NDSU Game Notes | 2012 NDSU Football Stats | K-State Game Notes | Live Audio | Live Stats
GAME ONE: No. 1-ranked North Dakota State opens its 117th season of college football Friday, Aug. 30, at defending Big 12 champion Kansas State. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000) in Manhattan, Kan. The Bison return 18 starters after posting back-to-back 14-1 seasons with two Missouri Valley Football Conference championships and the school's ninth and 10th national titles.
THE SERIES: This is the second meeting between North Dakota State and Kansas State. NDSU lost 19-6 at Kansas State under coach C.C. Finnegan to end a 5-5 season in 1931. NDSU is 1-1 against Big 12 competition since beginning Division I play in 2004. The Bison lost 34-17 at Iowa State in the 2009 opener and won 6-3 at Kansas in the 2010 opener.
ON THE ROAD: North Dakota State is 12-0 on the road over the last two seasons including two victories in Frisco, Texas, in the FCS national championship. The Bison have won 17 of their last 21 road games and are 37-20 on the road since head coach Craig Bohl took over in 2003. NDSU is 13-7 in MVFC road games.
FOR OPENERS: North Dakota State is opening on the road for only the third time under head coach Craig Bohl. The other two were Iowa State in 2009 and Kansas in 2010. NDSU has a 79-30-7 record all-time in season openers including an 18-13-3 road mark.
TELEVISION: Friday's game will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 with Craig Bolerjack calling the play-by-play, Joey Harrington as color analyst, and Ryan Nece sideline reporter. All 11 NDSU games are scheduled to be televised for the second straight year and 10 will be in high definition. NDSU is 114-57-1 (.664) in TV games.
BISON RADIO NETWORK: The Mighty 790 KFGO along with KRWK 101.9 Talk FM and the Bison Radio Network will carry the game live with veteran sports announcer Scott Miller calling the play-by-play. NDSU Bison Hall of Famer Phil Hansen handles the color duties and NDSU director of sales and broadcasting Jeremy Jorgenson reports from the sidelines. Coverage includes 30-minute pregame and postgame shows.
Bison Radio Network affiliates for the Kansas State game include KBGY-FM 107.5 Minneapolis, KZCR-FM 103.3 Fergus Falls, KKCQ-FM 96.7 Fosston, KBOT-FM 104.1 Detroit Lakes (this game only) KAUJ-FM 101.9 Grafton, KDVL-FM 102.5 Devils Lake, KSJB-AM 600 Jamestown, ESPN 710 AM Bismarck, KHRT-AM 1320 Minot, KEYZ-AM 660 Williston, KLTC-AM 1460 Dickinson and KPOK-AM 1340 Bowman. Additionally, the game will be joined in progress on WLKX-FM 95.9 Minneapolis, KDDG-FM 105.5 Albany and KZZJ-AM 1450 Rugby.
Live audio streaming is available over the Internet at www.gobison.com/allaccess.
BOHL TWO WINS SHY OF HAGER: North Dakota State's Craig Bohl enters his 11th season with an 89-32 record (.736) just two wins shy of NDSU all-time coaching wins leader Rocky Hager, who went 91-25-1 (.782) in 10 seasons from 1987-96.
BISON PICKED TO WIN VALLEY: North Dakota State has been picked to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference crown in 2013. NDSU, the defending national champion, has won 28 of its past 30 games (going 14-1 each year). The Bison were a unanimous choice to repeat, earning 39 of a possible 39 first-place votes, in a poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors. The Bison return 18 total starters from a team that went 14-1 overall and 7-1 in the conference last year.
Named to the preseason all-MVFC offensive unit were quarterback Brock Jensen, offensive tackle Billy Turner, wide receiver Ryan Smith and kicker Adam Keller. Representing NDSU on the all-conference defensive squad were defensive end Cole Jirik, defensive tackle Leevon Perry, linebacker Grant Olson, cornerback Marcus Williams, punter Ben LeCompte and return specialist Ryan Smith. Linebacker Travis Beck was honorable mention. Jensen is on the preseason Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year) Watch List, and Olson and Williams are on the Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year) Watch List. A preseason favorite has claimed the league crown 15 times (in 27 previous polls). North Dakota State was picked to win the league last season.
