North Dakota State Bison football
The North Dakota State Bison football program represents North Dakota State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level and competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bison play in the 19,000 seat Fargodome located in Fargo. The Bison have won sixteen national championships and 36 conference championships. They won five-consecutive NCAA Division I FCS National Championships between 2011 and 2015 as well as three more consecutively between 2017 and 2019. NDSU is the only college football program to ever win five consecutive NCAA national championships, and hold the record for most FCS titles with eight.
| North Dakota State Bison football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1894 | ||
| Head coach | Matt Entz 1st season, 16–0 (1.000) | ||
| Stadium | Fargodome (Capacity: 19,000) | ||
| Field | Gate City Bank Field | ||
| Year built | 1992 | ||
| Field surface | AstroTurf Magic Carpet II (2012) | ||
| Location | Fargo, North Dakota | ||
| NCAA division | FCS | ||
| Conference | Missouri Valley Conference (2008–) | ||
| Past conferences | Great West (2004–2007) North Central (1922–2003) | ||
| All-time record | 741–371–34 (.661) | ||
| Bowl record | 5–1 (.833) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 27 [1] | ||
| Playoff record | Div. I FCS: 36–2 Div. II: 30–12 [1] | ||
| Claimed nat'l titles | 16 (Div. II): 1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990 (Div. I FCS): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 | ||
| Conference titles | 36 (9 MVFC, 1 GWFC, 26 NCC) | ||
| Rivalries | South Dakota State (Dakota Marker) North Dakota[2] Northern Iowa | ||
| Colors | Green and Yellow[3] | ||
| Fight song | On Bison | ||
| Mascot | Thundar | ||
| Marching band | Gold Star Marching Band | ||
| Website | www.gobison.com | ||
Since 2011, the North Dakota State Bison have a record of 127–8 (.941) which included a record 22-game playoff win streak, making them the most successful college football program in Division I FCS this decade. The Bison are 181–35 (.838) since moving to Division I in 2004. Since 1964, the Bison have had only three losing seasons and an overall record of 515–137–4 (.788) through that 55-year span, one of the best in all of college football. North Dakota State currently has more all-time program wins than any non-Ivy League program, over 700. Of all teams established after 1894, only Oklahoma has won a higher percentage of its games than NDSU. The team also has the record for the longest winning streak in D1 FCS, which stands at 37 consecutive games spanning from 2017 to present.
In the final AP Football Poll of the 2013–14 season; after their third consecutive National Championship, North Dakota State finished with 17 votes which ranked them at #29 in all of D-I football, the highest end-of-season ranking of any team in the history of FCS football. After defeating 13th-ranked (FBS) Iowa in 2016, the Bison earned 74 votes and a #27 ranking in the entire D-I field, overtaking their previous record to become the highest-ranked FCS team of all time.[4]
Collectively, the Bison have won 36 conference championships, and 16 national championships. They were selected as NCAA College Division II champions by polling three times (1965, 1968, 1969), won the NCAA Division II National Football Championship five times (1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990), and have won the NCAA Division I Football Championship eight times in nine seasons (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019).[5] From 2012 to 2014, the Bison had a formerly FCS record of 33 straight wins (which is tied for the third longest in modern NCAA history) which was broken by the Bison's current streak of 37. The Bison football program has had only 3 losing seasons since 1964. The 2019 Bison are the first of any Division 1 team since 1894 Yale to finish 16-0.[6]
History
Early history (1894–1921)
The Bison fielded their first team in 1894 and were originally known as the NDAC Farmers.[7] From the early 1900s to 1921, the nickname of the school then known as North Dakota Agricultural College was the Aggies. The first coach for the new NDAC football team was Henry Bolley, who also fielded the first football program at Purdue University in 1887 and was their first Quarterback. He challenged the University of North Dakota to a football match in 1890, but did not have enough players until 1894, the first official year of football at NDSU. In 1902, Eddie Cochems, known as the father of the forward pass was hired as head coach of the Bison where he experimented building an offense around his new technique; which subsequently became legal in the 1906 college football season; Cochems went 9–1 in his 2-year stint as head coach. The college hired famed Michigan halfback Paul Magoffin, the first player to ever catch a forward pass in 1907, as head coach, but he left for the head coaching position offered to him by George Washington University a year later. The 1918 season was cancelled due to the outbreak of the Spanish Flu in conjunction with the first World War. The 1943 and 1944 seasons were also cancelled due to World War II and the shortage of eligible players. Keeping with their Michigan favoritism, the NDAC hired Stanley Borleske in 1919 to coach the football, basketball, and baseball teams. After six years of coaching and a 36–36–7 record, Borleske left for Fresno State but is largely credited with developing the Bison mascot. It was well known he was not a fan of the "Aggies" mascot, wanting something 'strong and fierce' he came up with the 'Bison' which remains the mascot today. He also coined the term "Thundering Herd" which is still a common reference to the NDSU Bison Football fanbase.[7]
Division II (1922–2003)
In 1921, NDSU became a charter member of the now-defunct North Central Conference, which they remained affiliated with for 82 years until 2003. Their primary rival during this time were the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux (now the Fighting Hawks) whom they competed with to win the Nickel Trophy. As members of Division II, they won 8 national championships with an overall record of 347–94–4 having only 2 losing seasons from 1964–2003.
Division I-FCS (2004–present)
In 2004, all North Dakota State athletic teams moved to Division I. From 2004 to 2007, the Bison were members of the Great West Football Conference. Since 2008 they have been affiliated with the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Since moving to Division I, their primary rival are the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits whom they compete with each year for the Dakota Marker. The team's former head coach was Craig Bohl, who led the Bison from 2003 to 2013, holds the school record for most wins by a head coach, going 104–32 in his tenure at NDSU. Bohl's successor Chris Klieman went 69–6 in his five seasons (2014–2018). During the Bison's successful run to the 2018 FCS title, Klieman was named as the successor to the retiring Bill Snyder as head coach at Kansas State, though both schools agreed that Klieman would remain at NDSU while the Bison were involved in the FCS playoffs. Bison defensive coordinator Matt Entz took over as head coach following that season's championship game.[8]
The NDSU Bison are the only FCS program to ever be ranked higher than #34 in the AP National Football Poll. After the 2011 Championship Game, the Bison became only the third team in FCS history to receive votes in the final AP Top 25 with 2, putting them at #32 overall (FCS Record); the others being Appalachian State who receive 5 votes after their third consecutive FCS Championship in 2007 and ended at #34 and James Madison University after their 2010 upset of then #13 Virginia Tech.[9] After the 2012 season, the Bison again broke the barrier and became the first ever FCS team to breach the poll twice by receiving 1 vote and ending at #36 in the nation. Due to the overwhelming support and attention NDSU got during this run, ESPN announced that it would host its ESPN College GameDay program in downtown Fargo on September 21, 2013. The Bison ended up beating Delaware State 51–0 later that day. The Bison finished the 2013 regular season with an undefeated 11–0 record, their first perfect season since 1990. The Bison became the first FCS team to ever finish the regular season ranked on the AP Poll at #34 with 1 vote. After a perfect season (15–0) and winning their third consecutive championship game. After the 2013 season, the Bison were ranked #29 in the National Division I AP Poll, tallying a massive 17 votes, far beyond what any other FCS team had ever received. After defeating Iowa in 2016 the bison were ranked 27th in the AP Poll with 74 votes, the highest ranking of any team in FCS history.
- 2013 season
The 2013 team had a perfect 15–0 season, becoming the first program to do that since Marshall in 1996. They won their third consecutive national championship, tying an FCS record. A majority of the starters played in all 3 national championship games and went 43–2 in their 3-year stint, a number unrivaled in Division I FCS football. The Bison only lost 2 games in the three-year span by a combined 6 points. Through 2013, the Bison outscored their opponents by a combined 581–169 (+412) on the season. Only two other teams in FCS history have had a larger point spread through a season, 1996 Marshall (+448) and 1999 Georgia Southern (+485). Unlike the Marshall and Georgia Southern teams, NDSU's defense held their opponents to just 127 points in the regular season (11.5 ppg) and just 11 point on average through the playoffs that year. NDSU won its playoff games with an average margin of victory of 32.75 points, which just falls behind the 1996 Marshall team, which averaged a 34-point spread. In 2013, the Bison tallied three shutouts, and held nine teams to 10 points or less, including a streak of nine consecutive quarters without allowing a point. The offense was known for a ground-and-pound strategy, which wore opponents down and controlled the time of possession. The team averaged over 34 minutes of possession per game, while allowing an average of just 250 yards of opposing offense. In the 12 playoff games they played from 2011–13, they allowed an average of 9.3 points per game, an FCS record. The only playoff loss the seniors experienced in their 4-year career was the 38–31 OT loss at eventual champion Eastern Washington in 2010 in the FCS quarterfinals. The span of seasons that followed for NDSU in the years after that overtime loss are easily the best and most dominant years Division I football has seen from a single team.[10]
After the 2013 season, following three consecutive national titles Head Coach Craig Bohl was hired away to lead the Mountain West's Wyoming Cowboys.[11] Bohl finished his time at NDSU having successfully transitioned the program from Division II to Division I and built into the premier FCS powerhouse in the nation that continues today[12] He finished at NDSU with a career record of 104–32.
Chris Klieman era (2014–2018)
Following Bohl's departure, defensive coordinator Chris Klieman was promoted to head coach.
In 2014, after beating their 5th consecutive FBS team, Iowa State, and their subsequent game against Weber State; which was their 26th straight victory, ESPN again announced they would bring College GameDay back to downtown Fargo on September 13, 2014 to cover the Bison's amazing run for the second straight year. The visit marked first time the show has ever visited the same FCS school twice and only the 6th time they have visited a non-FBS school since 1993.The Bison won an FCS record 33 straight games from 2012 to 2014, which is also the 3rd longest in the history of Division 1 NCAA football. From 2010 to 2014, the Bison did not lose a single road game, a span of 22 games. They also had a winning streak of 26 home games (2012–2015) and have a record streak of 22 wins in the FCS playoffs. The Bison have won 16 straight home openers since their 1999 loss to Ferris State and are 21–1 in home openers since the Fargodome opened in 1992. 2015 would start with a surprise loss to #13 Montana broadcast nationally on ESPN, however the season would extend both the MVFC run and National Championship run to five consecutive titles culminating in a 37–10 national title game against Jacksonville State. After this season, quarterback Carson Wentz was selected second overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2016 NFL Draft.
2016 brought about one of the high points in Bison football history when, in week three, NDSU defeated #13 ranked Iowa on the road. Despite the impressive win, 2016 would be the worst season for the team since 2010. Not only would the team have the fewest wins since 2010 (12), they also lost the Dakota Marker for the first time since 2009. Ultimately the season would bring about the end of the Bison's historic title run with a semifinal loss against the eventual champion James Madison Dukes.
2017 would be a return to form for NDSU, only two games all season were decided by one possession, the best mark since the 2013 season. On December 15, NDSU became the only team in FCS history to make 7 consecutive semifinal appearances in the playoffs. In the title match the Bison would get revenge for the previous season defeating James Madison 17–13 in Frisco.
The 2018 season would arguably top the 2013 season as the best in school history. NDSU went 15–0 for the second time in school history and had only one game all season decided by less than one touchdown (the Dakota Marker match up against #3 South Dakota State). NDSU captured their seventh title in eight years and Chris Klieman's fourth in five. The 2018 Bison defeated opponents by an average score of 41.5 – 12.6, good for a score differential of 28.9 points. The season saw quarterback Easton Stick finish his college career with a record of 49–3, the highest win total for any quarterback in FCS history.[13] Right before the semi-final matchup against South Dakota State Klieman was hired by former Bison athletic director Gene Taylor to lead the Kansas State Wildcats, he was allowed to finish the season with NDSU.
On March 4, 2019, President Trump hosted the NDSU football team at the White House. They were served fast food, as was FBS-champion Clemson.[14] Easton Stick presented a number 45 NDSU football jersey to president Trump.[15] The visit was orchestrated by Senator John Hoeven.[16]
Matt Entz era (2019–present)
On December 13, 2018 NDSU announced defensive coordinator Matt Entz would replace Chris Klieman as head coach.[17] The Bison started the 2019 season with 57-10 victory over Butler in front of record breaking "home" crowd of 34,544 at Minneapolis' Target Field. 2019 saw the first match game in-state rival North Dakota since 2015. The Bison were victorious over the Fighting Hawks 38-7 in front of the largest Fargodome crowd (18,923) since NDSU hosted Northern Iowa for Homecoming in 2015(18,954).[18] On October 20, 2019 in was announced that ESPN would be bringing their College GameDay program to Brookings, South Dakota to cover the Dakota Marker featuring #3 South Dakota State and #1 North Dakota State. The Bison defeated SDSU 23-16. On January 11, 2020, NDSU won another FCS title after defeating James Madison University 28-20, and also became the first Division 1 team since 1894 Yale to finish 16-0.[6][19]
Championships
National championships
North Dakota State have won 16 national championships: three as a member of the College Division (precursor of Division II), five as a member of Division II, and eight as a member of Division I FCS. The Bison have been the runner-up three times (1967, 1981, 1984) and have appeared in a total of 18 national championship games.
| Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Darrell Mudra | NCAA College Division by Polling | 11–0 | 20–7 | Grambling |
| 1968 | Ron Erhardt | 10–0 | 23–14 | Arkansas State | |
| 1969 | Ron Erhardt | 10–0 | 30–3 | Montana | |
| 1983 | Don Morton | NCAA DII Playoff | 12–1 | 41–21 | Central State |
| 1985 | Earle Solomonson | 11–2–1 | 35–7 | North Alabama | |
| 1986 | Earle Solomonson | 13–0 | 27–7 | South Dakota | |
| 1988 | Rocky Hager | 14–0 | 35–21 | Portland State | |
| 1990 | Rocky Hager | 14–0 | 51–11 | IUP | |
| 2011 | Craig Bohl | NCAA DI (FCS) Playoff | 14–1 | 17–6 | Sam Houston State |
| 2012 | Craig Bohl | 14–1 | 39–13 | Sam Houston State | |
| 2013 | Craig Bohl | 15–0 | 35–7 | Towson | |
| 2014 | Chris Klieman | 15–1 | 29–27 | Illinois State | |
| 2015 | Chris Klieman | 13–2 | 37–10 | Jacksonville State | |
| 2017 | Chris Klieman | 14–1 | 17–13 | James Madison | |
| 2018 | Chris Klieman | 15–0 | 38–24 | Eastern Washington | |
| 2019 | Matt Entz | 16–0 | 28–20 | James Madison |
Conference championships
North Dakota State has won 36 conference championships, 23 outright and 12 shared; North Central Conference (26), Great West (1), Missouri Valley (9)
| Season | Conference | Overall Record | Conference Record | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925† | North Central Conference | 13–8–2 | 4–0–2 | Ion Cortright |
| 1932 | North Central Conference | 7–1–1 | 4–0 | Casey Finnegan |
| 1935 | North Central Conference | 7–1–1 | 4–0–1 | Casey Finnegan |
| 1964† | North Central Conference | 10–1 | 5–1 | Darrell Mudra |
| 1965 | North Central Conference | 11–0 | 6–0 | Darrell Mudra |
| 1966† | North Central Conference | 8–2–0 | 5–1 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1967 | North Central Conference | 9–1 | 6–0 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1968 | North Central Conference | 10–0 | 6–0 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1969 | North Central Conference | 10–0 | 6–0 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1970 | North Central Conference | 9–0–1 | 6–0 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1972† | North Central Conference | 8–2 | 6–1 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1973† | North Central Conference | 8–2 | 6–1 | Ev Kjelbertson |
| 1974† | North Central Conference | 7–4 | 5–2 | Ev Kjelbertson |
| 1976 | North Central Conference | 9–3 | 6–0 | Jim Wacker |
| 1977 | North Central Conference | 9–2–1 | 6–0 | Jim Wacker |
| 1981 | North Central Conference | 10–3 | 7–0 | Don Morton |
| 1982 | North Central Conference | 12–1 | 7–0 | Don Morton |
| 1983 | North Central Conference | 12–1 | 8–1 | Don Morton |
| 1984† | North Central Conference | 11–2 | 8–1 | Don Morton |
| 1985 | North Central Conference | 11–2–1 | 7–1 | Earle Solomonson |
| 1986 | North Central Conference | 13–0 | 9–0 | Earle Solomonson |
| 1988 | North Central Conference | 14–0 | 9–0 | Rocky Hager |
| 1990 | North Central Conference | 14–0 | 9–0 | Rocky Hager |
| 1991 | North Central Conference | 7–3 | 7–1 | Rocky Hager |
| 1992 | North Central Conference | 10–2 | 8–1 | Rocky Hager |
| 1994† | North Central Conference | 9–3 | 7–2 | Rocky Hager |
| 2006 | Great West Conference | 10–1 | 4–0 | Craig Bohl |
| 2011† | Missouri Valley Football Conference | 14–1 | 7–1 | Craig Bohl |
| 2012 | Missouri Valley Football Conference | 14–1 | 7–1 | Craig Bohl |
| 2013 | Missouri Valley Football Conference | 15–0 | 8–0 | Craig Bohl |
| 2014† | Missouri Valley Football Conference | 15–1 | 7–1 | Chris Klieman |
| 2015† | Missouri Valley Football Conference | 13–2 | 7–1 | Chris Klieman |
| 2016† | Missouri Valley Football Conference | 12–2 | 7–1 | Chris Klieman |
| 2017 | Missouri Valley Football Conference | 14–1 | 7–1 | Chris Klieman |
| 2018 | Missouri Valley Football Conference | 15–0 | 8–0 | Chris Klieman |
| 2019 | Missouri Valley Football Conference | 16–0 | 8–0 | Matt Entz |
† Co-champions
Playoff history
Division I FCS
(2004–present)
North Dakota State has appeared in 10 straight NCAA Division I FCS playoffs. The Bison have an overall record of 36–2 in postseason play since becoming eligible in 2008, including a record streak of 22 consecutive playoff wins from 2011 to 2016. Since the beginning of 2011, NDSU has appeared in 8 National Championship games and have won 8 of them.
| Year | Seed | Record | Result | Opponent | Score | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division I FCS (postseason playoffs with 20-team bracket) | ||||||
| 2010 | No. 16 | 2–1 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals | Robert Morris No. 4 Montana State No. 5 Eastern Washington | W 43–17 W 42–17 L 31–38 OT | Craig Bohl |
| 2011 | No. 2 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions | No. 17 James Madison No. 6 Lehigh No. 3 Georgia Southern No. 1 Sam Houston State | W 26–14 W 24–0 W 35–7 W 17–6 | Craig Bohl |
| 2012 | No. 1 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions | No. 19 South Dakota State No. 9 Wofford No. 6 Georgia Southern No. 5 Sam Houston State | W 28–3 W 14–7 W 23–20 W 39–13 | Craig Bohl |
| Division I (FCS) (postseason playoffs with 24-team bracket) | ||||||
| 2013 | No. 1 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions | Furman No. 11 Coastal Carolina No. 15 New Hampshire No. 7 Towson | W 38–7 W 48–14 W 52–14 W 35–7 | Craig Bohl |
| 2014 | No. 2 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions | No. 14 South Dakota State No. 6 Coastal Carolina No. 19 Sam Houston State No. 5 Illinois State | W 27–24 W 39–32 W 35–3 W 29–27 | Chris Klieman |
| 2015 | No. 3 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions | No. 16 Montana No. 15 Northern Iowa No. 7 Richmond No. 1 Jacksonville State | W 37–6 W 23–13 W 33–7 W 37–10 | Chris Klieman |
| 2016 | No. 1 | 2–1 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | No. 24 San Diego No. 8 South Dakota State No. 4 James Madison | W 45–7 W 36–10 L 17–27 | Chris Klieman |
| 2017 | No. 2 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions | San Diego No. 8 Wofford No. 6 Sam Houston State No. 1 James Madison | W 38–3 W 42–10 W 55–13 W 17–13 | Chris Klieman |
| 2018 | No. 1 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions | No. 23 Montana State No. 9 Colgate No. 5 South Dakota State No. 3 Eastern Washington | W 52–10 W 35–0 W 44–21 W 38–24 | Chris Klieman |
| 2019 | No. 1 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions | No. 19 Nicholls State No. 13 Illinois State No. 5 Montana State No. 2 James Madison | W 37–13 W 9–3 W 42–14 W 28–20 | Matt Entz |
| 10 | 36–2 | (.947) | 1,163–474 | |||
Division II
(1964–2003)
North Dakota State appeared in 23 NCAA Division II postseasons from 1964 to 2003. During this stretch NDSU compiled a 347–94–4 record winning almost 80% of their games for four decades and claiming eight Championships along the way. NDSU appeared in seven out of 10 Championship games from 1981–1990; including appearing in four straight Championship games, an unrivaled number in DII as they posted a 111–16–2 (.875) mark from 1981–1990. While this is a startling record, from 1964 to 1973 the Bison went 90–12–1 (.887) which included a 35-game unbeaten streak.
| Year | Record | Result | Game | Opponent | Score | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Division (rankings via AP writers poll) | ||||||
| 1964 | 1–0 | unranked | Mineral Water Bowl | Western State | W 14–13 | Darrell Mudra |
| 1965 | 1–0 | AP No. 1 | Pecan Bowl | Grambling State | W 20–7 | Darrell Mudra |
| 1967 | 0–1 | AP No. 2 | Pecan Bowl | Texas-Arlington | L 10–13 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1968 | 1–0 | AP No. 1 | Pecan Bowl | Arkansas State | W 23–14 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1969 | 1–0 | AP No. 1 | Camellia Bowl | Montana | W 30–3 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1970 | 1–0 | AP No. 3 | Camellia Bowl | Montana | W 31–16 | Ron Erhardt |
| Division II (postseason playoffs with 8-team bracket) | ||||||
| 1976 | 1–1 | 3rd Place | First round Grantland Rice Bowl | Eastern Kentucky Montana State | W 10–7 L 3–10 | Jim Wacker |
| 1977 | 1–1 | 3rd Place | First round Grantland Rice Bowl | Northern Michigan Jacksonville State | W 20–6 L 7–31 | Jim Wacker |
| 1981 | 2–1 | Runner Up | First round Semifinals Championship | Puget Sound Shippensburg State Southwest Texas State | W 24–10 W 18–6 L 13–42 | Don Morton |
| 1982 | 1–1 | 3rd Place | First round Semifinals | Virginia Union UC Davis | W 21–20 L 14–19 | Don Morton |
| 1983 | 3–0 | Champions | First round Semifinals Championship | Towson State UC Davis Central State | W 24–17 W 26–17 W 41–21 | Don Morton |
| 1984 | 2–1 | Runner Up* | First round Semifinals Championship | UC Davis Nebraska–Omaha Troy State | W 31–25 W 25–14 L 17–18 | Don Morton |
| 1985 | 3–0 | Champions | First round Semifinals Championship | UC Davis South Dakota North Alabama | W 31–12 W 16–7 W 35–7 | Earle Solomonson |
| 1986 | 3–0 | Champions | First round Semifinals Championship | Ashland Central State South Dakota | W 50–0 W 35–12 W 27–7 | Earle Solomonson |
| Division II (postseason playoffs with 16-team bracket) | ||||||
| 1988 | 4–0 | Champions | First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship | Augustana (SD) Millersville Sacramento State Portland State | W 41–7 W 36–26 W 42–20 W 35–21 | Rocky Hager |
| 1989 | 1–1 | First round Quarterfinals | Edinboro Jacksonville State | W 45–32 L 17–21 | Rocky Hager | |
| 1990 | 4–0 | Champions | First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship | Northern Colorado Cal Poly–SLO Pittsburg State IUP | W 17–7 W 47–0 W 39–29 W 51–11 | Rocky Hager |
| 1991 | 0–1 | First round | Mankato State | L 7–27 | Rocky Hager | |
| 1992 | 1–1 | First round Quarterfinals | Northeast Missouri State Pittsburg State | W 42–7 L 37–38 OT | Rocky Hager | |
| 1994 | 1–1 | First round Quarterfinals | Pittsburg State North Dakota | W 18–12 3OT L 7–14 | Rocky Hager | |
| 1995 | 1–1 | First round Quarterfinals | North Dakota Pittsburg State | W41–10 L 7–9 | Rocky Hager | |
| 1997 | 0–1 | First round | Northwest Missouri State | L 28–39 | Bob Babich | |
| 2000 | 2–1 | First round Quarterfinals Semifinals | No. 1 Northwest Missouri State No. 5 Nebraska–Omaha No. 11 Delta State | W 31–17 W 43–21 L 16–34 | Bob Babich | |
| Totals | 35–13 | (.729) | ||||
- At the end of the 1984 championship game NDSU took the lead on a field goal making it 17–15 with 1:36 left; after being on the Troy State 2-yard line and settling for 3 points. Troy State subsequently drove down the field with no timeouts to the Bison's 33 yard line with :15 remaining. With apparent confusion on the field Troy State (known since 2005 as simply Troy) rushed the field goal team out on the field and freshman kicker Ted Clem kicked the longest field goal in Troy history of 50 yards as time expired to give the Trojans the victory.
Rivalries
North Dakota
South Dakota State
Northern Iowa
The Bison are 25–16 against Northern Iowa all time.[20] Both Chris Klieman and Matt Entz spend time on the UNI defensive staff before getting hired away to NDSU. Kleiman, in particular, played football at Northern Iowa and spent two separate snits on the Panther coaching staff. The two schools played every season from 1954–1979 as members of the North Central Conference. The schools were reunited in 2008 when NDSU moved to the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Northern Iowa won the first three battles, with the 2009 edition marked by a sideline fight between the two sides.[21]
In the early 2010s North Dakota State-UNI was regularly one of the highest-profile games of the season, and the two considered each other to be top rivals.[22] In 2011 the #3 ranked Bison hosted #2 UNI in front of a near-capacity crowd of 18,886. The herd won the matchup 27–19 in a game sometimes regarded as the start of the NDSU dynasty. Two seasons later NDSU would again host UNI in a top-five matchup, the Herd won the game by a narrow margin of 24–23, by far the closest matchup of the 2013 season. The following year the Panthers would be the team to end NDSU's record-breaking 33 game winning streak, thoroughly thrashing the three-time defending champions 23–3.
The 2015 edition of the rivalry was one of the most interesting in the series, and is considered one of the greatest games in NDSU history. The game was announced as homecoming before the season, the day started with SportsCenter's "On the Road Show" broadcasting live from the Fargodome. The #3 Bison trailed nearly all-game before Carson Wentz hit future Green Bay Packers receiver Darrius Shepherd (who didn't play most of the first half due to injury) in the endzone for the game-winning touchdown with less than a minute remaining.[23] Recently the rivalry has cooled as the Bison have won six straight in the series, with the 2018 and 2019 edition being won by a combined score of 102–45.[24]
Head coaches
Matt Entz is the 31st and current head coach of the Bison, taking over after the team won the 2018 FCS championship game. He succeeded Chris Klieman, who was named as the replacement for the retiring Bill Snyder as head coach of Kansas State University during the 2018 playoff run. Klieman continued to serve as the Bison's head coach throughout NDSU's playoff run, finishing his five seasons in Fargo (2014–2018) with a 69–6 record and four FCS national championships, failing to win the title only in 2016. Craig Bohl holds the record for most wins in school history with 104 in his 11-year career averaging over 9.5 wins per season. Ron Erhardt holds the record for most conference titles won with 6, followed by Rocky Hager and Klieman with 5 each.
| # | Coach | Years active | Record | Conference titles | National championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Luke Bolley | 1894–1899 | 7–8–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 2 | Jack Harrison | 1900–1901 | 15–1–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 3 | Eddie Cochems | 1902–1903 | 9–1–0 | No Affiliation | |
| 4 | A. L. Marshall | 1904–1905 | 4–7–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 5 | Gil Dobie | 1906–1907 | 7–0–0 | No Affiliation | |
| 6 | Paul Magoffin | 1908 | 2–3–0 | No Affiliation | |
| 7 | Arthur Rueber | 1909–1912 | 12–7–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 8 | Howard Wood | 1913–1914 | 5–5–2 | No Affiliation | |
| 9 | Paul J. Davis | 1915–1917 | 10–7–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 10 | Stanley Borleske | 1919–1921, 1923–1924, 1928 | 17–14–4 | 0 | |
| 11 | Joe Cutting | 1922 | 6–2–0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Ion Cortright | 1925–1927 | 13–8–2 | 1 | |
| 13 | Casey Finnegan | 1928–1940 | 57–49–11 | 2 | |
| 14 | Stan Kostka | 1941, 1946–1947 | 8–17–0 | 0 | |
| 15 | Robert A. Lowe | 1942–1945 | 3–9–2 | 0 | |
| 16 | Howard Bliss | 1948–1949 | 3–16–0 | 0 | |
| 17 | Mac Wenskunas | 1950–1953 | 11–21–1 | 0 | |
| 18 | Del Anderson | 1954–1955 | 1–16–1 | 0 | |
| 19 | Les Luymes | 1956 | 5–4–0 | 0 | |
| 20 | Bob Danielson | 1957–1962 | 13–39–2 | 0 | |
| 21 | Darrell Mudra | 1963–1965 | 24–6–0 | 2 | 1965 |
| 22 | Ron Erhardt | 1966–1972 | 61–7–1 | 6 | 1968, 1969 |
| 23 | Ev Kjelbertson | 1973–1975 | 17–13–0 | 2 | |
| 24 | Jim Wacker | 1976–1978 | 24–9–1 | 2 | |
| 25 | Don Morton | 1979–1984 | 57–15–0 | 4 | 1983 |
| 26 | Earle Solomonson | 1985–1986 | 24–2–1 | 2 | 1985, 1986 |
| 27 | Rocky Hager | 1987–1996 | 91–25–1 | 5 | 1988, 1990 |
| 28 | Bob Babich | 1997–2002 | 46–22 | 0 | |
| 29 | Craig Bohl | 2003–2013 | 104–32 | 4 | 2011, 2012, 2013 |
| 30 | Chris Klieman | 2014–2018 | 69–6 | 5 | 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 |
| 31 | Matt Entz | 2019– | 16–0 | 1 | 2019 |
Facilities
The Bison have played in the Fargodome since it opened in 1993. It holds 18,700 for football games and over 19,000 including standing room only tickets. The record attendance at the Fargodome is 19,108 when the Bison played Missouri State on October 12, 2013. The Bison have only lost one playoff game in the history of the Fargodome. The tremendous crowd noise caused by the Fargodome's steel roof disrupts many opposing offenses and creates one of the best home field advantages in college football
Football Records in the Fargodome
- Playoffs: 24–1 (.960)
- Home Openers: 24–1 (.960)
- Overall Record: 153–24 (.864)
- Record Attendance: 19,108 on 10-12-2013 vs. Missouri State
In 2011, the Fargodome was ranked as the 49th best stadium in all of college football.[25] The article cites, "There aren't many indoor venues in college football, but the few that do exist at the non-FBS level are very unfriendly to any visiting team. That effect is only amplified in a playoff atmosphere." The Fargodome is routinely ranked as one of the loudest college football stadiums in the country. In 2016, Stadium Journey ranked the Fargodome as the #2 Best FCS stadium to experience a game in [26] On December 10, 2011 in a game against Lehigh, the crowd noise was measured at 111 decibels, comparable to when the New Orleans Saints play in the Superdome. During the 2011 playoffs, the decibel level spiked past 130 decibels several times but was not an official measurement.[27][28] On December 14, 2012 in an FCS semifinal game against Georgia Southern, the crowd noise exceeded the 115 decibel mark and was known to be one of the loudest games in NDSU history. The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead conducted an informal study of Fargodome crowd noise from the press box during a playoff semifinal game, December 2013. The readings showed a high of 111 decibels following a late touchdown by quarterback Brock Jensen. The decibel meter consistently read 102–106 throughout that game, according to The Forum. http://www.ndsu.edu/news/view/detail/11083/ During the 2013 Furman playoff game, the crowd noise was measured at 115 decibels.[29] During the 2015 playoffs against Montana, the crowd noise measured 120 decibels, the Bison beat the Grizzlies 37–6, avenging their season-opening loss in Missoula. The record for the loudest indoor stadium crowd was set in 2013 at the Sacramento Kings' former home of Sleep Train Arena at 126 decibels. Due to the notorious noise, the Fargodome is sometimes referred to as the "Thunderdome". An example of this loudness can be found when the Bison offense advances the ball and gets a "first down". The announcer says over the loud speaker, "With that carry/pass, thats another Bison", in which the crowd loudly responds in unison "FIRST DOWN...AH MOVE THE CHAINS". Although an announcer declaring a "first down" is not unique to the Fargodome, the audience's response along with the prompt to move the chains is fairly unique to the Fargodome. This tradition was started back in the days when the team played in Dacotah Field. The crowd would do the traditional chant after every Bison first down and it was carried over to the FargoDome when the team played its first game in the new facility.
Prior to the Fargodome, the team played at Dacotah Field from 1910–1992.
Records and streaks
All-Americans
The list below covers North Dakota State All-Americans since the 2004 season when the program joined the FCS. This list uses five total selectors, the Associated Press (AP), STATS FCS (once they began coverage in 2015), HERO sports (once they began coverage in 2016), TSN (who began FCS coverage in 2006 and stopped in 2014), and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). [32]
This list is in progress.
| Year | Player | Position | First team | Second team | Third team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Colton Heagle | SS | — | — | AP |
| 2013 | Marcus Williams | CB | CONSENSUS | — | — |
| 2013 | Brock Jensen | QB | — | — | AP |
| 2013 | Grant Olson | LB | — | — | AP |
| 2013 | Ryan Drevlow | DT | — | AP | — |
| 2013 | Billy Turner | OT | CONSENSUS | — | — |
| 2014 | Colton Heagle | SS | AP, AFCA | TSN | — |
| 2014 | Ben LeCompte | P | — | TSN | — |
| 2014 | Adam Keller | K | — | — | AP |
| 2014 | Kyle Emanuel | DE | CONSENSUS | — | — |
| 2014 | John Crockett | RB | — | TSN | — |
| 2014 | Andrew Bonnet | FB | — | — | TSN |
| 2014 | Joe Haeg | OL | CONSENSUS | — | — |
| 2015 | Greg Menard | DE | — | — | STATS |
| 2015 | Ben LeCompte | P | STATS | AP | — |
| 2015 | Joe Haeg | OL | AP, STATS | — | — |
| 2015 | Andrew Bonnet | FB | — | STATS | — |
| 2015 | Zack W. Johnson | G | — | — | AP |
| 2016 | Greg Menard | DL | — | HERO | AP |
| 2016 | MJ Stumpf | LB | — | — | HERO |
| 2016 | Chase Morlock | FB | — | — | STATS |
| 2016 | James Fisher | LS | — | STATS | — |
| 2016 | Tre Dempsey | DB | AFCA | STATS, HERO | — |
| 2016 | Landon Lechler | OL | AP | — | — |
| 2016 | Zack Johnson | OL | CONSENSUS | — | — |
| 2017 | Robbie Grimsley | DB | — | STATS | — |
| 2017 | James Fisher | LS | STATS | — | — |
| 2017 | Nick DeLuca | LB | CONSENSUS | — | — |
| 2017 | Bruce Anderson | RB | — | HERO | — |
| 2017 | Tre Dempsey | FS | AFCA | HERO | — |
| 2017 | Austin Kuhnhart | G | CONSENSUS | — | — |
| 2018 | Darrius Shepherd | RS | — | — | STATS |
| 2018 | Garret Wegner | P | — | — | AP, STATS |
| 2018 | Zack Johnson | OT | — | STATS, HERO | AP |
| 2018 | Jabril Cox | LB | HERO | AP, STATS | — |
| 2018 | Greg Menard | DL | AFCA | AP | STATS |
| 2018 | Robbie Grimsley | DB | AP, STATS | HERO | — |
| 2018 | Tanner Volson | C | CONSENSUS | — | — |
| 2018 | Easton Stick | QB | AP, HERO | AFCA | STATS |
| Key: * First team; † Second team; ‡ Third team. For expansions of abbreviations see the glossary. | |||||
Future non-conference opponents
Announced schedules as of December 12, 2019.[33]
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| at Oregon (canceled)[34] | vs Albany | at Arizona | at Colorado | |
| vs Drake (Canceled) | vs | |||
| vs North Carolina A&T (Canceled) | at Towson | vs Towson |
References
- "NDSU Football Postseason History". North Dakota State University. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- "Sources: UND set to leave Big Sky Conference". 2017-01-25.
- NDSU Bison Graphic Standards (PDF). May 23, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
- "2016 College Football Rankings - Week 4". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019.
- Haley, Craig. "In the FCS Huddle: FCS champ North Dakota State goes back-to-back". Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- https://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/01/11/theyre-gr8-north-dakota-state-overpowers-james-madison-for-eighth-fcs-crown-in-nine-years/
- "NDSU Quick Facts". GoBison.com.
- Rittenberg, Adam (December 13, 2018). "North Dakota St. promotes defensive coordinator Matt Entz to head coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
- "AP and Coaches poll's after week two in college football". KRMG News. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
- Jeff Kolpack. "Montana, NDSU boast two of best teams in FCS history". INFORUM.
- "Bohl to be Named Head Coach at Wyoming, Will Coach NDSU Through Playoffs". NDSU. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
- Jan 7th 2018 - 3pm, Jeff Kolpack |. "Bohl's legacy not forgotten after NDSU's national championship win". Jamestown Sun. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
- "Easton Stick - 2018 - Football". NDSU. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
- Deabler, Alexandra (March 4, 2019). "Trump serves fast food to North Dakota State Bison football team at White House". Fox News.
- Ramirez, Marisela (March 4, 2019). "Watch live: Trump meets with North Dakota State University football team". TheHill.
- Schad, Tom. "President Donald Trump serves fast food to another title team, North Dakota State, the FCS champions". USA TODAY.
- "Matt Entz Named Next NDSU Head Football Coach". NDSU. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
- "Bison Roll Past Fighting Hawks 38-7 in Home Opener". NDSU. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
- https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/north-dakota-st-wins-8th-fcs-title-28-68219031
- https://unipanthers.com/sports/football/opponent-history/north-dakota-state-university/7
- https://www.inforum.com/sports/4145467-ndsu-vs-uni-theres-no-love-lost-between-two-programs
- http://ndsuspectrum.com/ndsu-uni-rivalry-gains-steam-every-year/
- https://www.inforum.com/bison-media-zone/4838321-Top-Ten-Bison-games-of-the-decade-5-The-UNI-comeback
- https://247sports.com/college/north-dakota-state/Article/Three-quick-things-NDSU-vs-UNI-136955563/
- "Ranking the Greatest Stadiums in College Football, Final 2011 Edition". Bleacher Report. 2011-12-05. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
- Paul Donaldson. "2015 FCS College Football Stadium Experience Rankings - Stadium Journey - Scout". Stadium Journey. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
- "Fcs Preview | Indiana Sports Page Football". iHigh.com. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
- "I Can't Hear You" (PDF). Media.nola.com. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
- "NDSU fans reach 115 decibels at playoff game – NDSU News (NDSU)". ndsu.edu.
- "North Dakota State University Athletics - Bison Look to Keep Sole Possession of First Place Saturday at Northern Iowa". Gobison.com. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
- "North Dakota State University Athletics - Top-Five Matchup Saturday When Bison Host Griz in Trees Bowl". Gobison.com. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
- Perreault, Ryan (October 19, 2019). "Bison All-Americans". Bison Game Day: 63.
- "North Dakota State Bison Football Schedules and Future Schedules". fbschedules.com. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- "NDSU loses season opener at Oregon, Pac-12 cancels non-conference games". Valley News Live. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
