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THIS WEEK:  North Dakota State (9-1, 6-1 MVFC) can clinch at least a share of its sixth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship this week with a victory over South Dakota (4-6, 3-4 MVFC) in the regular-season finale at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, at the DakotaDome (10,000) in Vermillion, S.D.
 
TELEVISION:  Live coverage will be on KVLY and the NBC North Dakota network with Brian Shawn play-by-play, Lee Timmerman analyst, and Beth Hoole sidelines, and on Midco Sports Network with Jay Elsen play-by-play, Andre Fields analyst and Carla Metts sidelines.  ESPN3 will carry the MidcoSN 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 play-by-play, NDSU and Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Phil Hansen analyst, and NDSU's Jeremy Jorgenson sidelines.  A free live audio stream of the Bison Radio Network broadcast is available on GoBison.com/allaccess.  Extended coverage on 107.9 The Fox and Bison 1660 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.
 
THE SERIES:  This is the 81st meeting between North Dakota State and South Dakota dating back to 1903.  NDSU leads the series 52-26-2 after last year's 24-21 home loss to USD.  The Bison are 21-16-1 in Vermillion including a 47-7 victory in their only Division I trip to the DakotaDome two years ago.
 
BISON TITLE HISTORY:  North Dakota State is tied with South Dakota State for first place and can win the league outright with an NDSU win at South Dakota and an SDSU loss at Northern Iowa.  NDSU won outright MVFC titles in 2012 and 2013.  The Bison shared the 2011 title with UNI and the 2014 and 2015 crowns with Illinois State.  North Dakota State has won 32 football conference championships including 26 in the North Central Conference (last in 1994) and one in the Great West Football Conference (2006).
 
TITLE SCENARIOS:  Three teams are still in contention for the Valley Football title entering the final week of the regular season.  Third-place Youngstown State needs a win at Missouri State and losses by North Dakota State at South Dakota and South Dakota State at Northern Iowa to claim a share of its first crown since 2006.  NDSU can only claim the league's automatic qualifying spot for the FCS playoffs with a victory at USD coupled with an SDSU loss at UNI.
 
SELECTION SHOW SUNDAY:  ESPNU will televise the NCAA Division I Football Championship Selection Show from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Sunday.  NDSU will be making its seventh straight FCS playoff appearance and 30th postseason trip overall.  The Bison are 57-14 in the postseason and 52-13 in the NCAA playoff format since 1973 including 20 straight FCS playoff wins.
 
LAST WEEK:  Darrius Shepherd's 84-yard punt return touchdown and two first quarter Easton Stick scoring runs sparked North Dakota State to a 41-17 win over Indiana State last week.  Cam Pedersen kicked 29- and 45-yard field goals, and King Frazier and Lance Dunn each rushed for touchdowns.  Linebacker Pierre Gee-Tucker had a career-high 12 tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup to lead a Bison defense that held Indiana State to 162 total yards through three quarters.  Defensive tackles Blake Williams and Grant Morgan had eight and five tackles, respectively, in NDSU's first game without starter Nate Tanguay.  Greg Menard and MJ Stumpf each made seven tackles and the Bison totaled nine tackles for loss with three sacks.
 
DEFENSE CLAMPING DOWN:  NDSU ranks sixth in the FCS in red zone defense and scoring defense.  The Bison have held opponents to 24 scores in 35 trips (69%) inside the 20 with only 15 touchdowns.  Opponents are averaging only 16.7 points per game overall and 12.1 points in conference play.
 
RUSHING DEFENSE:  NDSU has the No. 11 rushing defense in FCS with opponents averaging 99.6 yards per game on the ground with only seven rushing touchdowns.  The Bison held six of their last eight opponents all to season lows rushing—Iowa (34), Illinois State (37), Missouri State (30), Western Illinois (86), Northern Iowa (68) and Youngstown State (92).
 
BISON SHUT DOWN PUNT RETURN GAME:  North Dakota State leads the FCS in punt return defense with only three opponent punt returns going for a net 0.0 yards.  The FCS record is 0.96 yards allowed per punt return by the 1988 Yale team that held opponents to 23 yards on 24 returns.  NDSU junior punter Jackson Koonce is averaging 36.9 yards on 48 punts with a long of 54 at Western Illinois, 28 fair catches and 10 punts inside the 20.
 
DEMPSEY LEADS MVFC IN PICKS:  Junior free safety Tre Dempsey leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference with five interceptions and is tied for second with 11 passes defended behind Davontae Harris of Illinois State (13).  NDSU has picked off a pass in 9 of 10 games and ranks eighth in the FCS with 16 interceptions.
 
ILLIES TD RECEPTIONS LEADER:  Junior tight end Jeff Illies leads NDSU in touchdown receptions after catching his fourth TD in the win over Youngstown State.  Seven of NDSU's 12 passing touchdowns belong to tight ends and running backs.  Darrius Shepherd was the last NDSU wide receiver to catch touchdown, a 25-yard play in the second quarter at Missouri State.
 
RUSHING GAME STILL STRONG:  North Dakota State's rushing game continues to churn out yards despite recent injuries to King Frazier and Bruce Anderson.  The Bison have rushed for 700 yards the past three games against against Northern Iowa (217), Youngstown State (240) and Indiana State (243) with Lance Dunn getting his third career 100-yard game at UNI (118) and Chase Morlock his first against YSU (101).  NDSU ranks fourth in the FCS in tackles for loss allowed (3.40/game) and is 14th in rushing offense with 227.0 ypg.
 
RANKED OPPONENTS:  The Bison have faced seven Top 25 opponents for North Dakota State this year, the most the Bison have faced in a Division I regular season.  NDSU faced six ranked opponents in 2014 and 10 including the playoffs.  NDSU opened this year with four straight wins over Top 25 competition, including the 11th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes in FBS.  It was the first time since 2008 that NDSU has played four straight Top 25 teams in the regular season.
 
TOUGHEST SCHEDULES:  Four of the nine toughest schedules in the FCS reside in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with North Dakota State ranked second, South Dakota third, Northern Iowa sixth and South Dakota State seventh based on opponent win-loss records.  Of the top 10 toughest schedules, NDSU is the only team that is ranked in the Top 10 of the STATS FCS Top 25, FCS Coaches Poll, and NCAA Division I Football Committee rankings.

Team	Conf.	Opp. W%
1. Cal Poly (6-4)	Big Sky	.658
2. North Dakota State (9-1)	MVFC	.633
3. South Dakota (4-6)	MVFC	.631
T4. Samford (7-3)	Southern	.614
T4. Northern Arizona (5-5)	Big Sky	.614
6. Northern Iowa (5-5)	MVFC	.610
T7. South Dakota State (7-3)	MVFC	.600
T7. Presbyterian (2-8)	Big South	.600
T7. Charleston Southern (6-3)	Big South	.600
10. Maine (6-4)	Colonial	.597

 
 
NCAA COMMITTEE RANKINGS:  The NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee for the first time is revealing its top 10 playoff teams ahead of the Nov. 20 bracket announcement.  The Bison were ranked fourth in the Nov. 3 ranking and third in the Nov. 10 ranking behind Jacksonville State and Eastern Washington.  The final ranking comes out Nov. 15 on ESPNU at 9 p.m. CST.  The top eight teams in the Nov. 20 playoff bracket get first-round byes Nov. 26.
 
NARROW LOSSES:  North Dakota State's last three losses have all come on the last play of the game, and seven of the last eight losses have been by a combined 24 points.  NDSU has only three double-digit losses since the beginning of the 2010 season—Western Illinois (2010), at Illinois State (2010), and at Northern Iowa (2014).
            NDSU Losses, since 2010
            2016 - South Dakota State, 19-17*
            2015 - South Dakota, 24-21*
            2015 - at Montana, 38-35*
            2014 - at Northern Iowa, 23-3
            2012 - Indiana State, 17-14
            2011 - Youngstown State, 27-24
            2010 - at Eastern Washington, 38-31 (OT)
            2010 - at Missouri State, 3-0
            2010 - at Illinois State, 34-24
            2010 - Western Illinois, 28-16
            2010 - at Northern Iowa, 16-9
            *games won on final play
 
BOUNCING BACK:  North Dakota State has won the next game after its last 13 losses, including road wins at Western Illinois (2016), Indiana State (2015), Missouri State (2014), South Dakota (2012), Western Illinois (2011) and Youngstown State (2010).  NDSU has not suffered consecutive losses since a five-game losing streak in 2009.
 
SECOND LONGEST STREAK:  NDSU's 14-game winning streak snapped by South Dakota State on Oct. 15 was the second longest in Missouri Valley Football Conference history behind NDSU's 33-game streak that spanned the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons.  The previous MVFC mark was 13 straight wins by Western Kentucky (2002-03) and Northern Iowa (2006-07).
 
TURNOVER LEADERS:  North Dakota State and Northern Iowa lead the Missouri Valley Football Conference and are tied for 13th in the FCS with a +10 turnover margin.  NDSU has a 68-20 advantage over opponents in points off turnovers.
 
BIG PLAY RJ:  Wide receiver RJ Urzendowski leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference and is 13th in the FCS in yards per reception with a 19.00 average.  Urzendowski's 65-yard TD against Illinois State is NDSU's longest passing play of the year, and he has four of NDSU's 11 longest plays from scrimmage, including a 47-yard TD catch against Charleston Southern and receptions of 43 yards against Missouri State and 42 against Eastern Washington.
 
ANDERSON KICK RETURN CAREER LEADER:  NDSU sophomore Bruce Anderson is the FCS active career leader in kickoff returns with a 30.4 average.  Anderson has 27 career returns for 821 yards and two touchdowns.  He had 585 yards and a school-record 36.56 yards per return last year, including 100- and 97-yard touchdowns in the NCAA playoffs.
 
AP TOP 25 VOTES:  North Dakota State received an FCS-record 74 votes in the AP Top 25 poll after beating 11th-ranked Iowa and received votes for four weeks.  NDSU 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:
            — 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%).
            — 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.
            — 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.
            — Tre Dempsey, Defensive...Two second-half interceptions, one pass breakup in the end zone, one tackle for loss and four total tackles in NDSU's 24-20 victory at Northern Iowa.
            — Austin Kuhnert, Offensive Line...Six knockdowns and did not allow a sack or hurry in 43 plays vs. Youngstown State...Graded 100% assignment, 87% technique and 84% finish as the Bison rushed for 240 yards against a YSU team allowing only 102.9 per game.
            — Darrius Shepherd, Special Teams...84-yard punt return touchdown after the game's opening drive sparked a 41-17 rout of Indiana State...NDSU's first special teams TD of the season and Shepherd's first career return TD...Fourth longest punt return in NDSU history...Also had four pass receptions for 40 yards.
 
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 MVFC with 10.0 sacks and an additional 15 quarterback hurries.
 
DeLUCA, TANGUAY OUT FOR SEASON:  Senior middle linebacker Nick DeLuca had a season-ending shoulder surgery following the 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.  Junior defensive tackle Nate Tanguay suffered a knee injury against Youngstown State and will miss the remainder of the year.  Tanguay was honorable mention on the preseason all-conference team and had 31 tackles including 5.5 tackles for loss in nine starts.
 
FRAZIER LEADS DEEP RUSHING ATTACK:  NDSU has had a 1,000-yard rusher 13 straight years after King Frazier's 1,158 yards last season.  Frazier leads a group of four returning running backs who each had at least 90 carries last year.  He averaged 94.0 yards over the final eight contests last season including back-to-back 100-yard games in the playoffs against Northern Iowa (107) and Richmond (121).  He has five career 100-yard games including a career-high 177 yards at Southern Illinois last year and a season-high 126 at Missouri State this year.
 
BISON AT HOME:  North Dakota State is 53-5 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 15-3 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 80-6 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 (5), Eastern Washington (3) and Jacksonville State (3).
            Most Wins Since 2011, Division I
            80 - North Dakota State
            72 - Alabama
            66 - Sam Houston State
            65 - Clemson
            65 - Florida State
            65 - Ohio 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.
 
BIG LEAGUE BISON:  North Dakota State will host Butler at Target Field in Minneapolis in the season opener August 31, 2019.  It will be the first Division I football game at the Major League Baseball stadium, which is hosting a Division III game next year between in-state rivals St. Thomas and Saint John's.  NDSU has more than 12,000 alumni in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and nearly 26,000 alumni across Minnesota.  The game is in addition to a six-game home schedule at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome in 2019, which is a 12-game regular season.
 
#PROBISON:  North Dakota State has eight former players active in the NFL and two others in the CFL.  Three 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 agent 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
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
Billy Turner, OL	3rd	Denver Broncos
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