North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns and added 121 yards and two more scores on the ground as the Bison continued their dominance over the FCS ranks, winning their 10th national championship with a 35-32 win over top-seeded Montana state on Monday night.
The Bison sprinted to a 21-3 halftime lead after Miller scored two rushing touchdowns and added a 1-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Lance.
The Bobcats, who came into the game undefeated, came back behind Walter Payton Award winner Tommy Mellott and cut the lead to three at 28-25 early in the fourth quarter on a spectacular 44-yard touchdown run.
Mellott had 135 yards on 14 carries and threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns for the Bobcats, who were seeking their first national championship since 1984 and now have lost six straight games to North Dakota State, all in the playoffs, including a heartbreaking second-round defeat last season when they had an extra point attempt blocked in overtime.
North Dakota State dominance
Each of North Dakota State’s 10 championships has come in the last 14 seasons. The Bison won their first title in 2011, and it was the first of five straight titles. James Madison won the FCS crown in 2016, but the Bison rattled off a three-peat, beating the Dukes in 2019, becoming the first team in college football to end the season 16-0.
In 2021, NDSU beat Montana State 38–10 for their 9th title but were routed in the title game the following season by South Dakota State, the first of their two consecutive championships.
