Steady Bison Stampede Through Montana State to Championship

@ Samantha Laurey/Argus Leader/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The top two Football Championship Subdivision teams squared off in the FCS championship game on Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, and the North Dakota State Bison (14-2) prevailed over the Montana State Bobcats (15-1) in a well-played, well-coached title bout.

Relying on a dominant first half, the Bison held off the Bobcats 35-32, securing the win in the final seconds with the recovery of an onside kick.

Legendary FCS Players

In general, FBS teams have more talented players than their FCS counterparts. However, many of the most legendary gridiron stars played their college ball at the FCS level, including Hall of Famers Jerry Rice, Kurt Warner, Michael Strahan, Richard Dent and Randy Moss. (Moss played for the Marshall Thundering Herd, which later transitioned to the FBS level)

The championship matchup between the Bison and Bobcats featured many talented players who look to follow in the footsteps of their illustrious FCS predecessors.

Bison Conquest: Game Summary

The Bison raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, scoring first on a deliberate, seven-minute opening drive, capped by quarterback Cam Miller's 2-yard run. Then, after North Dakota State stopped the Bobcats' first drive, Miller, the offensive player of the year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, darted 64 yards for another TD, giving NDSU a 14-0 lead. The Bison outgained the Bobcats by a margin of 156 to 40 yards in the opening period.

The Bobcats answered with a remarkably time-consuming 11-minute drive that began at the end of the first quarter and did not conclude until less than six minutes remained before halftime. However, the lengthy drive culminated only with a field goal by sophomore placekicker Myles Sansted, bringing the score to 14-3 in favor of NDSU.

The Bobcats' defense stopped the next drive of the potent Bison offense, but Montana State then turned the ball over on downs after an unsuccessful fourth-down play near midfield. NDSU capitalized, driving downfield and scoring a TD just before halftime on a pass from Miller to wide receiver Bryce Lance, the younger brother of Dallas Cowboys backup QB Trey Lance.

Montana State QB Tommy Mellott won the 2024 Walter Payton Award, as the most outstanding FCS offensive player. However, Miller outplayed Mellott in the first half, rushing for 108 yards and throwing for 98 yards.

With its back against the wall, Montana State opened the second half by driving 75 yards for a TD to narrow NDSU's lead to 21-10. First-team All-Big Sky Conference running back Scottre Humphrey delivered the first TD of the evening for the Bobcats.

Then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, Montana State's defense stopped the Bison, forcing a punt, drove quickly back down the field. scored another TD on a pass from Mellott to tight end Rohan Jones and added a 2-point conversion to make the score 21-18 with approximately four minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Undaunted, the Bison responded with a TD drive that bridged the third and fourth quarters, pushing their lead to 28-18 on a short TD pass from Miller to senior TE Joe Stoffel. However, the resilient Bobcats answered back, narrowing the NDSU advantage to 28-25 on a 44-yard TD scamper by Mellott.

But, the Bison then flashed their championship mettle, mounting a five-minute TD drive culminating with a 3-yard score on the ground by redshirt freshman CharMar Brown, extending their lead to 35-25 with less than three minutes remaining in the game.

Although the Bobcats continued fighting, scoring yet another TD when Mellott connected with WR Taco Dowler, that score, which narrowed the lead to 35-32, came too late. With slightly over a minute remaining in the game, Montana State was forced to attempt an onside kick. However, the effort fell short, and NDSU secured the win.

NFL Dream'n

Per the College Football Network, 16 participants in the FCS title tilt are legitimate NFL prospects, with 6-foot-6, 305-pound NDSU offensive lineman Grey Zabel leading the way, projected as a fourth- or fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Furthermore, both of the standout QBs in the FCS championship game—Miller and Mellott—are among those regarded to have NFL potential.