North Dakota State’s seniors have the chance to graduate with more national championships than losses.
That’s what at stake when the Bison (14-1) meet Illinois State (13-1) for the FCS championship at noon Saturday in Frisco, Texas.
North Dakota State is trying to become the first college football team to win four straight national championships since Carroll College (Helena, Montana) won four NAIA titles from 2002-05. Appalachian State won three straight FCS championships from 2005-07. The Bison have a chance to top that.
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That’s incredible. Here are five more amazing numbers from North Dakota State’s run toward a four-peat.
4-0
The Bison’s record against FBS schools the last four years. That includes wins against Minnesota (2011), Colorado State (2012), Kansas State (2013) and Iowa State (2014). North Dakota State outscored those opponents by a score of 117-66, and all of those games were on the road.
57-3
North Dakota State’s record since 2011. The Bison lost 23-3 to Northern Iowa on Nov. 8, which broke a 33-game win streak.
31
Number of games North Dakota State has limited opponents to 10 points or less through this four-year run. The Bison have allowed just 12.1 points per game since 2011. Coastal Carolina scored 32 on the Bison this season, the first team to top 30 points the last four seasons.
60
The number of turnovers North Dakota State has committed the last four seasons. That’s fewer turnovers than any team in the FBS. LSU ranks first at that level the last four years with 63 turnovers.
1,920
Senior running back John Crockett holds the school single-season record for rushing yards, and he needs just 80 yards to reach the 2,000-yard mark. Crockett has 495 rushing yards – an average of 165 yards per game – in three FCS playoff games this year.
