North Dakota State football dominates Montana State in FCS semifinal

The coaches change in Fargo, but the results remain the same. North Dakota State football is back in the FCS title game for the eighth time in nine seasons.

When Chris Klieman left to take over Bill Snyder’s former job at Kansas State, it felt like this might finally be a season where someone other than North Dakota State might contend for the national championship at the FCS level. If the Bison are boing to lose the national title, however, they will do so in Frisco, Texas. There they will meet the winner of James Madison-Weber State in their eighth FCS championship appearance in nine seasons after a 42-14 win over Montana State.

A week after a narrow escape against Illinois State, new head coach Matt Entz had the Bison rolling once again. Against the Bobcats, North Dakota State racked up more than 500 yards of offense while holding Montana State under 300 total yards. It was a dominant display on both sides of the ball as Bison  booked their ticket back to Frisco.

Trey Lance continued his perfect season against the Bobcats. The freshman quarterback threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns on 15-of-21 passing in the blowout win at home. Lance also ran for 64 yards and two scores. Through his first season piloting the Bison offense, Lance is now 14-0 with 25 touchdowns and no interceptions as he prepares for his first FCS national championship game.

The offense overpowered the Bobcats. At the same time, Montana State had no answers to the riddle that is the North Dakota State defense. Entz, like Klieman, was promoted to the head coach  job in Fargo after serving as the defensive coordinator. The unit held Montana State quarterback Tucker Rovig to 150 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception, while the Bobcats backfield was bottled up and gained only 148 total yards as a group.

After the 9-3 victory over Illinois State, the rest of the national semifinalists probably viewed North Dakota State as somewhat vulnerable. The Bison disabused that notion quickly against Montana State as they returned to their dominant ways.

Whether Weber State or James Madison get the opportunity to play North Dakota State this season, they will head to Toyota Stadium in Frisco on January 5 as an underdog against a school hunting for its third consecutive national title and eighth in the past nine years under three different head coaches. In Fargo, the man at the top of the coaching staff changes but the results remain the same.