FCS National Championship #2 NDSU vs #1 Montana St

[NavyCat88]

Halftime and the #2 seed North Dakota State Bison (under first year HC Tim Polasek) is grinding up the undefeated #1 seed Montana St Bobcats (15-0) by a score of 21-3.

NDSU (13-2) looks to be well on its way to a 10th FCS national championship (all D1-FCS titles achieved since 2011) and what would be their 18th NC if you count lower division history going all the way back to their first FB title 1965.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

FCS is kinda boring with that level of dominance.

 

[gamecockcat]

3-point game now as MT St is making a strong comeback. Exciting game that's well played. Wide open football.

 

[JDHoss]

The Bobcats aren't going away. Love watching the FCS. One of my friends back in Tennessee gave up his UT season tickets and got ETSU football AND basketball tickets. He said he was sick of being gouged for every penny UT could get from him, and the hassle, time and expense of driving to Knoxville and tying up his entire Saturday. Then he said the NIL/collectives and portal pushed him over the edge.

 

[NavyCat88]

3-point game now as MT St is making a strong comeback. Exciting game that's well played. Wide open football.

I agree. Turning into a heavy weight slugfest with each team swapping TDs throughout the second half. The two starting QBs were the winner and first runner-up for the Walter Payton award (FCS' version of the Heisman) Really good FB. Stadium is packed and loud. Frisco Texas looks pretty cold tonight (temps in the 20s).

 

[Chad Rock]

How would we fare against either of those teams?

 

[Coach Marrow]

How would we fare against either of those teams?

Great question. We could definitely use of few of these players who play hard and aren’t afraid of cold weather.

 

[NavyCat88]

How would we fare against either of those teams?

Unless we find a serviceable QB and put him behind a competent OL, I am afraid the game would be closer that we would like.

To be clear, UK has never lost to a 1AA/FCS team since the division split in 1978.

By comparison, many P4 teams cannot make that claim (conference rival So Carolina has lost more than once to The Citadel, Ga Southern beat Florida in the swamp before moving up to D1A without completing a pass in their triple option scheme, App St famously beat Michigan while a member of the FCS Southern Conference, Jax St beat FSU a few years ago while still FCS, Citadel beat Ga Tech in 2019, JMU beat Va Tech as a CAA member, Richmond beat UVA etc, etc, etc.

BUT.....Far north schools NDSU, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Dakota St, Montana State, and Montana play some darned good ball. I wouldn't schedule those teams for a paycheck game.

 

[NavyCat88]

Final Score: NDSU wins 35-32 over Montana St with the teams gaining 402 and 394 yards respectively...no turnovers.

Fine game - Congratulations Bison!

 

[kennyskywalker34]

Unless we find a serviceable QB and put him behind a competent OL, I am afraid the game would be closer that we would like.

To be clear, UK has never lost to a 1AA/FCS team since the division split in 1978.

By comparison, many P4 teams cannot make that claim (conference rival So Carolina has lost more than once to The Citadel, Ga Southern beat Florida in the swamp before moving up to D1A without completing a pass in their triple option scheme, App St famously beat Michigan while a member of the FCS Southern Conference, Jax St beat FSU a few years ago while still FCS, Citadel beat Ga Tech in 2019, JMU beat Va Tech as a CAA member, Richmond beat UVA etc, etc, etc.

BUT.....Far north schools NDSU, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Dakota St, Montana State, and Montana play some darned good ball. I wouldn't schedule those teams for a paycheck game.

Agree. Really good game. Like you said Mont. Mont. St, ND, NDST, SD and SD ST. All play good football year in year out and put their share of players in the NFL.

 

[Kybluedude]

I think Montana State had about 45 in state players. North Dakota State with over 20. Roster includes a 6 6 250 t end from Springfield Ky! Beau Baker.

Coaches talked about how they are retaining players.

Don’t think nil is a big factor with these kids. They just play.

I enjoyed it. Been a fan of the Bobcats. Watched them through the playoffs. Have a friend who has season txs for them in Bozeman.

ND State is a machine.

 

[WildcatofNati2]

How would we fare against either of those teams?

They'd be favored on a neutral field. They're each ranked over 10 spots up on us in the Sagarins which is pretty much a tell tale sign where an opening line looks like. NDSU had won several games in a row against P5 teams at one point recently and this year gave Colorado a very tight game at Colorado.

 

[Ky grandpa]

These kid's play real college FB and do it for the love of the game it seems... I really love watching those type teams and see how they play all out FB... Maybe one day UKFB can play as good as one of these small schools...


GBB

 

[Chad Rock]

They'd be favored on a neutral field. They're each ranked over 10 spots up on us in the Sagarins which is pretty much a tell tale sign where an opening line looks like. NDSU had won several games in a row against P5 teams at one point recently and this year gave Colorado a very tight game at Colorado.

Yep, figured we’d get trounced pretty good. But hey, our coach is ranked 9th in the country in salary. I know we’re not midwestern cowboys like these two teams but we can “hang our hats” on the fact that Stoops is in the top 10 in salary, right?

 

[Bereacat420]

FCS is kinda boring with that level of dominance.

NDSU barely beat SDSU to keep them from winning 3 in a row. Then this game couldn’t have been better

Unless we find a serviceable QB and put him behind a competent OL, I am afraid the game would be closer that we would like.

To be clear, UK has never lost to a 1AA/FCS team since the division split in 1978.

By comparison, many P4 teams cannot make that claim (conference rival So Carolina has lost more than once to The Citadel, Ga Southern beat Florida in the swamp before moving up to D1A without completing a pass in their triple option scheme, App St famously beat Michigan while a member of the FCS Southern Conference, Jax St beat FSU a few years ago while still FCS, Citadel beat Ga Tech in 2019, JMU beat Va Tech as a CAA member, Richmond beat UVA etc, etc, etc.

BUT.....Far north schools NDSU, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Dakota St, Montana State, and Montana play some darned good ball. I wouldn't schedule those teams for a paycheck game.

They both beat UK this year, and so does SDSU.

 

[know1]

I love watching that level of football. I've made it a point to watch the lower division level playoffs every year since at least 2010 or so (I lose track).

 

[gamecockcat]

I was impressed at how their fans were going crazy like you'd see at The Shoe or other places. If it's your team, you root like hell, regardless of what level they're playing. When living in SC, saw this when attending a Furman game, too. I guess I should have known that but growing up immersed in SEC lore, you kind of believe if it's not big-time football there isn't any interest in it. Wrong.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

NDSU barely beat SDSU to keep them from winning 3 in a row. Then this game couldn’t have been better

They both beat UK this year, and so does SDSU.

I seriously doubt it.

 

[WildcatofNati2]

I seriously doubt it.

In this century, North Dakota St. has defeated Iowa, Iowa St., Kansas, Kansas St., and Minnesota twice. Those were completely different North Dakota St. rosters, but it's likely the current one is of comparable quality. The question is whether they can as easily match up against SEC speed and athleticism as they apparently can against other Midwestern teams. I'd just as soon not test it, especially not with how we're looking now.

 

[Tskware]

OT, but I had a good friend who played Div III football for some midwest college. At the time Mount Union was winning the DIII championship at least every other year. He told me that the main reason MU was so good was that they had a roster annually filled with a ton of malcontented, flunk out, problem child, etc., from every B10 team in the league. 🤣 🤣 🤣

He may be talking a bit of sour grapes, but sure seems funny that one school would so thoroughly dominate DIII like that.

 

[bthaunert]

I was impressed at how their fans were going crazy like you'd see at The Shoe or other places. If it's your team, you root like hell, regardless of what level they're playing. When living in SC, saw this when attending a Furman game, too. I guess I should have known that but growing up immersed in SEC lore, you kind of believe if it's not big-time football there isn't any interest in it. Wrong.

I love how these programs like NDSU, SDSU, Montana St. etc. find their bread and butter in FCS with no aspirations to go FBS. own who you are, build a tradition and a brand.

Since the separation of the NCAA into D-IA and D-IAA in 1978, there have been 34 schools that have made the jump from FCS to FBS. I would argue, of those 34 schools, Boise State is the only program that has had sustained success on a national level. UCF has had some success and did move to the Big12, so they have had success nationally too. Then you have programs like Marshall and Louisiana Tech.

Unless you can reach that Boise State status, I think that had NDSU, SDSU, etc. made the move, it wouldn't be nearly as exciting for the fan base. I'd rather be the best in FCS than playing in the Mountain West as a program comparable to Utah State or Wyoming.

 

[rick64]

NDSU 10 FCS championships over the last 14 years. Pretty d@mn impressive.

 

[JDHoss]

Unless we find a serviceable QB and put him behind a competent OL, I am afraid the game would be closer that we would like.

To be clear, UK has never lost to a 1AA/FCS team since the division split in 1978.

By comparison, many P4 teams cannot make that claim (conference rival So Carolina has lost more than once to The Citadel, Ga Southern beat Florida in the swamp before moving up to D1A without completing a pass in their triple option scheme, App St famously beat Michigan while a member of the FCS Southern Conference, Jax St beat FSU a few years ago while still FCS, Citadel beat Ga Tech in 2019, JMU beat Va Tech as a CAA member, Richmond beat UVA etc, etc, etc.

BUT.....Far north schools NDSU, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Dakota St, Montana State, and Montana play some darned good ball. I wouldn't schedule those teams for a paycheck game.

ETSU owns wins over NC State and Vandy as well, and North Dakota St pushed Colorado to the wire this year before losing by 5.