North Dakota State Bison football
| North Dakota State Bison Football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1894 | ||
| Head coach | Chris Klieman 5th season, 67–6 (.918) | ||
| Stadium | Fargodome (capacity: 19,000) | ||
| Year built | 1992 | ||
| Field surface | AstroTurf Magic Carpet II (2012) | ||
| Location | Fargo, North Dakota | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Missouri Valley (2008–) | ||
| Past conferences | Great West (2004–2007) North Central (1922–2003) | ||
| All-time record | 723–371–34 (.656) | ||
| Bowl record | 12–7 (.632) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 33 | ||
| Playoff record | Div. I FCS: 30-2 Div. II: 35-13 | ||
| Claimed national titles | 14 (Div. II): 1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990 (Div. I FCS): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 | ||
| Unclaimed national titles | 3 1899, 1923, 1925 | ||
| Conference titles | 35 (8 MVFC, 1 GWFC, 26 NCC) | ||
| Rivalries | South Dakota State University (Dakota Marker) University of North Dakota (resumes in 2019[1]) University of Northern Iowa | ||
| Colors | Green and yellow[2] | ||
| Fight song | On Bison | ||
| Mascot | Thundar | ||
| Marching band | Gold Star Marching Band | ||
| Website | www.gobison.com | ||
The North Dakota State Bison football program represents North Dakota State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level and competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bison play in the 19,000 seat Fargodome located in Fargo, ND. The Bison have won 14 national championships and 35 conference championships. They won five-consecutive NCAA Division I-FCS National Championships between 2011 and 2015 as well as a sixth FCS title in 2017. NDSU is the only college football program to ever win five consecutive NCAA national championships, and the only football program to win six FCS titles in seven years.
Since 2011, the North Dakota State Bison have a record of 110–8 (.932) which included a record 22 game playoff win streak, making them the most successful college football program in Division I this decade. The Bison are 164–35 (.824) since moving to Division I in 2004. Since 1964, the Bison have had only 3 losing seasons and an overall record of 513–137–4 (.787) through that 53-year span, one of the best in all of college football. North Dakota State currently has more all-time program wins than any non-Ivy League FCS Program over 700. Of all teams established after 1894, only Oklahoma has won a higher percentage of their games than NDSU. The team also has the record for the longest winning streak in Division I-FCS which stands at 33 consecutive games spanning from 2012 to 2014. It is also tied for the 3rd longest streak in NCAA football during the past 50 years.[3]
In the final AP Football Poll of the 2013–14 season; after their third consecutive National Championship, North Dakota State finished with 17 votes which ranked them at #29 in all of D1 football, the highest end of season ranking of any team in the history of FCS football. After defeating 13th-ranked (FBS) Iowa in 2016, the Bison earned 74 votes and a #27 ranking in the entire D1 field, overtaking their previous record to become the highest-ranked FCS team of all time.[4]
History
1894–1921: Beginnings
The Bison fielded their first team in 1894 and were originally known as the NDAC Farmers.[5] From the early 1900s to 1921, the nickname of the school then known as North Dakota Agricultural College was the Aggies. The first coach for the new NDAC football team was Henry Bolley, who also fielded the first football program at Purdue University in 1887 and was their first Quarterback. He challenged the University of North Dakota to a football match in 1890, but did not have enough players until 1894, the first official year of football at NDSU. In 1902, Eddie Cochems, known as the father of the forward pass was hired as head coach of the Bison where he experimented building an offense around his new technique; which subsequently became legal in the 1906 college football season; Cochems went 9–1 in his 2-year stint as head coach. The college hired famed Michigan Halfback Paul Magoffin, the first player to ever catch a forward pass in 1907, as head coach, but he left for the head coaching position offered to him by George Washington University a year later. The 1918 season was cancelled due to the outbreak of the Spanish Flu in conjunction with the first World War. The 1943 and 1944 seasons were also cancelled due to World War II and the shortage of eligible players. Keeping with their Michigan favoritism, the NDAC hired Stanley Borleske in 1919 to coach the football, basketball, and baseball teams. After six years of coaching and a 36–36–7 record, Borleske left for Fresno State but is largely credited with developing the Bison mascot. It was well known he was not a fan of the "Aggies" mascot, wanting something 'strong and fierce' he came up with the 'Bison' which remains the mascot today. He also coined the term "Thundering Herd" which is still a common reference to the NDSU Bison Football fanbase.[5]
1922–2003: Division II
In 1921, NDSU became a charter member of the now-defunct North Central Conference, which they remained affiliated with for 82 years until 2003. Their primary rival during this time were the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux (now the Fighting Hawks) whom they competed with to win the Nickel Trophy. As members of Division II, they won 8 national championships with an overall record of 347–94–4 having only 2 losing seasons from 1964–2003.
2004–present: Division I (FCS)
In 2004, all North Dakota State athletic teams moved to Division I. From 2004 to 2007, the Bison were members of the Great West Football Conference. Since 2008 they have been affiliated with the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Since moving to Division I, their primary rival are the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits whom they compete with each year for the Dakota Marker. The team's former head coach was Craig Bohl, who led the Bison from 2003 to 2014, holds the school record for most wins by a head coach. At the beginning of the 2015 football season the Bison had a Division I record of 117–30 and has been coached by Chris Klieman since 2014.
The NDSU Bison are the only FCS program to ever be ranked higher #34 in the AP National Football Poll. After the 2011 Championship Game, the Bison became only the third team in FCS history to receive votes in the final AP Top 25 with 2, putting them at #32 overall (FCS Record); the others being Appalachian State who receive 5 votes after their third consecutive FCS Championship in 2007 and ended at #34 and James Madison University after their 2010 upset of then #13 Virginia Tech.[6] After the 2012 season, the Bison again broke the barrier and became the first ever FCS team to breach the poll twice by receiving 1 vote and ending at #36 in the nation. Due to the overwhelming support and attention NDSU got during this run, ESPN announced that it would host its ESPN College GameDay program in downtown Fargo on September 21, 2013. The Bison ended up beating Delaware State 51–0 later that day. The Bison finished the 2013 regular season with an undefeated 11–0 record, their first perfect season since 1990. The Bison became the first FCS team to ever finish the regular season ranked on the AP Poll at #34 with 1 vote. After a perfect season (15–0) and winning their third consecutive championship game. After the 2013 season, the Bison were ranked #29 in the National Division I AP Poll, tallying a massive 17 votes, far beyond what any other FCS team had ever received. After defeating Iowa in 2016 the bison were ranked 27th in the AP Poll with 74 votes, the highest ranking of any team in FCS history.
In 2014, after beating their 5th consecutive FBS team, Iowa State, and their subsequent game against Weber State; which was their 26th straight victory, ESPN again announced they would bring their College Gameday program back to downtown Fargo on September 13, 2014 to cover the Bison's amazing run for the second straight year. The visit marked first time the show has ever visited the same FCS school twice and only the 6th time they have visited a non-FBS school since 1993.The Bison won an FCS record 33 straight games from 2012 to 2014, which is also the 3rd longest in the history of Division 1 NCAA football. From 2010 to 2014, the Bison did not lose a single road game, a span of 22 games. They also had a winning streak of 26 home games (2012-2015) and have won 20 Consecutive Playoff Wins (FCS Record). The Bison have won 16 straight home openers since their 1999 loss to Ferris State and are 21–1 in home openers since the Fargodome opened in 1992. In 2017, NDSU became the only team in FCS history to make 7 consecutive semifinal appearances in the playoffs.
Collectively, the Bison have won 35 conference championships, and 14 national championships. They were selected as NCAA College Division II champions by polling three times (1965, 1968, 1969), won the NCAA Division II National Football Championship five times (1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990), and have won the NCAA Division I Football Championship six times in seven seasons (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017).[7] From 2012 to 2014, the Bison had an FCS record of 33 straight wins, which is tied for the third longest in modern NCAA history. The Bison football program has had only 3 losing seasons since 1964.
Historically, only 5 teams established after 1893; Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Florida, and Clemson have won more total games than NDSU's 720.
The 2013 Bison
The 2013 team had a perfect 15–0 season, becoming the first program to do that since Marshall in 1996. They won their third consecutive national championship, tying an FCS record. A majority of the starters played in all 3 national championship games and went 43–2 in their 3-year stint, a number unrivaled in Division I FCS football. The Bison only lost 2 games in the three-year span by a combined 6 points. Through 2013, the Bison outscored their opponents by a combined 581–169 (+412) on the season. Only two other teams in FCS history have had a larger point spread through a season, 1996 Marshall (+448) and 1999 Georgia Southern (+485). Unlike the Marshall and Georgia Southern teams, NDSU's defense held their opponents to just 127 points in the regular season (11.5 ppg) and just 11 point on average through the playoffs that year. NDSU won its playoff games with an average margin of victory of 32.75 points, which just falls behind the 1996 Marshall team, which averaged a 34-point spread. In 2013, the Bison tallied three shutouts, and held nine teams to 10 points or less, including a streak of nine consecutive quarters without allowing a point. The offense was known for a ground-and-pound strategy, which wore opponents down and controlled the time of possession. The team averaged over 34 minutes of possession per game, while allowing an average of just 250 yards of opposing offense. In the 12 playoff games they played from 2011–13, they allowed an average of 9.3 points per game, an FCS record. The only playoff loss the seniors experienced in their 4-year career was the 38–31 OT loss at eventual champion Eastern Washington in 2010 in the FCS quarterfinals. The span of seasons that followed for NDSU in the years after that overtime loss are easily the best and most dominant years Division I football has seen from a single team.[8]
Records and streaks
FCS records
- 5 Consecutive FCS National Championships (2011-2015)
- 6 FCS National Championships (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017) - Tied with Georgia Southern University (6)
- 33 Consecutive Wins (2012–2014) (3rd Longest in past 50 years of NCAA Division I football.)[3]
- 30 Straight Weeks at #1 in the FCS Coaches Poll (2012–2014)[9]
- 20 Straight Weeks at #1 in the STATS Poll (2012-2013)[10] (30 weeks at #1 out of 31)
- 10 Consecutive Weeks with at least 1 vote in the AP Top 25 College Football Poll (2014)
- 22 Consecutive Playoff/Post-season Wins (2011–2016)
- 5 Seasons with votes in the AP College Football Poll (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016)
- Ranked 29th in the AP Top 25 College Football Poll (2013 season) (Highest end of season ranking by an FCS team)
- 45 Consecutive Non-Conference Home wins (Ended 12/16/2016 with playoff loss to James Madison University)
- Ranked 27th in the AP Top 25 College Football Poll (week 4, 2016 season) (Highest ranking by an FCS team)
- 74 Total AP votes for FBS Top-25 ranking (week 4, 2016) (Most votes received by any FCS team)
- 22 Consecutive Road Wins (2012–2014)
Division II Records
- 8 National Championships (1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990)
Missouri Valley Football Conference Records
- 8 Consecutive Conference Titles (2011-present)
- 18 Consecutive Conference Wins (2012–2014)
- 26 Consecutive Home Wins (2012–2015)
Current streaks
All are consecutive/straight and currently ongoing
- 6 Straight Playoff Wins
- 6 Straight Wins against FBS Competition (2010–2016) FCS Record
- 8 Consecutive FCS Semifinals appearances (2010-Present) FCS Record
- 8 Conference Championships (2011–Present)
- 9 Consecutive FCS Quarterfinals appearances (2010-Present) FCS Record
- 9 Playoff Appearances (2010–Present)
- 10 Straight against MVFC opponents at home
- 10 Consecutive wins against MVFC opponents
- 10 Winning Seasons (52 winning seasons in last 55 years)
- 18 Consecutive Home Wins
- 19 Consecutive Wins
- 20 Home Opening Wins (1999–Present) (25/26 Overall in Fargodome)
- 29 Wins after an Off Week
- 108 Weeks ranked in the FCS Stats Poll Top-10 (Since Week 2 in 2011)
- 115 Weeks Ranked in Top-10 of FCS Polling
- 121 Games Scoring (2010–Present)
- 134 Games without losing back-to-back (since 2009)
Fargodome
The Bison have played in the Fargodome since it opened in 1993. It holds 18,700 for football games and over 19,000 including standing room only tickets. The record attendance at the Fargodome is 19,108 when the Bison played Missouri State on October 12, 2013. The Bison have only lost one playoff game in the history of the Fargodome. The tremendous crowd noise caused by the Fargodome's steel roof disrupts many opposing offenses and creates one of the best home field advantages in college football
Football Records in the Fargodome
- Playoffs: 23–1 (.958)
- Home Openers: 24–1 (.960)
- Overall Record: 152–24 (.864)
- Record Attendance: 19,108 on 10-12-2013 vs. Missouri State
In 2011, the Fargodome was ranked as the 49th best stadium in all of college football.[11] The article cites, "There aren't many indoor venues in college football, but the few that do exist at the non-FBS level are very unfriendly to any visiting team. That effect is only amplified in a playoff atmosphere." The Fargodome is routinely ranked as one of the loudest college football stadiums in the country. In 2016, Stadium Journey ranked the Fargodome as the #2 Best FCS stadium to experience a game in [12] On December 10, 2011 in a game against Lehigh, the crowd noise was measured at 111 decibels, comparable to when the New Orleans Saints play in the Superdome. During the 2011 playoffs, the decibel level spiked past 130 decibels several times but was not an official measurement.[13][14] On December 14, 2012 in an FCS semifinal game against Georgia Southern, the crowd noise exceeded the 115 decibel mark and was known to be one of the loudest games in NDSU history. The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead conducted an informal study of Fargodome crowd noise from the press box during a playoff semifinal game last December. The readings showed a high of 111 decibels following a late touchdown by quarterback Brock Jensen. The decibel meter consistently read 102–106 throughout that game, according to The Forum. http://www.ndsu.edu/news/view/detail/11083/ During the 2013 Furman playoff game, the crowd noise was measured at 115 decibels.[15] During the 2015 playoffs against Montana, the crowd noise measured 120 decibels, the Bison beat the Grizz 37–6 avenging their season opening loss in Missoula. The record for the loudest indoor stadium crowd was set in 2013 at the Sacramento Kings stadium Sleep Train Arena at 126 decibels. Due to the notorious noise, the Fargodome is sometimes referred to as the "Thunderdome". An example of this loudness can be found when the Bison offense advances the ball and gets a "first down". The announcer says over the loud speaker, "With that carry/pass, thats another Bison", in which the crowd loudly responds in unison "FIRST DOWN...AH MOVE THE CHAINS". Although an announcer declaring a "first down" is not unique to the Fargodome, the audiences response along with the prompt to move the chains is fairly unique to the Fargodome. This tradition was started in approximately 1998 when NDSU alumnus Brian Schumacher was a student. Frequently after a "first down" was gained by NDSU, you would hear Schumacher screaming at the officials to "AH, MOVE THE CHAINS", and it quickly became a tradition.
National championships
North Dakota State have won 14 national championships; three as a member of the College Division (precursor of Division II), five as a member of Division II, and six as a member of Division I (FCS). The Bison have been the runner-up three times (1967, 1981, 1984) and have appeared in a total of 14 national championship games.
| Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Darrell Mudra | NCAA College Division by Polling | 11–0 | 20–7 | Grambling |
| 1968 | Ron Erhardt | 10–0 | 23–14 | Arkansas State | |
| 1969 | Ron Erhardt | 10–0 | 30–3 | Montana | |
| 1983 | Don Morton | NCAA DII Playoff | 12–1 | 41–21 | Central State |
| 1985 | Earle Solomonson | 11–2–1 | 35–7 | North Alabama | |
| 1986 | Earle Solomonson | 13–0 | 27–7 | South Dakota | |
| 1988 | Rocky Hager | 14–0 | 35–21 | Portland State | |
| 1990 | Rocky Hager | 14–0 | 51–11 | IUP | |
| 2011 | Craig Bohl | NCAA DI (FCS) Playoff | 14–1 | 17–6 | Sam Houston State |
| 2012 | Craig Bohl | 14–1 | 39–13 | Sam Houston State | |
| 2013 | Craig Bohl | 15–0 | 35–7 | Towson | |
| 2014 | Chris Klieman | 15–1 | 29–27 | Illinois State | |
| 2015 | Chris Klieman | 13–2 | 37–10 | Jacksonville State | |
| 2017 | Chris Klieman | 14–1 | 17–13 | James Madison |
Record against FBS competition
Overall (9–3)
| Season | Opponent | Division | Result | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Ball State | MAC | W | 29–24 | 1–0 |
| Minnesota | Big Ten | L | 9–10 | 1–1 | |
| 2007 | Central Michigan | MAC | W | 44–14 | 2–1 |
| Minnesota | Big Ten | W | 27–21 | 3–1 | |
| 2008 | Wyoming | Mtn West | L | 13–16 | 3–2 |
| 2009 | Iowa State | Big 12 | L | 17–34 | 3–3 |
| 2010 | Kansas | Big 12 | W | 6–3 | 4–3 |
| 2011 | Minnesota | Big Ten | W | 37–24 | 5–3 |
| 2012 | Colorado State | Mtn West | W | 22–7 | 6–3 |
| 2013 | Kansas State | Big 12 | W | 24–21 | 7–3 |
| 2014 | Iowa State | Big 12 | W | 34–14 | 8–3 |
| 2016 | #13 Iowa | Big Ten | W | 23–21 | 9–3 |
| 2020 | Oregon | Pac-12 | |||
| 2022 | Arizona | Pac-12 | |||
| 2024 | Colorado | Pac-12 | |||
Record against Missouri Valley Football Conference
North Dakota State has a winning record against every team in the Missouri Valley Conference except the UNI Panthers in which they are tied at 26-26.
| Team | Record | Winning % |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | 9–2 | .818 |
| Indiana State | 9–1 | .900 |
| Missouri State | 9–2 | .818 |
| South Dakota | 55–26–3 | .673 |
| South Dakota State | 61–42–5 | .588 |
| Southern Illinois | 8–3 | .727 |
| Northern Iowa | 26–26 | .500 |
| Western Illinois | 9–2 | .818 |
| Youngstown State | 9–4 | .692 |
Conference championships
North Dakota State has won 35 conference championships, 23 outright and 12 shared; North Central Conference (26), Great West (1), Missouri Valley (8)
Playoff history
Division I (FCS)
(2004–present)
North Dakota State has appeared in 9 straight NCAA Division I FCS playofffs. The Bison have an overall record of 30–2 in postseason play since becoming eligible in 2008, including a record streak of 22 consecutive playoff wins from 2011 to 2016. Since the beginning of 2011, NDSU has won 6 National Championships.
| Year | Seed | Record | Result | Opponent | Score | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division I (FCS) (postseason playoffs with 20-team bracket) | ||||||
| 2010 | No. 16 | 2–1 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals |
Robert Morris No. 4 Montana State No. 5 Eastern Washington |
W 43–17 W 42–17 L 31–38 OT |
Craig Bohl |
| 2011 | No. 2 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions |
No. 17 James Madison No. 6 Lehigh No. 3 Georgia Southern No. 1 Sam Houston State |
W 26–14 W 24–0 W 35–7 W 17–6 |
Craig Bohl |
| 2012 | No. 1 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions |
No. 19 South Dakota State No. 9 Wofford No. 6 Georgia Southern No. 5 Sam Houston State |
W 28–3 W 14–7 W 23–20 W 39–13 |
Craig Bohl |
| Division I (FCS) (postseason playoffs with 24-team bracket) | ||||||
| 2013 | No. 1 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions |
Furman No. 11 Coastal Carolina No. 15 New Hampshire No. 7 Towson |
W 38–7 W 48–14 W 52–14 W 35–7 |
Craig Bohl |
| 2014 | No. 2 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions |
No. 14 South Dakota State No. 6 Coastal Carolina No. 19 Sam Houston State No. 5 Illinois State |
W 27–24 W 39–32 W 35–3 W 29–27 |
Chris Klieman |
| 2015 | No. 3 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions |
No. 16 Montana No. 15 Northern Iowa No. 7 Richmond No. 1 Jacksonville State |
W 37–6 W 23–13 W 33–7 W 37–10 |
Chris Klieman |
| 2016 | No. 1 | 2–1 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals |
No. 24 San Diego No. 8 South Dakota State No. 4 James Madison |
W 45–7 W 36–10 L 17–27 |
Chris Klieman |
| 2017 | No. 2 | 4–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Champions |
San Diego No. 8 Wofford No. 6 Sam Houston State No. 1 James Madison |
W 38–3 W 42–10 W 55—13 W 17–13 |
Chris Klieman |
| 2018 | No. 1 | 2–0 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals |
No. 23 Montana State No. 9 Colgate No. 5 South Dakota State |
W 52–10 W 35–0 TBD |
Chris Klieman |
| 9 | 30–2 | (.935) | 1,092–399 | |||
Division II
(1964–2003)
North Dakota State appeared in 23 NCAA Division II postseasons from 1964 to 2003. During this stretch NDSU compiled a 347–94–4 record winning almost 80% of their games for four decades and claiming eight Championships along the way. NDSU appeared in seven out of 10 Championship games from 1981–1990; including appearing in four straight Championship games, an unrivaled number in DII as they posted a 111–16–2 (.875) mark from 1981–1990. While this is a startling record, from 1964 to 1973 the Bison went 90–12–1 (.887) which included a 35-game unbeaten streak.
| Year | Record | Result | Game | Opponent | Score | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Division (rankings via AP writers poll) | ||||||
| 1964 | 1–0 | unranked | Mineral Water Bowl | Western State | W 14–13 | Darrell Mudra |
| 1965 | 1–0 | AP No. 1 | Pecan Bowl | Grambling State | W 20–7 | Darrell Mudra |
| 1967 | 0–1 | AP No. 2 | Pecan Bowl | Texas-Arlington | L 13–10 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1968 | 1–0 | AP No. 1 | Pecan Bowl | Arkansas State | W 23–14 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1969 | 1–0 | AP No. 1 | Camellia Bowl | Montana | W 30–3 | Ron Erhardt |
| 1970 | 1–0 | AP No. 3 | Camellia Bowl | Montana | W 31–16 | Ron Erhardt |
| Division II (postseason playoffs with 8-team bracket) | ||||||
| 1976 | 1–1 | 3rd Place | First round Grantland Rice Bowl |
Eastern Kentucky Montana State |
W 10–7 L 10–3 |
Jim Wacker |
| 1977 | 1–1 | 3rd Place | First round Grantland Rice Bowl |
Northern Michigan Jacksonville State |
W 20–6 L 31–7 |
Jim Wacker |
| 1981 | 2–1 | Runner Up | First round Semifinals Championship |
Puget Sound Shippensburg State Southwest Texas State |
W 24–10 W 18–6 L 42–13 |
Don Morton |
| 1982 | 1–1 | 3rd Place | First round Semifinals |
Virginia Union UC Davis |
W 21–20 L 19–14 |
Don Morton |
| 1983 | 3–0 | Champions | First round Semifinals Championship |
Towson State UC Davis Central State |
W 24–17 W 26–17 W 41–21 |
Don Morton |
| 1984 | 2–1 | Runner Up* | First round Semifinals Championship |
UC Davis Nebraska–Omaha Troy State |
W 31–25 W 25–14 L 18–17 |
Don Morton |
| 1985 | 3–0 | Champions | First round Semifinals Championship |
UC Davis South Dakota North Alabama |
W 31–12 W 16–7 W 35–7 |
Earle Solomonson |
| 1986 | 3–0 | Champions | First round Semifinals Championship |
Ashland Central State South Dakota |
W 50–0 W 35–12 W 27–7 |
Earle Solomonson |
| Division II (postseason playoffs with 16-team bracket) | ||||||
| 1988 | 4–0 | Champions | First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship |
Augustana Millersville Sacramento State Portland State |
W 41–7 W 36–26 W 42–20 W 35–21 |
Rocky Hager |
| 1989 | 1–1 | First round Quarterfinals |
Edinboro Jacksonville State |
W 45–32 L 21–17 |
Rocky Hager | |
| 1990 | 4–0 | Champions | First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship |
Northern Colorado Cal Poly–SLO Pittsburg State IUP |
W 17–7 W 47–0 W 39–29 W 51–11 |
Rocky Hager |
| 1991 | 0–1 | First round | Mankato State | L 27–7 | Rocky Hager | |
| 1992 | 1–1 | First round Quarterfinals |
Northeast Missouri State Pittsburg State |
W 42–7 L 38–37 (OT) |
Rocky Hager | |
| 1994 | 1–1 | First round Quarterfinals |
Pittsburg State North Dakota |
W 18–12 (3OT) L 14–7 |
Rocky Hager | |
| 1995 | 1–1 | First round Quarterfinals |
North Dakota Pittsburg State |
W41–10 L 9–7 |
Rocky Hager | |
| 1997 | 0–1 | First round | Northwest Missouri State | L 39–28 | Bob Babich | |
| 2000 | 2–1 | First round Quarterfinals Semifinals |
No. 1 Northwest Missouri State No. 5 University of Nebraska Omaha No. 11 Delta State |
W 31–17 W 43–21 L 34–16 |
Bob Babich | |
| Totals | 35–13 | (.729) | ||||
- At the end of the 1984 championship game NDSU took the lead on a field goal making it 17–15 with 1:36 left; after being on the Troy State 2-yard line and settling for 3 points. Troy State subsequently drove down the field with no timeouts to the Bison's 33 yard line with :15 remaining. With apparent confusion on the field Troy State (known since 2005 as simply Troy) rushed the field goal team out on the field and freshman kicker Ted Clem kicked the longest field goal in Troy history of 50 yards as time expired to give the Trojans the victory.
Head coaching history
Chris Klieman is the 30th and current head coach of the Bison who has a 63–6 record as head coach since 2014 and won the National Championship in 2014, 2015, and 2017. Craig Bohl holds the record for most wins in school history with 104 in his 11-year career averaging over 9.5 wins per season. Rocky Hager and Chris Klieman hold the record for most conference titles won with 5. Klieman was named head coach of Kansas State University on December 10th, 2018, but will coach NDSU through the end of the 2018 season. Defensive Coordinator Matt Entz was named the 31st head coach on December 13th, 2018, and will assume his duties when the 2018 season is completed.
| # | Coach | Years Active | Record | Conference Titles | National Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Luke Bolley | 1894–1899 | 7–8–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 2 | Jack Harrison | 1900–1901 | 15–1–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 3 | Eddie Cochems | 1902–1903 | 9–1–0 | No Affiliation | |
| 4 | A. L. Marshall | 1904–1905 | 4–7–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 5 | Gil Dobie | 1906–1907 | 7–0–0 | No Affiliation | |
| 6 | Paul Magoffin | 1908 | 2–3–0 | No Affiliation | |
| 7 | Arthur Reuber | 1909–1912 | 12–7–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 8 | Howard Wood | 1913–1914 | 5–5–2 | No Affiliation | |
| 9 | Paul J. Davis | 1915–1917 | 10–7–1 | No Affiliation | |
| 10 | Stanley Borleske | 1919–1921, 1923–1924, 1928 | 17–14–4 | 0 | |
| 11 | Joe Cutting | 1922 | 6–2–0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Ion Cortright | 1925–1927 | 13–8–2 | 1 | |
| 13 | Casey Finnegan | 1928–1940 | 57–49–11 | 2 | |
| 14 | Stan Kostka | 1941, 1946–1947 | 8–17–0 | 0 | |
| 15 | Robert A. Lowe | 1942–1945 | 3–9–2 | 0 | |
| 16 | Howard Bliss | 1948–1949 | 3–16–0 | 0 | |
| 17 | Mac Wenskunas | 1950–1953 | 11–21–1 | 0 | |
| 18 | Del Anderson | 1954–1955 | 1–16–1 | 0 | |
| 19 | Les Luymes | 1956 | 5–4–0 | 0 | |
| 20 | Bob Danielson | 1957–1962 | 13–39–2 | 0 | |
| 21 | Darrell Mudra | 1963–1965 | 24–6–0 | 2 | 1965 |
| 22 | Ron Erhardt | 1966–1972 | 61–7–1 | 6 | 1968, 1969 |
| 23 | Ev Kjelbertson | 1973–1975 | 17–13–0 | 2 | |
| 24 | Jim Wacker | 1976–1978 | 24–9–1 | 2 | |
| 25 | Don Morton | 1979–1984 | 57–15–0 | 4 | 1983 |
| 26 | Earle Solomonson | 1985–1986 | 24–2–1 | 2 | 1985, 1986 |
| 27 | Rocky Hager | 1987–1996 | 91–25–1 | 5 | 1988, 1990 |
| 28 | Bob Babich | 1997–2002 | 46–22 | 0 | |
| 29 | Craig Bohl | 2003–2013 | 104–32 | 4 | 2011, 2012, 2013 |
| 30 | Chris Klieman | 2014–2018 | 67–6 | 5 | 2014, 2015, 2017 |
| Totals | 723-371–34 | 35 | 14 |
All-Time statistical leaders
Single-game leaders
- Passing Yards: 451 – Steve Walker (2006)
- Rushing Yards: 263 – Tyler Roehl (2007)
- Receiving Yards: 232 – Len Kretchman (1988)
Single-season leaders
- Passing Yards: 2,874 – Carson Wentz (2014)
- Rushing Yards: 1,920 – John Crockett (2014)
- Receiving Yards: 1,191 – Zach Vraa (2013)
- Field Goals Made: 29‡ – Adam Keller (2014)
- Points By a Kicker: 145‡ – Adam Keller (2014)
Career leaders
- Passing Yards: 8,598 – Brock Jensen (2010–2014)[16]
- Passing TDs: 73 - Easton Stick (2015-2018)
- Rushing Yards: 4,700 – Lamar Gordon (1997–2001)
- Receiving Yards: 2,957 – Zach Vraa (2011–2016)
- Field Goals Made: 53 – Adam Keller (2011–2015)
- Career Starts: 61‡ – Christian Dudzik (2011–2015)
- Wins By a Quarterback: 48‡ – Brock Jensen (2010–2014)[17]
‡Denotes FCS Record
Bison Records
- Longest Field Goal: 55 Yards - Ken Johnson (1997 vs. SDSU)
- Longest TD Run from Scrimmage: 91 Yards - Pat Paschall (2009 vs. Wagner College (N.Y.))
- Longest Run from Scrimmage: 75 Yards - Arden Beachy (1992 vs. Mankato State)
- Longest TD Pass: 88 Yards - Kelly Artz from Kevin Feeny (1995 vs. Northern Colorado)
- Longest Punt: 82 Yards - Brian Kraabel (1975 vs. SDSU)
- Longest Punt Return: 98 Yards (for TD) - Fritz Hansen (1934 vs. Oklahoma City)
- Longest Kick Return: 100 Yards (for TD) - John Elmer Pariseau (1923 vs. South Dakota)
- Longest Pass Interception Return: 99 Yards (for TD) - Peter Gergen (1927 vs. DePaul)
- Longest Fumble Recovery Return: 79 Yards - Claudie Miller (1925 vs. North Dakota)
- Longest Blocked Kick Return: 71 Yards - Jerry Dahl (1974 vs. North Dakota) & Rick Buddle (1976 vs. Morningside)
Bison in the NFL Draft
*Note: This list only includes players taken in the NFL Draft, it does not include those players who signed contracts with NFL teams outside the draft and the CFL
| Year drafted | Round | Pick in round | Overall Pick | Player | Team | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Carson Wentz | Eagles | QB | Highest FCS player ever taken in the NFL Draft. First NDSU Quarterback to be drafted. Super Bowl LII Champion. |
| 2016 | 5 | 16 | 155 | Joe Haeg | Colts | OT | |
| 2015 | 5 | 17 | 153 | Kyle Emanuel | Chargers | LB | |
| 2014 | 3 | 3 | 67 | Billy Turner | Dolphins | T | |
| 2009 | 7 | 33 | 242 | Nick Schommer | Titans | DB | |
| 2008 | 6 | 34 | 200 | Joe Mays | Eagles | LB | |
| 2005 | 5 | 29 | 165 | Rob Hunt | Colts | C | |
| 2002 | 3 | 19 | 84 | Lamar Gordon | Rams | RB | |
| 2002 | 7 | 2 | 213 | Pete Campion | Panthers | G | |
| 1991 | 2 | 27 | 54 | Phil Hansen | Bills | DE | |
| 1989 | 6 | 17 | 156 | Doug Lloyd | Raiders | RB | |
| 1989 | 9 | 13 | 236 | Monte Smith | Broncos | G | |
| 1987 | 12 | 22 | 329 | Chad Stark | Giants | RB | |
| 1987 | 12 | 27 | 334 | Tyrone Braxton | Broncos | DB | Second NDSU Graduate to win a Super Bowl Ring (XXXII, XXXIII) |
| 1985 | 2 | 18 | 46 | Stacy Robinson | Giants | WR | First NDSU Graduate to win a Super Bowl Ring |
| 1984 | 5 | 19 | 131 | Dave Piepkorn | Browns | T | |
| 1981 | 7 | 5 | 171 | Kevin Donnalley | Cardinals | DB | |
| 1979 | 9 | 12 | 232 | Gordy Sprattler | Jets | RB | |
| 1977 | 11 | 1 | 280 | Chuck Rodgers | Buccaneers | DB | |
| 1975 | 9 | 26 | 234 | Bruce Reimer | Steelers | RB | |
| 1975 | 12 | 6 | 292 | Jerry Dahl | Chargers | LB | |
| 1974 | 2 | 8 | 34 | Steve Nelson | Patriots | LB | Donated Snowplow Game game ball to NDSU |
| 1974 | 10 | 4 | 238 | Mike Puestow | Browns | WR | |
| 1974 | 16 | 16 | 406 | Sanford Quale | Bills | T | |
| 1973 | 15 | 2 | 366 | Mike Evenson | Saints | C | |
| 1973 | 17 | 18 | 434 | Bob Erickson | 49ers | G | |
| 1972 | 8 | 10 | 192 | Ralph Wirtz | Bears | WR | |
| 1970 | 8 | 15 | 197 | Tim Mjos | Packers | RB | |
| 1970 | 14 | 13 | 351 | Chuck Wald | Falcons | WR | |
| 1969 | 10 | 12 | 246 | Bruce Nelson | Packers | T | |
| 1969 | 11 | 11 | 271 | Mike Berdis | Dolphins | T | |
| 1968 | 17 | 26 | 461 | Ken Rota | Packers | RB | |
| 1966 | 14 | 14 | 214 | Ron Hanson | Packers | WR | |
| 1965 | 13 | 14 | 182 | Bruce Airheart | Colts | RB | |
| 1953 | 24 | 11 | 288 | Marlow Gudmundson | Rams | B | |
| 1948 | 30 | 6 | 281 | Clarence McGeary | Packers | T | |
| 1947 | 19 | 4 | 169 | Jerry Mulready | Steelers | B | |
| 1939 | 5 | 2 | 32 | Ernie Wheeler | Steelers | B[18] | First NDSU player ever taken in the draft, highest pick until Carson Wentz was drafted #2 overall in 2016. |
NDSU players currently in the NFL
- As of 3/26/2018
| Player | Years | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson Wentz | 2016- | QB | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Joe Haeg | 2016- | OT | Indianapolis Colts |
| CJ Smith | 2016- | CB | Denver Broncos |
| Kyle Emanuel | 2015- | LB | Los Angeles Chargers |
| Billy Turner | 2014- | OT | Denver Broncos |
| Marcus Williams | 2014- | CB | New Orleans Saints |
| Ramon Humber | 2009- | LB | Buffalo Bills |
Stadiums
- Dacotah Field, 1910–1992: 82 Years
- Fargodome, 1993–present: 24 Years
References
- ^ "Sources: UND set to leave Big Sky Conference". 2017-01-25.
- ^ NDSU Bison Graphic Standards (PDF). May 23, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
- ^ a b "North Dakota State Bison". GoBison.com.
- ^ "2016 College Football Rankings - Week 4". ESPN.com.
- ^ a b "NDSU Quick Facts". GoBison.com.
- ^ KRMG News http://www.krmg.com/weblogs/krmg-sports-with-rick-couri/2010/sep/13/ap-and-coaches-polls-after-week-two-in-college-foo/. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Haley, Craig. "In the FCS Huddle: FCS champ North Dakota State goes back-to-back". Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- ^ Jeff Kolpack. "Montana, NDSU boast two of best teams in FCS history". INFORUM.
- ^ "North Dakota State University Athletics - Bison Look to Keep Sole Possession of First Place Saturday at Northern Iowa". Gobison.com. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
- ^ "North Dakota State University Athletics - Top-Five Matchup Saturday When Bison Host Griz in Trees Bowl". Gobison.com. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
- ^ "Ranking the Greatest Stadiums in College Football, Final 2011 Edition". Bleacher Report. 2011-12-05. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
- ^ Paul Donaldson. "2015 FCS College Football Stadium Experience Rankings - Stadium Journey - Scout". Stadium Journey. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
- ^ "Fcs Preview | Indiana Sports Page Football". iHigh.com. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
- ^ "I Can't Hear You" (PDF). Media.nola.com. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
- ^ "NDSU fans reach 115 decibels at playoff game – NDSU News (NDSU)". ndsu.edu.
- ^ "Brock Jensen – 2013 Football". North Dakota State. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- ^ "Brock Jensen – 2013 Football". North Dakota State. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
- ^ "DraftHistory.com". www.drafthistory.com.
