SDSU, NDSU, South Dakota all reach FCS quarterfinals
North Dakota State had one of the most exciting college football matchups of the weekend as a blocked extra point in overtime helped them pick up an upset over No. 6 Montana State in Bozeman on Saturday afternoon.
The moment came after a back-and-forth affair where the Bison trailed 28-21 entering the fourth quarter. TK Marshall's 29-yard touchdown run with 2:33 to go sent the game to overtime and NDSU took the lead on the first possession of the extra frame on Cam Miller's three-yard touchdown run.
Scottre Humphrey scored on a 25-yard touchdown run on the Bobcats' first play of overtime but Hunter Poncius blocked Casey Kautzman's extra point to help NDSU advance to the quarterfinals.
The Bison have dominated the FCS with nine national championships since 2011 but entered the playoffs with an 8-3 record before dismantling Drake 66-3 in the first round.
The win over the Bobcats is significant, however, as Montana State spent a majority of the season as the No. 2 team in the country and came within a blade of grass of defeating top-ranked South Dakota State on a last-second Hail Mary in Brookings on Sept. 9.
NDSU's win sets up a quarterfinal matchup with No. 3 South Dakota, who stunned the Bison with a 24-19 win in Fargo on Sept. 30 and is in the quarterfinals for the first time in school history after defeating Sacramento State 34-24 on Saturday
But while NDSU and USD battle on one side of the bracket, SDSU controls its destiny on the other side. The Jackrabbits obliterated Mercer 41-0 in a second-round matchup on Saturday to advance to a quarterfinal matchup with No. 8 Villanova and the win over the Bears extended SDSU's winning streak to 26 games.
The Jackrabbits' streak includes a 45-21 win over the Bison in last year's national championship game and decisive wins this season over NDSU and USD as SDSU defeated the Coyotes 37-3 in Vermillion on Oct. 38 and the Bison 33-16 in Brookings on Nov. 4.
This history gives the FCS playoffs an intriguing backstory as all three teams fight for a spot in the national championship game in Frisco, Texas on Jan. 7.
