Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video
NDSU Notes | USD Notes

THIS WEEK:  Second-ranked North Dakota State (4-1, 2-0 MVFC) hosts South Dakota (2-3, 0-2 MVFC) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700) before taking to the road the next two weeks for the only back-to-back road games on this year's schedule.
 
TELEVISION:  Live statewide coverage in HD begins at 2:30 p.m. on NBC North Dakota, Midco Sports Network and ESPN3 with Brian Shawn calling the play-by-play, Lee Timmerman color analyst, and Beth Hoole on the sideline.  Live video will be available to subscribers on GoBison.com/allaccess.
 
RADIO:  KFGO-AM 790 and Mix 101.9 FM of Fargo along with the Peterson Farms Seed Bison Radio Network will have live coverage beginning at 2 p.m.  KFGO's Scott Miller will describe the play-by-play with NDSU and Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Phil Hansen as color analyst, commentary from KFGO's Jack Michaels, and NDSU's Jeremy Jorgenson reporting from the sideline.  A free audio stream will be available on GoBison.com/allaccess.
 
THE SERIES:  This is the 80th meeting between North Dakota State and South Dakota dating back to 1903.  NDSU leads the series 52-25-2 and has won five straight in the series including a 47-7 win last year in Vermillion.  NDSU leads the series 29-9-1 in Fargo including an 8-0 mark at the Fargodome.
 
LAST YEAR:  Carson Wentz passed for three touchdowns and Adam Keller kicked four field goals to lead North Dakota State to a 47-7 win in Vermillion last year.  Wentz was 14 of 26 for 231 yards, John Crockett ran 23 times for 123 yards, and King Frazier had 10 carries for a career-high 106 yards.  RJ Urzendowski made four receptions for 107 yards, and linebacker Nick DeLuca made 12 tackles and one interception in his first collegiate start replacing the injured Travis Beck.
 
BISON RALLY PAST NORTHERN IOWA:  Freshman Darrius Shepherd caught two touchdowns including the game-winner with 35 seconds left to lift North Dakota State to a 31-28 win over Northern Iowa.  Shepherd's 18-yard catch over two defenders in the back left corner of the end zone capped a 10-play, 79-yard drive after the Bison took over with 2:30 to play.  NDSU converted two fourth downs on the drive with Zach Vraa making a 14-yard reception and RJ Urzendowski making a 23-yard catch.  Urzendowski had five catches for 109 yards to lead 11 Bison receivers and Shepherd finished with three catches for 61 yards, all in the second half.
 
CONFERENCE-RECORD WIN STREAK:  North Dakota State's 26-game home winning streak is a new Missouri Valley Football Conference record, passing the 25-game streak by Northern Iowa from 1989-92.  NDSU's streak ranks eighth all-time in Football Championship Subdivision history.  Georgia Southern holds the top two home win streaks at 39 and 38 games.  NDSU's longest home winning streak is 28 games from 1964-69 and longest home unbeaten streak is 35 games from 1964-71 (including 1970 season-opening tie with Eastern Michigan).
            Active Division I Home Winning Streaks
            26 - North Dakota State (MVFC)
            18 - Baylor (Big 12)
            17 - Boise State (Mountain West)
            17 - Florida State (ACC)
            15 - Illinois State (MVFC)
 
WENTZ PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Quarterback Carson Wentz was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week after passing for four touchdowns in a 31-28 come-from-behind victory over Northern Iowa.  Wentz led the Bison on a 10-play, 79-yard drive in less than two minutes capped by an 18-yard touchdown pass to Darrius Shepherd with 35 seconds left.  Wentz connected with 11 different receivers and finished 26 of 40 (both career highs) for 335 yards, the fifth most passing yards in NDSU history.  His 40 attempts against UNI were the most by a Bison quarterback since 2009.
 
GRIMSLEY LEADS BISON DEFENSE:  Freshman safety Robbie Grimsley led the Bison defense against Northern Iowa with 10 tackles including six solo stops and one sack.  Grimsley also broke up the potential game-winning pass in the end zone at the end of the fourth quarter to seal NDSU's 31-28 victory.  Linebacker Nick DeLuca made seven tackles and defensive end Brad Ambrosius tallied six tackles, two for losses, one pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
 
WENTZ SETS RECORD:  Quarterback Carson Wentz set an NDSU record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception during the Northern Iowa game.  Wentz made 143 passing attempts over seven games dating back to last year's NCAA semifinal win over Sam Houston State before UNI's Tim Kilfoy intercepted him in the second quarter.  Wentz responded by completing 9 of 10 passes before a deflected ball led to his second interception.  The previous NDSU record was 142 set by Brock Jensen in seven games in 2011 followed by the 110 straight by Steve Walker from 2005 to 2006.
 
BISON LEAD IN THIRD DOWN DEFENSE, POSSESSION:  North Dakota State leads the nation in third down defense and time of possession through the first five games of the year.  NDSU opponents are just 14 of 69 on third down (20%) and the Bison are averaging an FCS-best 38:04 over five games.  NDSU also ranks third in first downs allowed (62), seventh in rushing defense (88.0), eighth in offensive passing efficiency (162.88), and ninth in third down conversions (51%) and fourth down conversions (78%).
 

Opponent	Opp 3rd Down	NDSU TOP
Montana	6-18	35:16
Weber State	1-13	40:04
North Dakota	2-13	36:36
South Dakota State	2-15	39:19
Northern Iowa	3-10	39:08

 

BEST DEFENSE IN 41 YEARS:  North Dakota State held North Dakota to 61 yards of total offense, which was the lowest output by an NDSU opponent in 41 years since allowing five yards in a 1974 home win over Morningside College.  The Bison did not allow a first down until less than five minutes remained in the third quarter and limited the UND offense to four yards rushing, the fewest since 2013 when NDSU held South Dakota State to minus-32 rushing in Brookings.  Harvey, N.D., native MJ Stumpf made a team-high six tackles for NDSU while the Bison posted eight tackles for loss including sacks by Jordan Champion, Brian Schaetz, Stanley Jones and Aaron Steidl.
 
FOURTH LARGEST CROWD:  The 111th matchup between longtime rivals North Dakota State and North Dakota attracted a crowd of 19,044 to Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.  It was the fourth largest home crowd in NDSU history behind the 2013 homecoming game with Missouri State (19,108), the 2012 homecoming game with Youngstown State (19,065) and the 2006 season finale with South Dakota State for the Great West Football Conference championship (19,053).
 
WENTZ OFF TO FAST START PASSING:  Senior quarterback Carson Wentz leads the conference in passing touchdowns (14) and points responsible for (108) through five games.  His nine passing TDs in the non-conference were the most through three games in school history, and his 741 passing yards were the second-highest three-game total at NDSU behind Steve Walker's 754 yards in 2006.
 
FIRST HALF EXPLOSION:  North Dakota State rolled up 407 yards of total offense by halftime in the win over Weber State and went on to outgain the Wildcats by a 586-206 margin.  It was the most total offense by NDSU since a 2013 national quarterfinal win over Coastal Carolina when the Bison had 623 yards.  North Dakota State had nine different players combine to rush for 305 yards and quarterback Carson Wentz was 19 of 29 passing for 281 yards and three touchdowns.
 
VRAA BREAKS RECEPTIONS RECORD:  Sixth-year wide receiver Zach Vraa is in position to become NDSU's all-time leader in pass receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches.  Vraa has caught a pass in 46 of 48 games in his career and broke the all-time receptions record with five catches in the Northern Iowa game.  He needs 29 yards and one touchdown to equal the records of 2,732 yards held by Kole Heckendorf and 26 touchdowns by Tim Strehlow.
            NDSU Career Receiving Yards
            1. 2732 - Kole Heckendorf, 2005-08 (43g)
            2. 2703 - Zach Vraa, 2011-15 (48g)
            3. 2544 - TR McDonald, 1990-93 (39g)

            NDSU Career Receiving TDs
            1. 26 - Tim Strehlow, 1996-99
            2. 25 - Zach Vraa, 2011-14
            3. 24 - Len Kretchman, 1985-88

            NDSU Career Receptions
            1. 179 - Zach Vraa, 2011-15
            2. 178 - Kole Heckendorf, 2005-08
            3. 163 - Travis White, 2002-06
 
LeCOMPTE SECOND IN FCS IN PUNTING:  All-America punter Ben LeCompte is fourth in the Football Championship Subdivision with a 45.9 average on 23 punts including a long of 73 in the Weber State game, seven of 50-plus yards, and 10 downed inside the 20.  LeCompte ranks fifth in FCS history and is the MVFC leader in career punting average at 44.29.  He is second in school history behind Mike Dragosavich's 44.46 average from 2004-07.
            NCAA FCS Career Punting Leaders
            45.1 - Jonathan Plisco, Old Dominion (2009-12)
            44.8 - Mark Gould, Northern Arizona (2000-03)
            44.6 - Eric Enderson, Delaware (2013-15)
            44.4 - Pumpy Tudors, Chattanooga (1989-91)
            44.3 - Ben LeCompte, NDSU (2012-15)
 
BISON AT HOME:  North Dakota State is 43-3 at home since 2010 and has the longest active home winning streak in Division I football at 26 straight games.  The Bison have won 50 of the last 51 home games over non-conference opponents including 40 straight since a 2003 loss to UC Davis.  NDSU is 11-2 at home against Top 10 teams.
 
FOUR TRUE FRESHMAN:  North Dakota State has played four true freshmen this year.  Safety Robbie Grimsley, running back Bruce Anderson and wide receiver Dimitri Williams all played in the season opener at Montana.  Kicker Cam Pedersen traveled to Montana and made his debut in Week 2 against Weber State.
 
PEDERSEN SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF WEEK:  Freshman kicker Cam Pedersen was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week after converting all four PAT kicks and 28- and 49-yard field goals in the 34-9 win over North Dakota.  Pedersen, a recruited walk-on, is now 13 of 13 on PATs and 4 of 4 on field goals in three games.  He traveled to the season-opener at Montana but did not play.
 
HAEG TWO-TIME MVFC LINEMAN OF THE WEEK:  Left tackle Joe Haeg was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week after the Weber State and South Dakota State games this year.  He led the Bison with 12 total knockdowns, nine pancakes and two decleaters against Weber State and graded out at 92 percent on technique.  He had eight knockdowns with two decleaters and a 94 percent grade on technique at South Dakota State.  Haeg has been named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week five times in his career.
 
BISON PICKED TO WIN; THREE ALL-MVFC:  NDSU was tabbed to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference crown with 32 of 40 first-place votes in a poll of the league's head coaches, media and sports information directors.  The Bison had fullback Andrew Bonnet, left tackle Joe Haeg and punter Ben LeCompte voted to the preseason all-conference team.  Quarterback Carson Wentz, tight end Luke Albers, long snapper James Fisher, offensive linemen Zack Johnson and Jeremy Kelly, and cornerback CJ Smith were honorable mention.
 
Last year's co-champ Illinois State received the other eight first-place tallies and was slated for second in the poll.  Northern Iowa, South Dakota State and Indiana State each won a postseason game last year and were third, fifth and sixth, respectively.  Youngstown State, one of two league schools with a new head coach (Missouri State is the other), was picked fourth in the poll.  The Penguins tied Indiana State for 5th last year.
 
WENTZ UP FOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Quarterback Carson Wentz is on the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year and College Football Performance Awards FCS National Performer of the Year watch lists after a record-setting campaign in his first year as the Bison starter.  Wentz, the NCAA championship game MVP and first team Capital One Academic All-American®, set NDSU single-season records for passing attempts, completions, yards, and total offense per game.  He completed 228 of 358 passes for 3,111 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and was NDSU's second-leading rusher with 138 carries for 642 yards and six TDs while averaging 4.7 yards per carry.  His rushing total was the most by a Bison QB since the veer-option offense led by Kevin Feeney in 1996.
 
BISON LEAD FCS WITH FIVE STATS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS:  North Dakota State led the nation with five players selected to the STATS FCS Preseason All-America team.  Left tackle Joe Haeg and punter Ben LeCompte made the first team, fullback/tight end Andrew Bonnet and left guard Zack Johnson are on the second team, and long snapper James Fisher is on the third team.  The Missouri Valley Football Conference led the nation with 17 preseason All-Americans.
 
NDSU LEADS WITH FOUR ON FAB 50 LIST:  North Dakota State had a nation's best four players named to the College Sporting News Preseason Fab 50 FCS All-America Team and the Missouri Valley Football Conference led all conferences with 12 selections.  Quarterback Carson Wentz, fullback Andrew Bonnet, left tackle Joe Haeg and punter Ben LeCompte were NDSU's four honorees.  Wentz, Haeg and Bonnet all were named to the year-end Fab 50 All-America list last season.
 
RETURNING 12 STARTERS:  North Dakota State returns 12 starters from last year's team that won a fourth straight FCS national championship and went 7-1 to claim a share of its fourth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference title.  NDSU returns eight starters on offense and four on defense.  In addition, all-conference left guard Zack Johnson is back from a knee injury that kept him out in 2014, and All-America punter Ben LeCompte is back after ranking second nationally in punting average last season.
 
VRAA GETS SIXTH SEASON:  All-conference wide receiver Zach Vraa is back for a sixth season after redshirting in 2010 and having his 2011 freshman season cut short with a broken collarbone in his first game.  He started in 11 of 13 games played as a sophomore in 2012 and had a record-setting junior year in 2013 when he finished 10th in the FCS with a school-record 1,191 yards (seventh in MVFC history) and was third nationally with a school-record 15 touchdowns (second in MVFC history).  Wide receiver Nate Moody is also returning for a fifth season after a knee injury early last year.
 
NEW-LOOK DEFENSE:  There will be plenty of new faces on the Bison defense as NDSU looks to replace two starting defensive ends, two outside linebackers and two safeties.  And junior middle linebacker Nick DeLuca started only five games down the stretch last year in place of injured Travis Beck.  NDSU does return experience at defensive end, where junior Brad Ambrosius and sophomores Greg Menard and Jarrod Tuszka were part of the regular rotation behind starters Mike Hardie and Buck Buchanan Award winner Kyle Emanuel.  At safety, two-time All-American Colten Heagle and 61-game starter Christian Dudzik are gone.  Sophomore Tre Dempsey was a regular part of the Bison nickel defense last year and other front-runners are special-teams standouts Chris Board and Andrew Smith.
 
NDSU SEVENTH IN FCS ATTENDANCE:  North Dakota State ranks seventh in the Football Championship Subdivision averaging 18,933 fans over the first three home dates.  NDSU ranked third nationally last year with an average of 18,571 over nine dates, down slightly from the school-record 18,622 set in 2013.
            FCS Average Home Attendance
            30,194 - Southern (1 game)
            26,043 - Montana
            22,455 - Tennessee State (1 game)
            20,677 - Liberty
            19,585 - James Madison
            19,494 - Montana State
            18,933 - North Dakota State
 
TICKETS SOLD OUT:  Tickets for all six North Dakota State home games sold out within one hour August 1.  It is the fourth straight year NDSU has sold out the entire football season on the first day of single-game ticket sales.  NDSU had previously sold more than 12,000 season tickets.  Additional reserved and standing-room-only tickets may become available at 8 a.m. Friday of game week on GoBison.com/tickets.  Student tickets will be available online at GoBison.com/students beginning at 8 a.m. Monday of game week.
 
SUCCESS VS. THE FBS:  North Dakota State has an 8-3 record against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents and has won five in a row against FBS foes since 2010 with wins at Kansas (6-3), Minnesota (37-24), Colorado State (22-7), Kansas State (24-21) and Iowa State (34-14).  NDSU is scheduled to play at Iowa next season and Oregon in 2020.
 
FOUR-PEATS:  North Dakota State earned a share of its fourth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship last year tying Illinois State with a 7-1 record in conference play.  NDSU was the second school in Valley Football history to win four straight league titles behind Northern Iowa's run of seven straight from 1990 to 1996.  NDSU was just the second team in NCAA history to win four straight national championships.  Augustana College of Rock Island, Ill., won four NCAA Division III titles from 1983-86.  Carroll College of Helena, Mont., won four straight NAIA championships from 2002-05.
 
KLIEMAN INKED THROUGH 2020 SEASON:  North Dakota State head coach Chris Klieman (Northern Iowa, 1992) accepted a two-year contract extension in the offseason that will keep him with the Bison until January 2021.  Klieman led the Bison to a 15-1 record, a fourth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with a 7-1 mark, and an unprecedented fourth straight NCAA Division I FCS national title.
 
NDSU didn't skip a beat in Klieman's first year despite losing 23 seniors and welcoming seven new assistant coaches.  The Bison scored 34 unanswered points to beat Big 12 member Iowa State in the season opener as part of an FCS-record 33-game winning streak that extended into November.
 
North Dakota State went 9-1 against Top 25 competition and earned the No. 2 national seed for the FCS playoffs.  NDSU had nine players named All-America, including Buck Buchanan Award-winning defensive end Kyle Emanuel, and four Capital One Academic All-America® selections.  Klieman was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award and was named the Rawlings Football/American Football Monthly FCS Coach of the Year.
 
The head coach at Division III Loras College in 2005, Klieman came to NDSU from Northern Iowa in 2011 as the defensive backs coach and was the defensive coordinator in 2012 and 2013.  He also made coaching stops at Western Illinois (1994-96), Kansas (1997), Missouri State (1999) and Loras (2002-04).  He is a native of Waterloo, Iowa, and was a three-time all-conference defensive back at UNI from 1986-90.