SDSU, NDSU, South Dakota all reach FCS quarterfinals
North Dakota State had one of the most exciting college football matchups of the weekend as a blocked extra point in overtime helped them pick up an upset over No. 6 Montana State in Bozeman on Saturday afternoon.
The moment came after a back-and-forth affair where the Bison trailed 28-21 entering the fourth quarter. TK Marshall's 29-yard touchdown run with 2:33 to go sent the game to overtime and NDSU took the lead on the first possession of the extra frame on Cam Miller's three-yard touchdown run.
Scottre Humphrey scored on a 25-yard touchdown run on the Bobcats' first play of overtime but Hunter Poncius blocked Casey Kautzman's extra point to help NDSU advance to the quarterfinals.
BLOCKED!! Bison Win!! pic.twitter.com/KKjLErmzZw
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) December 2, 2023
The Bison have dominated the FCS with nine national championships since 2011 but entered the playoffs with an 8-3 record before dismantling Drake 66-3 in the first round.
The win over the Bobcats is significant, however, as Montana State spent a majority of the season as the No. 2 team in the country and came within a blade of grass of defeating top-ranked South Dakota State on a last-second Hail Mary in Brookings on Sept. 9.
NDSU's win sets up a quarterfinal matchup with No. 3 South Dakota, who stunned the Bison with a 24-19 win in Fargo on Sept. 30 and is in the quarterfinals for the first time in school history after defeating Sacramento State 34-24 on Saturday
But while NDSU and USD battle on one side of the bracket, SDSU controls its destiny on the other side. The Jackrabbits obliterated Mercer 41-0 in a second-round matchup on Saturday to advance to a quarterfinal matchup with No. 8 Villanova and the win over the Bears extended SDSU's winning streak to 26 games.
The Jackrabbits' streak includes a 45-21 win over the Bison in last year's national championship game and decisive wins this season over NDSU and USD as SDSU defeated the Coyotes 37-3 in Vermillion on Oct. 38 and the Bison 33-16 in Brookings on Nov. 4.
This history gives the FCS playoffs an intriguing backstory as all three teams fight for a spot in the national championship game in Frisco, Texas on Jan. 7.
