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THIS WEEK:  Two of the top scoring offenses in the Football Championship Subdivision look to bounce back from road losses this week when No. 5 North Dakota State (8-1, 5-1 MVFC) hosts 10th-ranked South Dakota (7-2, 4-2 MVFC) in the 44th annual Harvest Bowl game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700).  USD, ranked second in the nation scoring 41.6 points per game, sits in a four-way tie for second place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference one game behind NDSU.  The Bison, third in the FCS scoring 40.0 points per game, can clinch at least a share of the conference title with one win in their final two games.
 
TELEVISION:  Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on KVLY and the NBC North Dakota network with Brian Shawn calling the play-by-play, Lee Timmerman color analyst, and Ryan Gellner on the sidelines.  ESPN3 will carry the game on WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.  Pregame coverage hosted by Alex Egan and Beth Hoole begins one hour prior to kickoff. 
 
RADIO:  Coverage begins at 2 p.m. on 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.  Extended coverage locally on 107.9 The Fox, Bison 1660 and 92.7 FM includes "Bison Tailgate" from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. with Brad Jones, "Bison Game Day" from 12-2 p.m. and "Bison Hotline" for two hours following the network broadcast with hosts Keith Brake, Chris Hanson and former NDSU defensive end Cole Jirik.
 
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.
 
TICKETS:  Available single-game tickets go on sale at 8 a.m. Friday before each Bison home game on GoBison.com/tickets and at the Bison Ticket Office in the south lobby of the Sanford Health Athletic Complex.  Game day ticket sales and will call are available in the east lobby of the Fargodome beginning five hours prior to kickoff.
 
THE SERIES:  This is the 82nd meeting between North Dakota State and South Dakota dating back to 1903.  NDSU leads the series 53-26-2 including a 28-10-1 advantage in Fargo.  USD's 24-21 win two years ago was the Coyotes' first in nine trips to the Fargodome.  Miles Bergner kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired for the win.  NDSU's 28-21 win in Vermillion last year clinched a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title in the regular-season finale.
 
HARVEST BOWL:  This is the 43rd game in 44 years of the Harvest Bowl program, which celebrates excellence in agriculture, education and athletics.  NDSU is 38-2-2 all-time and has won seven straight Harvest Bowl games including last year's 24-3 victory over Youngstown State.  The event began in 1974 with NDSU beating Wisconsin-Milwaukee 14-7.  The 1991 game with Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 2 of that year was canceled due to a blizzard.
 
BISON CAN CLINCH:  North Dakota State can clinch at least a share of its seventh straight conference title with its next victory.  The Bison retained sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference thanks to South Dakota's 34-29 loss at Northern Iowa and Illinois State's 31-14 home loss to Western Illinois.  Northern Iowa is the only other MVFC team to win seven in a row (1990-1996).  NDSU's longest streak of conference titles is seven straight (1964-1970).  The Bison have won 33 conference titles altogether, including 26 in the North Central Conference and one in the Great West Football Conference (2006).
 
LAST WEEK:  North Dakota State committed five turnovers—the team's most since 2008—and suffered its first loss of the season 33-21 at South Dakota State last week.  NDSU recovered a fumbled punt and got an 11-yard touchdown run from Easton Stick to pull within 27-21 with 13:56 left, but SDSU ran nearly 7 minutes off the clock on the ensuing scoring drive, going ahead 33-21 before the Bison turned it over on their final two possessions.  Stick went 16 of 28 passing for 229 yards, two TDs and three interceptions.  Darrius Shepherd made a career-high seven receptions for a season-high 95 yards.  Connor Wentz caught his third TD of the season and Ty Brooks made his first career TD reception.  NDSU rushed for a season-low 108 yards.
 
TURNOVERS COST BISON, YOTES:  North Dakota State and South Dakota both can point to turnovers contributing to last week's road losses.  NDSU's five—three interceptions and two fumbles—led to 17 points in South Dakota State's victory.  It was the most turnovers by NDSU since a 2008 loss at Northern Iowa and the second most in NDSU's Division I history behind the six committed in a 2004 loss at Northern Colorado.  USD, meanwhile, committed four turnovers in a 34-29 loss at Northern Iowa after committing just four turnovers in the previous eight games combined.  The Coyotes had turnovers on three straight fourth-quarter drives.
 
TOP OFFENSE MEETS TOP DEFENSE:  Through six conference games, North Dakota State leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference in nearly every defensive category including rushing (102.3 ypg), passing (174.3 ypg), total yards (276.7) and scoring (15.7 ppg) with one of the most prolific offenses coming to town.  South Dakota is a close second in the league averaging 36.2 points per game and leads the MVFC with an incredible 340.3 passing yards per game.  The Coyotes have averaged 505.3 yards of total offense in their six league games.
 
BOUNCING BACK:  North Dakota State has won the next game after its last 14 losses, including the home win over Mississippi Valley State in this year's opener.  The Bison have won those games by an average of 24 points.  NDSU's last consecutive losses came in 2009 when the Bison lost five straight.  Since then, South Dakota is the highest-rated opponent NDSU has faced after a loss, behind No. 18 Indiana State (2015) and No. 12 Western Illinois (2016).
 
SENIOR DAY:  This is the final regular-season home game for 20 seniors on the North Dakota State football team.  That number includes 17 fifth-year seniors who arrived on campus for the undefeated 15-0 national championship season in 2013 plus wide receiver RJ Urzendowski, who played as a true freshman in 2014.  The Bison have a 48-6 record since 2014 with two NCAA FCS championships, three Missouri Valley Football Conference titles, a 29-3 home record, a 10-1 postseason record, and a 28-5 record over FCS Top 25 opponents.
 
NCAA COMMITTEE RANKINGS:  The NCAA Division I Football Committee revealed the first of two Top 10 rankings last Thursday and North Dakota State was No. 2 behind defending champion James Madison.  Jacksonville State was third, Central Arkansas fourth, South Dakota fifth, Sam Houston State sixth, Elon seventh, Wofford eighth, Northern Arizona ninth and South Dakota State 10th.  The second ranking comes out this Thursday on the ESPNU halftime show during the 6:30 p.m. Georgia Southern-Appalachian State game.  The NCAA selection show is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 19, on ESPNU.
 
POLL POSITION:  North Dakota State dropped from its season-long No. 2 ranking to fifth in the STATS FCS media poll and sixth in the FCS coaches poll released Monday, Nov. 6.  It's the lowest the Bison have been ranked since Nov. 2, 2015, when the Bison were sixth in the STATS FCS poll and fifth in the FCS coaches poll.  Last year's loss to South Dakota State dropped the Bison from first to fourth in both polls, and NDSU climbed one spot to third in the final two coaches polls of the 2016 season.  The Bison have been in 102 straight STATS FCS polls and 107 of the last 108.  Since beating Minnesota and climbing to No. 5 on Sept. 26, 2011, the Bison have been in the top five all but three weeks in 2015.
 
WILSON JOINS DEPLETED BACKFIELD:  True freshman Seth Wilson carried three times and caught two passes at South Dakota State, where he was one of only three running backs available last week behind Bruce Anderson and Ty Brooks.  The Bison lost Demaris Purifoy (knee) for the year in the season-opener, Adam Cofield (knee) has missed three straight games, and leading rusher Lance Dunn (hip) has missed two straight games with a likely season-ending injury, according to head coach Chris Klieman.  Brooks missed five games earlier this year with two different leg injuries.  NDSU rushed for a season-low 108 yards at SDSU and the Bison have been held under 200 yards rushing in three straight contests.
 
JORDHEIM, DELUCA TIE RECORDS:  Linebacker Levi Jordheim's three fumble recoveries against Northern Iowa tied the NDSU record set by Don Meyer at Northern Michigan in 1976 and the Missouri Valley Football Conference record set by Missouri State's Dempster Jackson in 1985 vs. Southern Illinois.  Linebacker Nick DeLuca's two strip sacks tied the NDSU record of two forced fumbles done 31 times by 28 players, most recently by defensive end Cole Jirik in the 2012 win at Illinois State.
 
AFTER HALFTIME:  North Dakota State has scored on its opening drive of the half 13 of 18 times this year with 11 touchdowns and two field goals.  That includes touchdowns on the opening drive of the second half in 7 of 9 games, with only Eastern Washington and Youngstown State stopping NDSU's first offensive possession of the third quarter.  NDSU has been tied or trailing at the half the past four straight games, but the Bison are averaging more than 18 minutes in time of possession and outscoring opponents 173-46 after halftime.
 
GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK:  North Dakota State has registered at least two sacks in five straight games and 7 of 9 contests altogether.  NDSU had nine players combine for 17 sacks against Youngstown State, Western Illinois and Northern Iowa, the second most in any three-game stretch for NDSU as a Division I program (18 in final three games of 2008).  The Bison lead the MVFC with 21 sacks in six conference games and rank 10th in the FCS with 3.22 sacks per game overall.  Caleb Butler leads NDSU with 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
 
DECADE LEADER:  North Dakota State's 100 wins this decade are more than any other program in college football.  NDSU is 91-8 since the beginning of 2011, the first of five national championship seasons.  North Dakota State holds the distinction of being the winningest Division II program of the 1980s, going 103-20-2 from 1980-89 with four national titles in that span.
            FCS Winningest Teams, 2010s (by wins)
            100 - North Dakota State (100-13)
            82 - Sam Houston State (82-26)
            76 - Eastern Washington (76-28)
            74 - Jacksonville State (74-23)
            68 - James Madison (68-28)
            67 - New Hampshire (67-33)

            FCS Winningest Teams, 2010s (by pct.)
            .885 - North Dakota State (100-13)
            .821 - Harvard (64-14)
            .763 - Jacksonville State (74-23)
            .759 - Sam Houston State (82-26)
            .731 - Eastern Washington (76-28)
 
STOPPING THE RUN:  The Bison, who have allowed just six rushing TDs this year, continue to lead the Missouri Valley Football Conference in rushing defense with 77.4 yards per game (6th in FCS) and 2.5 yards per carry (4th in FCS).  The previous lows for a Bison defense in Division I came in 2006 when NDSU allowed 67.2 yards per game and 2.5 per carry.  South Dakota State rushed for 69 yards in the fourth quarter to ice last week's victory over NDSU, matching the Bison's season average through the first eight games.
 
BISON DEFENSE STINGY:  North Dakota State continues to rank among the FCS best in several defensive categories despite giving up a season-high 473 yards of offense in the loss at South Dakota State.  NDSU leads the FCS in first downs allowed (104) and ranks second in total defense (219.9), third in scoring defense (12.7), third in passing yards allowed (142.4), fifth in third-down defense (.276), sixth in rushing defense (77.4), seventh in interceptions (14) and 10th in sacks per game (3.22).
 
INTERCEPTION LEADERS:  Safety Tre Dempsey leads NDSU with five interceptions and his 15 career picks are second most among active FCS players behind Southern's Danny Johnson (16) and third most in NDSU history behind Marcus Williams (21) and Steve Krumrei (16).
 
URZENDOWSKI ON NDSU CAREER LISTS:  Wide receiver RJ Urzendowski continues to climb the NDSU career receiving charts.  Urzendowski ranks sixth with 2,231 yards and is approaching Warren Holloway (2,232 from 2008-11) and Tim Strehlow (2,332 yards from 1996-99) on the all-time list.  Urzendowski's 21 career TD catches are fifth behind TR McDonald (22 from 1990-93) and his 136 receptions are sixth behind Ryan Smith (147 from 2010-13).  He has caught at least one pass in 48 of 54 career games including the last 14 straight contests.
 
TIGHT END PRODUCTION:  NDSU tight ends have been a steady weapon in the NDSU passing game this season.  Seniors Connor Wentz and Jeff Illies, junior Nate Jenson and sophomore Ben Ellefson have combined for 32 catches totaling 387 yards and seven TDs.
 
TOP 10 ROAD GAMES:  South Dakota State was the 11th road game against an FCS Top 10 opponent in NDSU's Division I history.  The Bison are 6-5 in those games including 2-1 this season, the first time the Bison have faced more than two FCS Top 10 opponents on the road.
            FCS Top 10 Opponents on Road
            2017–Lost 33-21 at #8 South Dakota State
            2017–Won 27-24 at #8 Youngstown State
            2017–Won 40-13 at #6 Eastern Washington
            2015–Won 28-7 at #5 South Dakota State
            2013–Won 20-0 at #6 South Dakota State
            2010–Lost 38-31 at #1 Eastern Washington
            2010–Won 42-17 at #6 Montana State
            2009–Lost 24-14 at #8 Southern Illinois
            2008–Lost 23-13 at #4 Northern Iowa
            2005–Lost 37-6 at #9 Cal Poly
            2005–Won 35-7 at #9 Northwestern State
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  North Dakota State has had five players earn six Missouri Valley Football Conference player of the week honors this season:
        —Tanner Volson, Offensive Line...Graded 100% assignment and 87% technique with zero sacks against Mississippi Valley State...NDSU averaged 17.5 yards per carry while in the game.
        —Robbie Grimsley, Defensive...Two interceptions, two pass breakups and four tackles at Eastern Washington...Part of a defense that held EWU to 73 yards in the final three quarters.
        —Lance Dunn, Offensive...Scored four TDs on four plays against Robert Morris...Had runs of 61, 5 and 45 yards and a 10-yard catch for 121 all-purpose yards.
        —Jabril Cox, Newcomer (2x)...Team-high eight tackles including four on kickoff coverage, a fumble recovery and a tackle for loss as NDSU held Robert Morris to 57 total yards, four first downs and one trip past midfield...Career-high eight tackles with two sacks and another key tackle for loss in overtime of a win at Youngstown State.
        —Cam Pedersen, Special Teams...Kicked a 36-yard game-winning field goal in overtime at Youngstown State...Also had a 19-yarder to tie the game at halftime and went 3 of 3 on PATs.
 
COX ON JERRY RICE AWARD WATCH LIST:  North Dakota State linebacker Jabril Cox is one of 17 players on the watch list for the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award, presented annually since 2011 to the top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision.  Cox is third on the Bison with 40 tackles and 3.0 sacks, and second with 6.5 tackles for loss.  He is a two-time Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Week and was named the STATS FCS National Freshman of the Week after making eight tackles, two sacks and a key tackle for loss in overtime of the win at Youngstown State.  Cox is the first NDSU player nominated for the Jerry Rice Award, named after the NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver who played at Mississippi Valley State.
 
WILSON THIRD FRESHMAN TO PLAY:  Running back Seth Wilson from Holmen, Wis., made is debut in the Northern Iowa game and is the third true freshman to play for NDSU this season.  Defensive end Logan McCormick from Appleton, Wis., and cornerback Josh Hayes from Lakeland, Fla., have played since the season opener against Mississippi Valley State.  They were the first true freshmen to play for NDSU since 2015.  NDSU redshirted its entire freshman class in 2016, the only time that has happened in 14 years of Division I football.
 
PEDERSEN TIES PAT RECORD:  Junior placekicker Cam Pedersen tied the 49-year old school record of 10 PAT kicks made in the 72-7 win over Mississippi Valley State.  The mark was set in 1968 by Ken Blazei against Augustana (S.D.).  Pedersen ranks fourth all-time at NDSU for PAT kicks made (152) and attempted (157) and also ranks fourth in field goals made (35) and attempted (56).
 
RECORD DAY FOR BISON OFFENSE:  North Dakota State set highs for points, rushing yards and total offense in 14 years of Division I football in the 72-7 win over Mississippi Valley State.  The 683 yards of total offense were the most for the Bison in 29 years and the fourth highest in school single-game history.  NDSU's 498 rushing yards ranked seventh in school history.  NDSU scored touchdowns on its first five possessions with only one drive longer than three plays, and the Bison built a 44-0 lead early in the second quarter.
 
TOP MARKS NATIONALLY:  NDSU's 498 rushing yards against Mississippi Valley State are the second most by an FCS team this season, and the 683 yards of total offense tied for fifth.  NDSU's 72 points are fourth most.  On defense, NDSU's minus-31 rushing yards allowed is third best in FCS and second in NDSU's Division I history (minus-32 at South Dakota State in 2013).  North Dakota State's 57 total yards allowed against Robert Morris and 58 against Mississippi Valley State are the second and third best defensive performances in FCS this year behind only Illinois State (41 vs. Butler).
 
MORE THAN 700 WINS:  North Dakota State has played 1,109 games with a 704-371-34 record in 120 seasons of football, good for a .650 winning percentage.  Only four Ivy League teams each with at least 20 more years of football have more wins at the FCS level: Yale (900), Harvard (869), Penn (848) and Princeton (821).  Northern Iowa has the second most wins among Missouri Valley Football Conference programs with 660.  NDSU's 91 victories since 2011 are more than any other team in Division I football ahead of Alabama (85), Clemson (78), Sam Houston State (76) and Ohio State (74).
 
EARLY-SEASON SCORING:  North Dakota State's 168 points scored through the first three games was the most in NDSU's Division I history and second most in the modern era of the program.  The 2000 NCAA playoff team scored 169 over its first three contests.  NDSU's previous Division I high through three games was 140 points by the 2012 team.
 
BISON RETURN 16 STARTERS:  North Dakota State returns nine starters on defense and seven on offense from last year's NCAA semifinal team that finished 12-2 and won a sixth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with a 7-1 league record.  Included is linebacker Nick DeLuca, a two-time nominee for the Butkus Award, who returns for a fifth season after being limited to three games last year with a shoulder injury.
 
FOUR OUT FOR SEASON:  North Dakota State has lost four players to season-ending knee injuries this year.  Two-time All-America defensive end Greg Menard went out during the opening week of fall camp, but is eligible to return to the Bison for a fifth season in 2018 after playing as a true freshman in 2014.  Redshirt freshman left tackle Dillon Radunz and sophomore running back Demaris Purifoy were both injured in the season-opener against Mississippi Valley State, and junior linebacker Dan Marlette was injured against Missouri State.
 
BISON PICKED TO WIN VALLEY:  North Dakota State was picked to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference by a single vote over second-place South Dakota State.  NDSU earned 21 of 40 first-place votes and had 380 points followed by SDSU with 19 first-place votes and 379 points.  Youngstown State, national finalist a year ago, was picked third ahead of Northern Iowa, Illinois State, Western Illinois, South Dakota, Southern Illinois, Missouri State and Indiana State.
 
SEVEN ON PRESEASON TEAM:  Junior running back Lance Dunn, senior long snapper James Fisher, senior defensive end Greg Menard, senior defensive tackle Nate Tanguay, senior linebacker Nick DeLuca, senior safety Tre Dempsey, and junior safety Robbie Grimsley were voted to the Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason team by the league's coaches, sports information directors and media.  Wide receivers Darrius Shepherd and RJ Urzendowski and offensive lineman Austin Kuhnert earned honorable mention for NDSU.
 
BISON AT HOME:  North Dakota State is 60-6 at home since 2010.  The Bison have won 56 of the last 58 home games over non-conference opponents including a string of 45 straight before last year's NCAA semifinal loss to James Madison.  NDSU is 17-4 at home all-time against FCS Top 10 teams.  North Dakota State ranks fifth in FCS this year with an average home attendance of 18,604 and has drawn 18,000-plus to 52 straight home contests.
 
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 has three future FBS games against Oregon in 2020, Arizona in 2022 and Colorado in 2024.  NDSU's first three FBS wins were against Ball State (2006), Central Michigan (2007) and Minnesota (2007).
 
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 hosted a Division III game this 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.