forced fumbles, one shy of the NDSU single-season record five set by DT Mike Stratton in 1982 and tied by LB Ben Ahneman in 1997.
SCORING BIG: NDSU’s four 50-point games and scoring average of 39.1 points per game are the most since the highest scoring FCS team in Bison history averaged 41.5 points and had four 50-point games in 2018. No NDSU team has scored at least 50 points in five different games.
NATIONAL LEADER: North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance leads the FCS with a school-record 16 touchdown receptions, one of shy of the Missouri Valley Football Conference record 17 TD catches by South Dakota State’s Cade Johnson in 2018.
NDSU Single-Season Receiving Yards
1,191 – Zach Vraa, 2013
1,181 – TR McDonald, 1993
1,065 – Darrius Shepherd, 2018
1,003 – Warren Holloway, 2011
964 – Bryce Lance, 2024
NDSU Single-Season Receptions
77 – Warren Holloway, 2011
69 – TR McDonald, 1993
67 – Zach Vraa, 2013
66 – Bryce Lance, 2024
TIGHT END TARGET: Senior Joe Stoffel has 76 career receptions for 864 yards, the most catches by a tight end in NDSU history. Stoffel has 12 career touchdown receptions and is tied with Noah Gindorff for fourth among Bison tight ends behind Ben Ellefson (16), Jerimiah Wurzbacher (14) and Kevin Vaadeland (13). Stoffel is second on the team this year with four TD catches.
TOP FRESHMEN: Montana State’s Adam Jones (1,134) and NDSU’s CharMar Brown (1,104) lead all FCS freshmen in rushing yards and touchdowns with 14 apiece. Brown is NDSU’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2019 when quarterback Trey Lance finished with 1,100 rushing yards. The last Bison running back to reach a thousand was Bruce Anderson with 1,216 yards in 2017. Brown’s 227 carries are the most by a Bison since Anderson’s 234 in 2017.
RETURN TOUCHDOWNS: NDSU freshman Jackson Williams had a 67-yard punt return TD against Towson and a 100-yard kick return TD against Abilene Christian. Williams is the fifth player in Bison history to score on a punt return and kickoff return in the same season joining Ryan Smith (2013), Richard Lewis (2001), Tim Strehlow (1999) and Tony Satter (1990). Two other Bison players have scored on a punt return and kickoff return in different seasons: Paul Hatchett (1968, 1969) and Shamen Washington (2004, 2005, 2007). The Bison are averaging 26.0 yards per kickoff return, third best in NDSU history and sixth in the FCS this year.
GAMES PLAYED: Wide receiver Braylon Henderson will play in his 73rd career game this week and has broken the NDSU record of 71 games played by cornerback Jayden Price over five seasons from 2019 to 2023.
SCORING RECORDS: NDSU’s Griffin Crosa, in his fourth season as NDSU’s top placekicker and his sixth year overall with the Bison, broke the NDSU all-time scoring record against Missouri State and broke the MVFC and NCAA FCS records for PAT kicks made in the second round win over Abilene Christian. Crosa’s streak of 127 consecutive PAT conversions snapped in 2023 was the third longest in MVFC history. He has made 101 PATs in a row entering the championship game.
NDSU Career Points Scored
434 – Griffin Crosa, K, 2019-24
399 – Cam Pedersen, K, 2015-18
386 – Jeff Bentrim, QB, 1983-86
NDSU Career PAT Kicks Made
272 – Griffin Crosa, 2019-24 (MVFC and FCS record)
261 – Cam Pedersen, 2015-18
191 – Adam Keller, 2011-14
NDSU Career FG Made
56 – Adam Keller, 2011-14
54 – Griffin Crosa, 2019-24
51 – Shawn Bibeau, 2006-09
FOURTH-YEAR STARTER: Quarterback Cam Miller has started 53 straight games for NDSU since the middle of the 2021 season. Miller has led NDSU to a 44-11 record as the starting QB, including two NCAA playoff games as a true freshman in the spring 2021 season.
Most Wins as FCS Quarterback
49 – Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, 2020-24
49 – Easton Stick, North Dakota State, 2015-18
48 – Brock Jensen, North Dakota State, 2010-13
44 – Cam Miller, North Dakota State, 2020-24
43 – Armanti Edwards, Appalachian State, 2006-09
ON THE MARK: NDSU’s Cam Miller was No. 2 in FCS last year with a school-record .720 completion percentage in 2023, and he is on pace to break that mark this year ranked second in FCS with a .726 completion percentage. Over the past two seasons, Miller has completed 447 of 618 passes (.723) with 50 touchdowns against eight interceptions.
PASSING LEADER: North Dakota State’s Cam Miller broke the NDSU career record for passing yards against South Dakota, completions against Abilene Christian, and total offense yards against Mercer. Miller also ranks first in career passing completion percentage (.690), third in pass efficiency (164.4), fourth in yards per passing attempt (8.9), and fifth in Bison history with 46 career rushing touchdowns, breaking the Missouri Valley Football Conference record of 41 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback set by NDSU’s Easton Stick from 2015 to 2018. Miller also holds school records with 18 career 200-yard passing games and 324 consecutive passing attempts without an interception.
NDSU Career Pass Attempts
1,124 – Brock Jensen, 2010-13
1,072 – Cam Miller, 2020-24
980 – Easton Stick, 2015-18
NDSU Career Pass Completions
740 – Cam Miller, 2020-24
703 – Brock Jensen, 2010-13
598 – Easton Stick, 2015-18
NDSU Career Passing Yards
9,522 – Cam Miller, 2020-24
8,693 – Easton Stick, 2015-18
8,598 – Brock Jensen, 2010-13
NDSU Career Passing TDs
88 – Easton Stick, 2015-18
79 – Cam Miller, 2020-24
72 – Brock Jensen, 2010-13
NDSU Career TDs Responsible For
129 – Easton Stick, 2015-18
125 – Cam Miller, 2020-24
107 – Brock Jensen, 2010-13
NDSU Career Total Offense Yards
11,678 – Cam Miller, 2020-24
11,216 – Easton Stick, 2015-18
9,838 – Brock Jensen, 2010-13
SEASON PASSING RECORDS: NDSU has set new team single-season records for passing attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns this season, and the Bison are on pace to break the record for completion percentage. NDSU’s 225.9 passing yards per game ranks second in school history behind the 2007 team’s average of 228.9.
NDSU Single-Season Pass Completions
239 – Cam Miller, 2024
228 – Carson Wentz, 2014
220 – Tony Stauss, 2003
NDSU Single-Season Passing Yards
3,111 – Carson Wentz, 2014
3,052 – Cam Miller, 2024
2,793 – Brock Jensen, 2013
NDSU Single-Season Passing TDs
34 – Brock Jensen, 2013
31 – Cam Miller, 2024
28 – Trey Lance, 2019
28 – Easton Stick, 2017 and 2018
NDSU Single-Season Total Offense Yards
3,886 – Trey Lance, 2019
3,753 – Carson Wentz, 2014
3,562 – Cam Miller, 2024
NDSU Single-Season TDs Responsible For
45 – Easton Stick, 2018
44 – Brock Jensen, 2013
42 – Trey Lance, 2019
41 – Cam Miller, 2024
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: North Dakota State is 86-6 against non-conference opponents since the beginning of its first FCS national championship season in 2011. Two losses were to FBS opponents (31-28 at Arizona in 2021 and 31-26 at Colorado in 2024) 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 31-29 double-overtime win in the 2023 FCS semifinals and 38-35 victory in the 2015 FCS Kickoff are NDSU’s only other non-conference losses the past 13 years.
BISON AT HOME: The Bison have a 198-29 record in the Fargodome, 37-6 at home against FCS Top 10 ranked teams, and winners of 86 of the last 88 home games over non-conference opponents. North Dakota State has a 38-1 record in the Fargodome during the NCAA playoffs and has won 20 straight home playoff games since the 2016 semifinal loss to eventual national champion James Madison. NDSU’s 32-game home winning streak September 2017 through April 2021 was fourth longest in FCS history.
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