Fcs Football Central

2024 FCS Playoffs Semifinals Recap: Montana State, North Dakota State Advance To Frisco

Zachary McKinnell

Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The stage is finally set for the FCS National Championship. No. 1 Montana State and No. 2 North Dakota State will meet in Frisco, Texas, for the national championship.

It will be the fifth postseason matchup between the programs, in which the Bison are 4-0 against the Bobcats. These programs met in the 2021 FCS National Championship, where North Dakota State defeated Montana State 38-10 in Frisco.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Jan. 6, 2025, and the game will be televised on ESPN.

We recap all the action from the semifinals of the 2024 FCS Playoffs below.

No. 1 Montana State 31, No. 4 South Dakota 17

Montana State kept its undefeated season alive with an impressive 31-17 win over South Dakota. With a win in the national championship, the Bobcats can become only the second team in FCS history to finish 16-0, joining 2019 North Dakota State.

It was another must-see performance from quarterback Tommy Mellott, who led the Bobcats with 125 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He also completed 8-of-17 passes for 134 passing yards and one touchdown. The Bobcats scored on five of their first six possessions, including an explosive 41-yard touchdown run from Mellott on a broken play.

Missed opportunities defined this game for South Dakota, including two turnover on downs inside Montana State territory in the second half. The Coyotes were 0-for-2 in the red zone and only converted on 3-of-10 third down attempts.

Montana State defensive linemen Kenneth Eiden IV and Brody Grebe combined for two sacks, both coming in key moments for the Bobcats. South Dakota running back Travis Theis had an outstanding performance, leading the Coyotes with 110 rushing yards and 80 receiving yards.

No. 2 North Dakota State 28, No. 3 South Dakota State 21

North Dakota State improved to 38-1 in FCS playoff games inside the Fargodome with a 28-21 win over South Dakota State. The Bison scored two touchdowns on their final two drives, while the defense sacked Mark Gronowski on 4th and 17 with less than 1:30 remaining to secure the victory.

Quarterback Cam Miller had another impressive performance, completing 13-of-19 attempts for 179 passing yards, 93 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns. Bryce Lance had a career-high 125 receiving yards and three touchdowns, including a highlight-reel game-winning touchdown with 4:02 remaining. He also set the single-season school record with 16 receiving touchdowns.

North Dakota State's defense controlled the line of scrimmage, recording 10 tackles for loss and making quarterback Mark Gronowski uncomfortable in the pocket. Outside of an early 39-yard touchdown run from Amar Johnson, the Bison defense held the Jackrabbits to 2.3 yards per carry. Linebacker Logan Kopp led the Bison with 10 total tackles and two tackles for loss, while Kody Huisman posted six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one forced fumble.

More FCS Football News

2024 FCS Playoffs: Semifinals Scoreboard
2024 FCS Football Central All-American Team
2024 FCS Football Central Freshman All-American Team
2024 FCS Playoffs: Official Bracket, Schedule, Scores

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Zachary McKinnell
ZACHARY MCKINNELL

Zach McKinnell is the Founder and Senior Editor of FCS Football Central. He is also a columnist for HERO Sports and a contributor for Athlon Sports. In 2022, he became an official voter in the FCS Stats Perform Top-25. He is a former contributor for Vols Wire, part of the USA TODAY Sports Network, and Fly War Eagle on FanSided. Zach graduated from Auburn University in 2018.

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