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THIS WEEK:  No. 1-ranked North Dakota State plays its first Missouri Valley Football Conference road game of the season this week when the Bison (4-0, 1-0 MVFC) face Missouri State (3-1, 1-0 MVFC) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at Plaster Stadium (17,500) in Springfield, Mo.  The Bears snapped a 13-game conference losing streak last week with a 45-24 road win over 24th-ranked Indiana State and are off to just their third 3-1 start in the past 10 seasons.
 
TELEVISION:  KVLY and the NBC North Dakota network will have live coverage with Brian Shawn calling the play-by-play, Lee Timmerman color analyst, and Beth Hoole reporting from the sidelines.  ESPN3 will carry the telecast on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app.
 
RADIO:  Coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. on KPFX-FM 107.9 The Fox and the Peterson Farms Seed Bison Radio Network with Jeff Culhane calling the play-by-play, NDSU and Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Phil Hansen as color analyst, and NDSU's Jeremy Jorgenson reporting from the sideline.  Extended coverage on 107.9 The Fox includes "Bison Game Day" from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and "Bison Hotline" for 2 hours following the network broadcast with hosts Keith Brake, Chris Hanson and former NDSU safety Christian Dudzik.
 
ONLINE:  NDSU All Access live video streaming for home games is by subscription on GoBison.com/allaccess.  Audio streaming of the Bison Radio Network broadcast for every NDSU football game is available free of charge.  Live stats for NDSU home games are available on BisonStats.com.  Follow @NDSUfootball on Twitter for game updates.
 
THE SERIES: This is the ninth meeting between North Dakota State and Missouri State since 2008.  NDSU has won five straight and leads the series 6-2.  The Bison are 3-1 on the road including a 45-10 victory in the 2014 trip to Springfield.  NDSU won 55-0 in Fargo last year in the regular-season finale to clinch a share of the conference championship.
 
LAST YEAR:  North Dakota State rolled up a season-high 601 yards and eight different players scored touchdowns in last year's 55-0 home win over Missouri State.  NDSU's defense set the tone with back-to-back sacks on the second and third plays of the game, and Caleb Butler's fumble recovery in the end zone made it 7-0 before the Bison offense took the field.  Easton Stick was 15 of 20 passing for 189 yards and four touchdowns, and the Bison rushed for 412 yards (8.6 per carry) with Lance Dunn's 125 yards leading the way.
 
STICK GUIDES SECOND QUARTER SURGE:  Easton Stick passed for three touchdowns in the second quarter to lead North Dakota State to a 31-10 homecoming victory over Illinois State last week.  Wide receiver RJ Urzendowski caught a 65-yard touchdown pass on the first play after Illinois State's only touchdown of the game to erase a 10-7 deficit, Lance Dunn caught a 38-yard touchdown and Nate Jenson caught a 35-yard TD for a 28-10 halftime lead.  Stick completed passes to nine different receivers and finished 13 of 18 passing for 256 yards, one yard shy of his career high.  King Frazier led the rushing attack with 20 carries for 76 yards.
 
DEFENSE RESPONDS AFTER BIG TURNOVER:  NDSU was clinging to a 14-10 lead against Illinois State before Aaron Steidl had a strip sack inside the NDSU 10 that led to a four-play, 92-yard touchdown drive and swung the momentum of the game.  Pierre Gee-Tucker recovered the fumble, and Chase Morlock's 52-yard reception on third-and-8 set up Lance Dunn's 38-yard TD catch on the next play to make it 21-10.  Illinois State went three-and-out on five of its next seven possessions.   NDSU held Illinois State scoreless over the final 43 minutes and limited the Redbirds to just 37 yards rushing due in part to six quarterback sacks.
 
AFTER THE OPEN WEEK:  Including last week's win over Illinois State, North Dakota State has won 23 straight games after open weeks in the regular season and playoffs since a 2005 home loss to UC Davis.  That streak includes 13 home games, five road games and five national championship games in Frisco, Texas.
 
CONFERENCE OPENERS:  North Dakota State won its sixth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference opener last week, and the Bison have gone on to win at least a share of the last five league crowns.  NDSU is 6-3 in league openers since joining the MVFC.
 
TOP RUSHING DEFENSES MEET:  The Missouri Valley Football Conference has four of the top 10 rushing defenses in the FCS this week with Northern Iowa fourth, Missouri State fifth, NDSU sixth and Youngstown State 10th.  Missouri State is the first Top 10 rushing defense NDSU will face since September last season when North Dakota brought a No. 3-ranked rushing defense to Fargo.  The Bison ran for 115 yards and passed for 262 in a 34-9 victory.
 
URZENDOWSKI LEADS NATION:  Junior wide receiver RJ Urzendowski leads the FCS in yards per reception with a 25.88 average through four games.  Urzendowski's 65-yard TD reception against Illinois State is NDSU's longest play of the year, and he has three of NDSU's five longest plays this year, including a 47-yard TD catch against Charleston Southern and a 42-yard catch against Eastern Washington.
 
ANDERSON KICK RETURN CAREER LEADER:  NDSU sophomore Bruce Anderson is the FCS active career leader in kickoff returns with a 31.5 average.  Anderson has 25 career returns for 787 yards and two touchdowns.  He was had 585 yards and a school-record 36.56 yards per return last year, including 100- and 97-yard touchdowns in the NCAA playoffs.
 
PUNT COVERAGE LEADS FCS:  North Dakota State's net punting average of 34.24 would be NDSU's lowest since 1992, but the Bison coverage team still leads the FCS in punt return defense with only one opponent punt return going for minus-4 yards.  Junior punter Jackson Koonce has punted 21 times with 14 fair catches and six punts inside the 20.  He is averaging 34.0 yards per punt with a long of 46.
 
AP TOP 25 VOTES:  North Dakota State received an FCS-record 74 votes in the AP Top 25 poll after beating 11th-ranked Iowa.  The Bison tied for 27th in the voting and dipped to 28th and 29th the past two weeks.  NDSU previously received votes after the 2011, 2012 and 2013 national championships and the first 10 weeks of the 2014 season after beating Iowa State.
 
SUCCESS VS. THE FBS:  North Dakota State has a 9-3 record against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents and has won six 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), Iowa State (34-14) and 11th-ranked Iowa (23-21).  NDSU did not play an FBS opponent in 2015 and does not have any other FBS opponents scheduled until Oregon in 2020 and Colorado in 2024.  NDSU's first three FBS wins were against Ball State (2006), Central Michigan (2007) and Minnesota (2007).
 
BACK-TO-BACK OVERTIMES:  After not playing a home overtime game in the history of NDSU football, the Bison started the season with back-to-back OT home wins over Charleston Southern (24-17) and Eastern Washington (50-44).  NDSU scored on its first offensive play in both games, getting a 25-yard run from King Frazier and a 25-yard run from Lance Dunn.  NDSU is the first Valley Football team to open a season with back-to-back OT wins.
 
FOURTH QUARTER MARCH:  North Dakota State held the ball for 10:45 and outgained Iowa 126 to minus-9 in the fourth quarter of NDSU's come-from-behind 23-21 victory.  The Bison pulled within 21-20 with a 15-play, 80-yard drive that took 8:39 off the clock before getting a three-and-out on defense to set up the game-winning field goal drive.  The 15-play march was reminiscent of NDSU's 18-play, 80-yard, 8:30 game-winning drive at Kansas State in 2013.
 
CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  The following players have earned Missouri Valley Football Conference player of the week awards this season:
        — Nick DeLuca, Defensive...After missing the second half of the season opener with a shoulder separation, made a game-high 15 tackles in the win over Eastern Washington...Also scored on a 40-yard interception return.
        — Zack Johnson, Offensive Line...Six knockdowns with zero hurries or sacks allowed in 73 snaps against Charleston Southern...Graded out at 98.6% on assignment and led the Bison line in finish (88%) and technique (76%).
        — MJ Stumpf, Defensive...Made three tackles and scored on a 21-yard interception return in the victory at Iowa...Downed a punt at the Iowa 2 to set up one of five three-and-outs...Part of a defensive unit that held Iowa to 34 yards rushing in the game and minus-7 after halftime.
        ­— Cam Pedersen, Special Teams...Converted 2 of 2 PAT kicks and made a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the fourth quarter to give NDSU a 23-21 win at Iowa one week after a game-tying 28-yarder to force overtime in the win over Eastern Washington.
        — Landon Lechler, Offensive Line...Five knockdowns with zero quarterback hurries or sacks in 70 snaps against Iowa...Led the Bison with a 100% assignment grade, 88% finish and 85% technique.
 
MENARD ON WATCH LIST:  North Dakota State junior defensive end Greg Menard is on the watch list for STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year, which was won in 2014 by NDSU defensive end Kyle Emanuel.  Menard was STATS FCS All-America third team last year when he ranked second in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 10.0 sacks and an additional 15 quarterback hurries.
 
DeLUCA OUT FOR SEASON:  Senior middle linebacker Nick DeLuca had a season-ending shoulder surgery following the Week 3 win at Iowa and can apply for a medical hardship to return to the Bison in 2017.  DeLuca was the only FCS player on the watch list for the 32nd annual Butkus Award, honoring the nation's best collegiate linebacker, and also was on the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year watch list.  He was first-team all-conference and runner-up for Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2015.
 
PLANK STEPS IN AT LINEBACKER:  North Dakota State junior Matt Plank made a career-high six tackles — all in the second half — filling in at middle linebacker after an injury to starter Nick DeLuca in the 24-17 overtime win over sixth-ranked Charleston Southern.  Plank assisted on a tackle for loss and was part of a defensive effort that held CSU to 2 of 12 on third down and 263 total yards, nearly 100 yards under its average from a year ago.
 
FRAZIER LEADS DEEP RUSHING ATTACK:  North Dakota State has had a 1,000-yard rusher for 13 straight seasons after King Frazier's 1,158 yards last season as a junior.  Frazier leads a group of four returning running backs who each had at least 90 carries last year.  He rushed 219 times and averaged 5.3 yards per carry with 11 touchdowns on the season.  Frazier averaged 94.0 yards per game over the final eight contests.  He has four career 100-yard games including a career-high 177 yards at Southern Illinois and back-to-back playoff games last year against Northern Iowa (107) and Richmond (121).
 
BISON CHEW UP CLOCK:  North Dakota State led the nation in time of possession with an average of 36:39 last year and the Bison have only been out-clocked once in the last 35 games (South Dakota, 2015).  The Bison held the ball for 43:47 against Western Illinois last year, the most time of possession in NDSU's 12 seasons of Division I football.
 
BISON AT HOME:  North Dakota State is 51-4 at home since 2010.  The Bison have won 53 of the last 54 home games over non-conference opponents including 44 straight since a 2003 loss to UC Davis.  NDSU is 14-2 at home all-time against FCS Top 10 teams.
 
COACHING STAFF INTACT:  After having at least one new assistant coach every year since beginning Division I play in 2004, North Dakota State has the same full-time coaching staff for the third straight season under head coach Chris Klieman.  NDSU made two changes to support staff adding former Bison defensive back Bryan Shepherd as defensive assistant and former Wisconsin-Stout assistant Kody Morgan in the offensive quality control position.
 
13-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS:  North Dakota State won its 13th football national championship last season.  NDSU claimed three College Division national championships in 1965, 1968 and 1969, five Division II titles in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990, and is the first team in college football history to win five straight national championships with FCS titles in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
 
MOST WINS IN DIVISION I FOOTBALL:  NDSU has a record of 75-5 since the beginning of the 2011 national championship season.  The Bison went 14-1, 14-1, 15-0, 15-1 and 13-2 for the most wins in Division I football in that five-year span.  Fifteen FCS programs have multiple 10-win seasons since 2011, and only four have reached the 10-win mark at least three times—NDSU (5), Sam Houston State (4), Eastern Washington (3) and Jacksonville State (3).
            Most Wins Since 2011, Division I
            75 - North Dakota State
            67 - Alabama
            61 - Clemson
            61 - Florida State
            60 - Ohio State
            60 - Sam Houston State
 
VALLEY FOOTBALL PRESEASON PICKS:  North Dakota State had five players picked to the preseason all-Missouri Valley Football Conference team: running back King Frazier, offensive guard Zack Johnson, defensive end Greg Menard, linebacker Nick DeLuca, and free safety Tre Dempsey.  NDSU long snapper James Fisher, defensive tackle Nate Tanguay and strong safety Robbie Grimsley earned honorable mention.  NDSU was picked to win the league ahead of Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Illinois State and Youngstown State.
 
#PROBISON:  North Dakota State has nine former players active in the NFL and two others in the CFL.  Four Bison from last season are still with NFL teams including No. 2 overall draft pick Carson Wentz, fifth-round pick Joe Haeg, and undrafted free agents Andrew Bonnet and CJ Smith.  On the sidelines, former Bison safety/punter (1984-1988) and longtime assistant coach (1996-2005) Gus Bradley is in his fourth season as the Jaguars' head coach.

NFL Players	Year	Team
Andrew Bonnet, FB	1st	Philadelphia Eagles (practice squad)
John Crockett, RB	2nd	Green Bay Packers
Kyle Emanuel, LB	2nd	San Diego Chargers
Joe Haeg, OL	1st	Indianapolis Colts
Ramon Humber, LB	8th	Buffalo Bills
CJ Smith, CB	1st	Philadelphia Eagles (practice squad)
Billy Turner, OL	3rd	Miami Dolphins
Carson Wentz, QB	1st	Philadelphia Eagles
Marcus Williams, CB	3rd	New York Jets
CFL Players	Year	Team
Brock Jensen, QB	2nd	Ottawa Redblacks
Ryan Smith, WR	3rd	Winnipeg Blue Bombers

 

NATIONAL EXPOSURE:  North Dakota State has become a well-known name in college football thanks to its run of five straight national championships and several appearances on national television.  NDSU hosted ESPN's College GameDay in 2013 and 2014, SportsCenter on the Road in 2015, and the Bison have played 16 games on ESPN (five), ESPN2 (10) or ESPNU (one) since 2011.  The Bison have also won games at Minnesota (2011) on the Big Ten Network and at Kansas State (2013) and Iowa State (2014) on Fox Sports 1.