FRISCO, Texas (STATS) – They saved the best for last in the FCS this season.
Add in the unmatched intensity and physicality and the thy FCS championship game showed why it was one of the most anticipated in history.
North Dakota State returned to its familiar throne atop the subdivision with a 17-13 victory over defending champion James Madison before 19,090 at Toyota Stadium on Saturday, but not before the Bison gave a nod of respect across the line of scrimmage to a Dukes program that had stopped their run of five straight national titles last season.
While ending top-seeded James Madison’s 26-game winning streak, North Dakota State (14-1) made it six championships in seven years, tying Georgia Southern for the most in FCS history. The Dukes also finished 14-1 with the loss.
“A lot of institutions can have a great team here or there, but those are two great programs,” Bison fourth-year coach Chris Klieman said.
“One thing we talk about all the time is leaving a legacy. How are you going to be remembered? The 2017 Bison are going to be remembered as a group of guys that had great resolve, smacks adversity right in the face when adversity hit us and, lo and behold, we became national champions for the sixth time in seven years.”
The game was nothing short of epic.
The Bison built a 17-6 halftime lead, scoring twice off turnovers, and then desperately held on in the final 30 minutes after Marcus Marshall’s 1-yard touchdown run early in the third. Fittingly, James Madison had a late drive with a chance to take the lead, but after punter Harry O’Kelly’s 24-yard run on a fake kept it alive, the Dukes didn’t make it past the Bison 18.
Under heavy pressure on fourth down, Dukes quarterback Bryan Schor heaved a high-arcing pass to the North Dakota State goal line, but the ball was knocked to the ground. The Bison then ran out the final 58 seconds.
Junior quarterback Easton Stick was named the game’s most outstanding player, totaling 165 yards of offense, including a 50-yard touchdown pass to Darrius Shepherd in the second quarter.
In the bruising matchup of the two best defenses in the FCS, the Stick-to-Shepherd score was the most important offensive play of the game. On 3rd-and-17 at midfield, Shepherd slipped behind the James Madison secondary and Stick lofted a pass to him at the 10, which Shepherd turned into his first touchdown of the season and a 14-3 Bison lead with 4:14 left. It marked the first time the Dukes trailed by double digits this season.
“Great time to get a first,” Klieman said.
Said James Madison coach Mike Houston: “They made the plays. We made too many mistakes.”
James Madison scored on its first possession of the third quarter to close within 17-13. D’Angelo Amos’ 33-yard punt return to the Bison 33 set up the drive and Marshall capped it with a 1-yard run.
North Dakota State never trailed while holding a nearly 15 1/2-minute possession advantage. Anderson carried the ball 18 times for 63 yards with a 3-yard touchdown, while Lance Dunn returned from a midseason injury to gain 50 yards on 13 carries.
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