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THIS WEEK:  Top-seeded and No. 1-ranked North Dakota State (11-0) hosts Furman (8-5) in the second round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700).  The Paladins, automatic qualifiers from the Southern Conference, won 30-20 at South Carolina State in the first round last week.
 
TELEVISION:  Live coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN3 and ESPN GamePlan with Shawn Kenney calling the play-by-play and John Bunting as color analyst.
 
RADIO:  Live coverage begins at 2 p.m. on KFGO-AM 790 and KRWK-FM 101.9 of Fargo along with the North Dakota Corn Growers Bison Radio Network.  KFGO's Scott Miller will describe the play-by-play with NDSU and Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Phil Hansen as color analyst and NDSU's Jeremy Jorgenson reporting from the sidelines.  A live audio stream will be available on GoBison.com/allaccess.
 
THE SERIES:  This is the first meeting between North Dakota State and Furman.  NDSU is 4-0 against opponents from the Southern Conference including 3-0 in the FCS playoffs.  The Bison beat Georgia Southern in the semifinals 23-20 last year and 35-7 in 2011.  NDSU beat Wofford in the quarterfinals last year 14-7.  The Bison also own a 2006 regular season win at Georgia Southern, 34-14.
 
POSTSEASON HISTORY:  This is North Dakota State's fourth straight appearance in the FCS playoffs and its second as the top overall seed after claiming the No. 2 seed in 2011.  NDSU is 10-1 in the FCS playoffs including two straight national titles and a quarterfinal appearance in 2010.  The Bison are 7-0 at home in the FCS playoffs.  This is North Dakota State's 27th postseason appearance overall.  NDSU has a 45-14 record all-time in the postseason including three College Division national championships in 1965, 1968 and 1969 and five Division II titles in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990.  NDSU is 40-13 in the NCAA playoff format since 1973.
 
LAST WEEK:  North Dakota State had a bye in the first round of the FCS playoffs last week following a 42-0 home victory over South Dakota two weeks ago.  Brock Jensen passed for two touchdowns caught by Ryan Smith and Zach Vraa, running backs Sam Ojuri and John Crockett rushed for two touchdowns each, and middle linebacker Carlton Littlejohn had 10 tackles to lead the Bison defense, which posted its third shutout for the first time since 1997.
 
BOHL WINS 100th GAME:  North Dakota State head coach Craig Bohl won his 100th career game at the helm of the Bison in the 42-0 victory over South Dakota.  Bohl is 100-32 in his 11th season overall and is tied with SDSU's John Stiegelmeier for sixth place in MVFC history with 32 league victories in six years.
 
BEST START SINCE 1990:  North Dakota State finished the regular season undefeated for the first time since 1990 and the Bison are 11-0 for the first time since that 1990 team NCAA Division II championship team went 10-0 in the regular season and 4-0 in the playoffs.  NDSU's 11 straight wins to start the year is the second longest streak in Valley Football history behind Northern Iowa's 12 in 2007 (lost to Delaware).
 
SEEING DOUBLE:  North Dakota State is on pace to have two 1,000-yard rushers for the third straight season.  Senior Sam Ojuri (1,002) passed the mark for the third straight year against South Dakota and junior John Crockett enters the playoffs with 933 yards looking for his second straight 1,000-yard season.  The backs have split time all year with Ojuri averaging 6.6 yards on 151 carries and Crockett averaging 6.1 yards on 153 carries.  Ojuri and Crockett have gone over 100 yards in the same game three times this season including the last two.
 
VRAA TIES TD RECORD:  Junior wide receiver Zach Vraa caught his 11th touchdown of the year against South Dakota to tie T.R. McDonald's school-record 11 touchdown catches in 1993.  Vraa had eight TDs in a stretch of five straight games with a TD that was snapped at Youngstown State, and he has caught a TD pass in 8 of 11 games this season.  Vraa leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 17.8 yards per catch, 79.5 yards per game, and is third in NDSU single-season history with 874 receiving yards.
NDSU Single-Season Receiving Yards
1,181 - T.R. McDonald, 1993
1,003 - Warren Holloway, 2011
874 - Zach Vraa, 2013
828 - Tim Strehlow, 1999
 
JENSEN JOINS ELITE GROUP:  Senior quarterback Brock Jensen surpassed the 1,000-yard career rushing mark at Youngstown State and is one of eight active quarterbacks in the Football Championship Subdivision with 5,000 passing and 1,000 rushing yards in a career.
FCS Active Players, Total Offense—5,000 passing and 1,000 rushing yards
1. Denarius McGhee, Montana State (11,203 passing; 1,149 rushing; 12,352 total)
2. Brian Bell, Sam Houston State (8,432 passing; 1,458 rushing; 9,890 total)
3. Brock Jensen, North Dakota State (7,881 passing; 1,029 rushing; 8,910 total)
Others: Gavin McCarney, Colgate; Benjamin Anderson, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Garrett Safron, Sacramento State; Greg McGhee, Howard; Matt Lancaster, Butler.
 
MOST WINS AS QUARTERBACK:  North Dakota State quarterback Brock Jensen has won more games at quarterback than any player in FCS history.  Jensen is 43-5 as NDSU's starting quarterback and with 44 total victories (including 2010 off the bench against Morgan State) he has surpassed Armanti Edwards, who won 43 games at Appalachian State from 2006-09.  Jensen is NDSU's career leader in pass attempts (1039), pass completions (650), passing touchdowns (64), passing yards (7,881) and total offense (8,910).
Most Wins by FCS Quarterbacks
44, Brock Jensen, North Dakota State (2010-present)
43, Armanti Edwards, Appalachian State (2006-09)
42, J.R. Revere, Georgia Southern (1998-01)
41, Eric Ward, Richmond (2006-09)
 
OJURI CRACKS 3,000 YARD MARK:  Senior running back Sam Ojuri has become the sixth running back in NDSU history to eclipse the 3,000 career yards mark.  Ojuri has 3,298 yards in 47 career games and has passed former Bison players Paul Hatchett, Doug Lloyd, Kevin Feeney, Tyler Roehl, Pat Paschall, Chad Stark, Jeff Bentrim, D.J. McNorton and Tony Satter on the school's career rushing list over the first 11 games of the season.  NDSU's last 3,000-yard rusher was Kyle Steffes, who finished second in school history with 3,952 yards from 2003-06.
NDSU All-Time Leading Rushers
4,696 - Lamar Gordon, RB (1998-01)
3,952 - Kyle Steffes, RB (2003-06)
3,688 - Jake Morris, RB (1994-97)
3,313 - Chris Simdorn, QB (1987-90)
3,298 - Sam Ojuri, RB (2009,11-13)

WEARING THEM OUT:  North Dakota State ranks first nationally in time of possession and third down conversions, and the advantage is most notable in the fourth quarter.  NDSU is averaging 9:38 in the fourth quarter this year including six games over 10 minutes and a season-high 11:31 at Youngstown State.  The Bison have converted 27 of 43 third downs in the final quarter for 63 percent.
 
FOURTH QUARTER SUCCESS:  North Dakota State has held 10 of 11 opponents scoreless in the fourth quarter with Missouri State's 11-yard TD pass from Ashton Glaser to Dorian Buford being the only fourth-quarter points allowed.  Buford's touchdown and a Sam Houston State field goal in last year's national title game are the only fourth-quarter points NDSU has allowed in the last 16 games.
 
LITTLEJOHN STEPS IN:  North Dakota State linebacker Carlton Littlejohn was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week after making a game- and career-high 16 tackles with seven solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss in North Dakota State's 28-10 home victory over Illinois State.  Littlejohn made 10 of his 16 tackles in the second half after moving from the outside to middle linebacker in place of injured starter Grant Olson.
 
PUNT COVERAGE:  North Dakota State's Ben LeCompte has punted 39 times for a 43.9 average this year including 10 touchbacks and 16 inside the 20-yard line.  Only 4 of 36 punts have been returned and NDSU tacklers have limited those returns to 0 yards (Jordan Champion), minus-2 yards (Colten Heagle), 0 yards (Bryan Shepherd) and 5 yards (Kyle Emanuel).  NDSU is allowing just 0.75 yards per punt return, which is second in the FCS.
 
SMITH AMONG PUNT RETURN LEADERS:  North Dakota State wide receiver Ryan Smith is the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision active career leader in punt returns (78) and punt return yards (913), and is tied for first in punt return touchdowns (3).  Junior free safety Christian Dudzik handled the first 13 punt returns this year before Smith took his first return a career-long 85 yards for a TD in the first quarter against Missouri State.  Smith also had a 100-yard kickoff return for touchdown at Indiana State which tied a 1923 school record.
 
SMITH FOURTH IN RECEPTIONS:  Senior wide receiver Ryan Smith ranks fourth in NDSU history with 136 career receptions for 1,596 yards.  Smith had a career-high eight catches at Kansas State and hauled in a career-high 111 receiving  yards on four catches against South Dakota, including career-long 64-yarder for a TD.
NDSU Top Five Career Pass Receptions
1. Kole Heckendorf, 178 (2005-08)
2. Travis White, 163 (2002-06)
3. Warren Holloway, 161 (2008-11)
4. Ryan Smith, 136 (2010-present)
5. T.R. McDonald, 134 (1990-93)
 
FLIPPING THE FIELD:  North Dakota State ranks seventh nationally and leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference in net punting thanks to sophomore All-MVFC punter Ben LeCompte, who has been flipping the field with an impressive 43.9 yards per punt average.  LeCompte had seven punts and four inside the 20 – both career highs – in the Northern Iowa game.  He had a career-long punt of 75 yards and another for 74 yards at South Dakota State, and a 65-yarder against UNI.  LeCompte's career average of 43.5 would rank second in school history behind Mike Dragosavich's 44.46 from 2004-07.
 
STREAKING:  North Dakota State's 20-game winning streak is a Missouri Valley Football Conference record, the longest active streak in the Football Championship Subdivision, and the second longest streak in all of Division I behind Ohio State.  The Bison have won 11 straight at home (second best in the FCS) and 41 of the last 42 non-conference home games including 31 straight since a 2003 loss to UC Davis.
Division I Overall Winning Streaks
1. Ohio State (Big Ten)                                    24
2. North Dakota State (MVFC)                     20
3. Florida State (ACC)                                       14
4. Northern Illinois (MAC)                            12
5. SE Louisana (Southland)                               9
 
Division I Home Winning Streaks
1. Sam Houston State (Southland)           22
2. South Carolina (SEC)                                    18
3. Ohio State (Big Ten)                                    15
4. North Dakota State (MVFC)                     11
     Northern Illinois (MAC)                            11
 
ON THE ROAD:  North Dakota State has won 14 straight true road games and 17 including two national championship games in Frisco, Texas, and one neutral site win against South Dakota in Sioux Falls, S.D.  The Bison have won 22 of their last 26 road games and are 42-20 on the road since head coach Craig Bohl took over in 2003.  NDSU is 17-7 in MVFC road games.  The Bison have not lost away from Fargo since the 38-31 overtime loss to eventual national champion Eastern Washington in the 2010 NCAA quarterfinals.
Division I Road Winning Streaks
1. Northern Illinois (MAC)                            15
2. North Dakota State (MVFC)                     14
3. Towson (Colonial)                                         10
4. Ohio State (Big Ten)                                       9
5. Florida State (ACC)                                          8
 
BISON SIXTH IN ATTENDANCE:  North Dakota State's record crowd of 19,108 for the homecoming game against Missouri State was the fifth straight regular season sellout and the 17th sellout overall since 2006.  NDSU is sixth in the Football Championship Subdivision with an average attendance of 18,705 through six home games.
FCS average home attendance
1. Montana - 25,553
2. James Madison - 21,011
3. Southern - 20,107
4. Yale - 19,809
5. Montana State - 19,704
6. North Dakota State - 18,705
 
NDSU, MVFC TOP GRIDIRON POWER INDEX: North Dakota State has the top spot in the Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision and a top indicator of at-large playoff selection.  The Missouri Valley Football Conference has seven teams in the top 30 and is tops among all 14 conferences ahead of the Colonial Athletic Association and Southland Conference.
Gridiron Power Index - Nov. 25
1. North Dakota State                      1.14
2. Eastern Illinois                                1.86
3. Eastern Washington                    3.86
4. SE Louisiana                                      4.14
5. Towson                                                6.00
 
Conference GPI - Nov. 25
1. Missouri Valley                            27.11
2. Colonial                                           34.23
3. Southland                                       35.46
4. Ohio Valley                                    37.94
5. Big Sky                                              43.65
 
BISON LAST FCS UNBEATEN:  North Dakota State is the last unbeaten team in the Football Championship Subdivision and one of only four in all of Division I.  Ohio State, Florida State and Northern Illinois are all 12-0 in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
 
FOUR ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT:  North Dakota State's Andrew Grothmann, Ryan Drevlow, Kyle Emanuel and Esley Thorton were named to the Capital One Academic All-District 6 team by a vote of the College Sports Information Directors of America.  To be nominated, student-athletes must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average, have sophomore athletic and academic standing, have completed one academic year at their institution, and be a starter or key reserve for their team.  Grothmann has a 3.58 GPA in agricultural economics, Drevlow has a 3.69 GPA in electrical engineering, Emanuel has a 3.59 in construction management, and Thorton has a 3.89 in exercise science.  All four advance to the national ballot for Academic All-America honors to be announced Thursday, Dec. 5.
 
RUNNING GAME:  North Dakota State racked up a season-high 331 rushing yards in the win at Southern Illinois.  It was the most rushing yards for NDSU since 376 in the NCAA second round win at Montana State in 2010 and the third most in a Missouri Valley Football Conference game behind 413 at Illinois State and 354 at Missouri State both during the 2008 season.
 
WILLIAMS AND INTERCEPTIONS: North Dakota State's Marcus Williams has 20 career interceptions, which ranks third-best all-time on the MVFC list.  He is the NCAA all-divisions active leader in career interceptions (20) and interception return yards (442).  His six career INT returns for touchdown tied the FCS record set by Murray State's William Hampton (1993-96).
MVFC Career Leaders - Interceptions
24, Adrion Smith, Missouri St., 1990-93
21, Jeff Smith, Illinois St., 1985-88
20, Marcus Williams, North Dakota St., 2010-present
18, Ty Talton, Northern Iowa, 1995-98
18, Dre Dokes, Northern Iowa, 2003-06
 
BISON IN NCAA TOP 10:  North Dakota State leads the nation in kickoff return average, third down conversions, time of possession and scoring defense, and the Bison are in the top 10 in several categories in the FCS statistics through Nov. 30:
NDSU in the FCS Statistics
1st - third down conversion percentage (.537)
1st - kickoff return average (27.04)
1st - scoring defense (11.5)
1st - time of possession (34:16)
2nd - third down conversion defense (.253)
2nd - punt return defense (0.75)
2nd - first downs allowed (147)
2nd - rushing defense (90.7)
2nd - passing efficiency defense (95.34)
2nd - total defense (243.0)
3rd - punt return average (15.48)
3rd - passing efficiency (165.84)
5th - completion percentage (.675)
6th - passing defense (152.3)
7th - net punting (38.69)
7th - red zone offense (.886)
8th - fewest interceptions thrown (6)
9th - fourth down conversion percentage (.667)
 
THREE SHUTOUTS:  North Dakota State's shutout victories over Delaware State and South Dakota State were the first back-to-back shutouts for NDSU since 1987 when the Bison won 34-0 at Augustana (S.D.) and 33-0 at home over Morningside.  NDSU's 42-0 win over South Dakota gave the Bison three shutouts for the first time since the 1997 team had four.
 
NEGATIVE YARDS:  SDSU's minus-32 yards rushing was the lowest total allowed by North Dakota State in Division I football.  The NDSU record is minus-85 yards against Morningside in 1974.  SDSU's Zach Zenner, the leading rusher in the Football Championship Subdivision, had four yards on eight carries.
 
NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK:  North Dakota State was named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America on Sept. 3 following its 24-21 win at Kansas State.  NDSU is just the second Football Championship Subdivision team to be recognized.  The other was Appalachian State in 2007 following its opening game win at No. 5-ranked Michigan.
 
THE DRIVE:  North Dakota State came back from a 21-7 deficit to win 24-21 at Kansas State in the season opener.  The Bison marched 80 yards in 18 plays over a span of 8:30 to score the winning touchdown on Brock Jensen's 1-yard run with 28 seconds left.  Jensen completed 14 of 15 passes in the second half including 7 of 7 on the final drive as the Bison converted four third down opportunities.
 
BOHL, JENSEN CAPTURE MVFC HONORS:  North Dakota State's Craig Bohl was named Bruce Craddock Coach of the Year for the third straight season and quarterback Brock Jensen was named Offensive Player of the Year by a vote of the Missouri Valley Football Conference head coaches, sports information directors and media.  The Bison had 14 players earn spots on the all-conference team including eight on the first team highlighted by three-time All-MVFC first team cornerback Marcus Williams.
 
CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  The following players were recognized as Player of the Week by the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season for their performances:
        - Colten Heagle, Defense (team-high seven tackles and two stops for loss at Kansas State in his first game back from knee injury Sept. 2012)
        - Billy Turner, Offensive Line (96% with 10 knockdowns at Kansas State)
        - Ben LeCompte, Special Teams (seven punts averaging 44.3 yards, three inside the 20 and two touchbacks at South Dakota State with a career-long 75 and a 74-yarder)
        - Ryan Smith, Special Teams (took his first punt return of the season 85 yards for a touchdown against Missouri State)
        - Joe Haeg, Offensive Line (98% with eight knockdowns vs. Missouri State)
        - Billy Turner, Offensive Line (92% with 10 knockdowns in NDSU's season-high 331-yard rushing game at Southern Illinois)
        - Zack Johnson, Offensive Line (13 knockdowns as NDSU averaged 6.7 yards per carry and had backs run for 146 and 120 yards at Youngstown State)
        - Christian Dudzik, Special Teams (scored his first two career TDs on punt returns of 43 and 68 yards at Indiana State)
        - Carlton Littlejohn, Defense (10 of his career-high 16 tackles in the second half against Illinois State after moving to middle linebacker in place of Grant Olson)
        - Brock Jensen, Offense (17-for-22 passing for 200 yards, career-high four TDs and a fifth TD by rush at Youngstown State, where he tied the FCS wins record and broke NDSU's career and single-season records for TD passes)
 
 NATIONAL HONORS:  The following players earned national recognition this season for their performances:
        - Ben LeCompte, Sports Network co-Special Teams Player of the Week (seven punts averaging 44.3 yards, three inside the 20 and two touchbacks at South Dakota State with a career-long 75 and a 74-yarder)
        - Grant Olson, College Sporting News All-Star (eight tackles and a career-high two sacks totaling 14 yards at South Dakota State where the Bison held SDSU to minus-32 yards rushing)
        - Zach Vraa, CFPA Wide Receiver of the Week (five catches for career-high 179 yards against Missouri State, TD catches of 36 and 23 yards, two other catches for 56 and 52 yards)
        - Ryan Smith, CFPA Punt Returner of the Week (took his first punt return of the season 85 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead against Missouri State)
        - Christian Dudzik, Sports Network co-Special Teams Player of the Week and CFPA Punt Returner of the Week (scored his first two career TDs on punt returns of 43 and 68 yards at Indiana State)
        - Ryan Smith, CFPA Kickoff Returner of the Week (100-yard kickoff return to answer an Indiana State kickoff return touchdown on the previous play, tying the 1923 NDSU record for longest kickoff return)
        - Brock Jensen, College Sporting News All-Star (17-for-22 passing for 200 yards, career-high four TDs and a fifth TD by rush at Youngstown State, where he tied the FCS wins record and broke NDSU's career and single-season records for TD passes)