Bison stampede Bobcats in FCS semifinals

FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State rushed for 318 yards and Bison freshman Trey Lance threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns as top-ranked NDSU beat No. 5 Montana State 42-14 in the Division I FCS Playoff Semifinals on Saturday.

North Dakota State marched 73 yards for a touchdown on its first possession to grab a 7-0 midway through the first quarter. But the Bobcats answered.

On the last play of the first quarter, after a Mark Estes jet sweep pushed the Cats to midfield, Isaiah Ifanse turned a pass from Tucker Rovig into a 39-yard gain. On fourth-and-goal from the one, Travis Jonsen punched in a touchdown and a Tristan Bailey PAT tied the score.

That tie was short-lived. On the first play of the ensuing drive Lance hit Christian Watson for a 75-yard touchdown, and on the first play after a Bobcat punt, Watson took a sweep 70 yards for another touchdown. Those two lightning strikes gave NDSU a 22-7 lead.

There was more before the half ended, this in more conventional fashion. Lance capped a 15 play drive with a six-yard toss to Jimmy Kepouros to expand the lead to 29-7 at halftime.

Montana State flashed again early in the third quarter. Bobcat defensive tackle Benson stripped the ball from Kobe Williams and jumped on the ball for MSU's only takeaway of the day. On the second play of the ensuing drive, Tucker Rovig feathered a 41-yard pass into Kevin Kassis' hands to trim the lead to 29-14. But the Bison again answered with a TD drive, and added another early in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.

Montana State finished its most successful season since the 1984 National Championship season 11-4, bowing in defeat to NDSU for the second straight year. The Bison, 14-0 and owners of a 36-game win streak, advance to the FCS Championship game Jan. 11 against James Madison, which beat Weber State Saturday night.