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NDSU Notes | Indiana State Notes | MVFC Notes

THIS WEEK:  Second-ranked North Dakota State (4-0, 1-0 MVFC) plays its first of two straight road games this Saturday, Oct. 7, when the Bison face Indiana State (0-4, 0-1 MVFC).  Game time is 1 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium (12,764) in Terre Haute, Ind.
 
TELEVISION:  Coverage begins at 12 p.m. CT on KVLY and the NBC North Dakota network with Brian Shawn calling the play-by-play, Lee Timmerman color analyst, and Ryan Gellner on the sidelines.  ESPN3 will carry the game on WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.  Pregame coverage hosted by Alex Egan and Beth Hoole begins one hour prior to kickoff.
 
RADIO:  Coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. CT on the Peterson Farms Seed Bison Radio Network with Jeff Culhane play-by-play, NDSU and Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Phil Hansen analyst, and NDSU's Jeremy Jorgenson sidelines.  A free live audio stream of the Bison Radio Network broadcast is available on GoBison.com/allaccess.  Extended coverage locally on 107.9 The Fox, Bison 1660 and 92.7 FM includes "Bison Tailgate" from 8:30-9:30 a.m. with Brad Jones, "Bison Game Day" from 9:30-11:30 and "Bison Hotline" for 2 hours following the network broadcast with hosts Keith Brake, Chris Hanson and former NDSU defensive end Cole Jirik.
 
THE SERIES:  This is the 10th meeting between North Dakota State and Indiana State since 2008.  The Bison lead the series 8-1 and have won four straight including last year's 41-17 victory in Fargo.  Indiana State's only win was a 17-14 victory in 2012 in Fargo.  NDSU is 4-0 in Terre Haute, where quarterback Easton Stick made his first start for the Bison two years ago.  Stick went 9 of 20 for 126 yards with one interception and one touchdown in that game while running 17 times for 124 yards and two scores.
 
BISON BEAT MISSOURI STATE ON HOMECOMING:  North Dakota State won its seventh straight homecoming game and conference opener 38-11 against Missouri State last week.  Robbie Grimsley made a game-high 10 tackles and had one of three NDSU interceptions to lead a defense that went 10 quarters without allowing a touchdown.  Easton Stick went 15 of 21 passing for 220 yards and two touchdowns, and RJ Urzendowski hauled in six passes for 82 yards and one TD.  The Bison rushed for 214 yards with Bruce Anderson going 11 times for 106 yards and a score, and Lance Dunn carrying 10 times for 91 yards and two TDs.  Middle linebacker Nick DeLuca made nine tackles with three assisted tackles for loss including a fourth-and-goal stop in his return to the starting lineup after missing two games due to injury.
 
BEST ROAD WINNING STREAK:  North Dakota State has won 10 consecutive true road games, which is the longest active road winning streak in the FCS and fourth best among all Division I programs behind Oklahoma (13), Alabama (12) and Clemson (12).  The Bison have won 11 straight away from Fargo including the 2015 national championship game.
 
BISON FINISH 2018 SCHEDULE:  North Dakota State finalized its 2018 football schedule this week with the addition of Cal Poly for the season opener, which will give NDSU its first seven-game home schedule in the regular season since 2000.  The Bison will play four home games in September 2018 including Cal Poly, North Alabama, Delaware, and the conference opener with South Dakota State.
 
STICK PASSES 4,000 YARDS:  Junior quarterback Easton Stick last week became the fifth player in NDSU history to pass for at least 4,000 yards in a career.  Stick is fifth all-time in career passing yards at NDSU with 4,084 yards and also ranks fourth in passing TDs (38), sixth in completions (303), seventh in attempts (496).  He ranks second in the FCS this season in passing efficiency with a 188.5 rating through four games.
 
NO PICKS:  Quarterback Easton Stick has not yet thrown an interception this season and has 106 straight passing attempts without a pick dating back to last year's national quarterfinal win over South Dakota State.  Stick had a streak of 113 attempts without interception over a seven-game span in his freshman year 2015.  NDSU's school record is 143 passing attempts without interception by Carson Wentz in seven games from the 2014 semifinals into 2015.
 
DUNN LEADS FCS IN TOUCHDOWNS:  Junior running back Lance Dunn continues to lead the FCS with 10 rushing TDs and 11 total TDs this season.  Dunn is the leading rusher in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and ranks fifth nationally with 123.0 ypg and leads the FCS in scoring with 16.5 points per game.  The NDSU record for rushing TDs is 23 by Jeff Bentrim in 1986 and the total TDs record is 23 by Bentrim in 1986 and Lamar Gordon in 2000.
 
700 WINS:  North Dakota State has played 1,104 games with a 700-370-34 record in 120 seasons of football, good for a .649 winning percentage.  Only four Ivy League teams each with at least 20 more years of football have more wins at the FCS level: Yale (896), Harvard (866), Penn (846) and Princeton (818).  Northern Iowa has the second most wins among Missouri Valley Football Conference programs with 657.  In the FBS, 24 teams have reached the 700-win mark.  NDSU's 87 victories since 2011 are more than any other team in Division I football ahead of Alabama (81), Clemson (75), Sam Houston State (71), Ohio State (71) and Florida State (69).
 
EARLY-SEASON SCORING:  North Dakota State's 168 points scored through the first three games was the most in NDSU's Division I history and second most in the modern era of the program.  The 2000 NCAA playoff team scored 169 over its first three contests.  NDSU's previous Division I high through three games was 140 points by the 2012 team.
 
TOP 10 ROAD GAMES:  NDSU's win at Eastern Washington was the ninth time NDSU has faced an FCS Top 10 team on the road since 2004.  The Bison are 5-4 in those games and have road games this year against current Top 10 teams South Dakota State and Youngstown State.
            FCS Top 10 Opponents on Road
            2017–Won 40-13 at #6 Eastern Washington
            2015–Won 28-7 at #5 South Dakota State
            2013–Won 20-0 at #6 South Dakota State
            2010–Lost 38-31 at #1 Eastern Washington
            2010–Won 42-17 at #6 Montana State
            2009–Lost 24-14 at #8 Southern Illinois
            2008–Lost 23-13 at #4 Northern Iowa
            2005–Lost 37-6 at #9 Cal Poly
            2005–Won 35-7 at #9 Northwestern State
 
RECORD DAY FOR BISON OFFENSE:  North Dakota State set highs for points, rushing yards and total offense in 14 years of Division I football in the 72-7 win over Mississippi Valley State.  The 683 yards of total offense were the most for the Bison in 29 years and the fourth highest in school single-game history.  NDSU's 498 rushing yards ranked seventh in school history.  NDSU scored touchdowns on its first five possessions with only one drive longer than three plays, and the Bison built a 44-0 lead early in the second quarter.
 
TOP MARKS NATIONALLY:  NDSU's 498 rushing yards against Mississippi Valley State are the second most by an FCS team this season, and the 683 yards of total offense tied for third with Sam Houston State.  NDSU's 72 points are fourth most.  On defense, NDSU's minus-31 rushing yards allowed is second best in FCS and second in NDSU's Division I history (minus-32 at South Dakota State in 2013).
 
DEFENSE HOLDS TWO TOP PERFORMANCES:  North Dakota State's 57 total yards allowed against Robert Morris and 58 against Mississippi Valley State are the second and third best defensive performances in FCS this year behind only Illinois State (41 vs. Butler).  NDSU ranks first in the FCS in scoring defense (7.8), rushing defense (50.0), passing yards allowed (88.3), total defense (138.3) and first downs allowed (33).
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  North Dakota State has had four first-time Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week this season:
        —Tanner Volson, Offensive Line...Graded 100% assignment and 87% technique with zero sacks against Mississippi Valley State...NDSU averaged 17.5 yards per carry while in the game.
        —Robbie Grimsley, Defensive...Two interceptions, two pass breakups and four tackles at Eastern Washington...Part of a defense that held EWU to 73 yards in the final three quarters.
        —Lance Dunn, Offensive...Scored four TDs on four plays against Robert Morris...Had runs of 61, 5 and 45 yards and a 10-yard catch for 121 all-purpose yards.
        —Jabril Cox, Newcomer...Team-high eight tackles including four on kickoff coverage, made a fumble recovery that led to a touchdown, and was in on a tackle for loss as NDSU held Robert Morris to 57 total yards, four first downs and one trip past midfield in a 56-0 win.
 
MORGAN SEMIFINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY:  North Dakota State defensive tackle Grant Morgan is one of 181 national semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented annually by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame to the top scholar-athlete in college football.  Nominees are in their final year of eligibility with at least a 3.2 GPA, outstanding football ability and strong leadership and citizenship.  The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists in November who will receive $18,000 postgraduate scholarships.  The winner is announced in December and earns an additional $7,000 toward a postgraduate scholarship. 
 
PAIR OF FRESHMEN PLAY:  Two true freshmen have played for NDSU this season.  Defensive end Logan McCormick from Appleton, Wis., and cornerback Josh Hayes from Lakeland, Fla., made their debut in the season opener against Mississippi Valley State.  They were the first true freshmen to play for NDSU since 2015.  NDSU redshirted its entire freshman class in 2016, the only time that has happened in 14 years of Division I football.
 
PEDERSEN TIES PAT RECORD:  Junior placekicker Cam Pedersen tied the 49-year old school record of 10 PAT kicks made in the 72-7 win over Mississippi Valley State.  The mark was set in 1968 by Ken Blazei against Augustana (S.D.).
 
BISON RETURN 16 STARTERS:  North Dakota State returns nine starters on defense and seven on offense from last year's NCAA semifinal team that finished 12-2 and won a sixth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with a 7-1 league record.  Included is linebacker Nick DeLuca, a two-time nominee for the Butkus Award, who returns for a fifth season after being limited to three games last year with a shoulder injury.
 
FOUR OUT FOR SEASON:  North Dakota State has lost four players to season-ending knee injuries this year.  Two-time All-America defensive end Greg Menard went out during the opening week of fall camp, but is eligible to return to the Bison for a fifth season in 2018 after playing as a true freshman in 2014.  Redshirt freshman left tackle Dillon Radunz and sophomore running back Demaris Purifoy were both injured in the season-opener against Mississippi Valley State, and junior linebacker Dan Marlette was injured against Missouri State.
 
SIX STRAIGHT CONFERENCE TITLES:  North Dakota State won a share of its sixth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship last season, tying South Dakota State with a 7-1 record in league play.  NDSU won outright MVFC titles in 2012 and 2013.  The Bison shared the 2011 title with Northern Iowa and the 2014 and 2015 crowns with Illinois State.  North Dakota State has won 33 football conference championships including 26 in the North Central Conference (last in 1994) and one in the Great West Football Conference (2006).
 
BISON PICKED TO WIN VALLEY FOOTBALL TITLE:  North Dakota State was picked to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference by a single vote over second-place South Dakota State.  NDSU earned 21 of 40 first-place votes and had 380 points followed by SDSU with 19 first-place votes and 379 points.  Youngstown State, national finalist a year ago, was picked third ahead of Northern Iowa, Illinois State, Western Illinois, South Dakota, Southern Illinois, Missouri State and Indiana State.
 
SEVEN ON PRESEASON TEAM:  Junior running back Lance Dunn, senior long snapper James Fisher, senior defensive end Greg Menard, senior defensive tackle Nate Tanguay, senior linebacker Nick DeLuca, senior safety Tre Dempsey, and junior safety Robbie Grimsley were voted to the Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason team by the league's coaches, sports information directors and media.  Wide receivers Darrius Shepherd and RJ Urzendowski and offensive lineman Austin Kuhnert earned honorable mention for NDSU.
 
BISON AT HOME:  North Dakota State is 58-6 at home since 2010.  The Bison have won 56 of the last 58 home games over non-conference opponents including a string of 45 straight before last year's NCAA semifinal loss to James Madison.  NDSU is 16-4 at home all-time against FCS Top 10 teams.  North Dakota State ranked fifth in the FCS last year with an average home attendance of 18,556 and has drawn 18,000-plus to 49 straight home contests.
 
SUCCESS VS. THE FBS:  North Dakota State has a 9-3 record against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents and has won six in a row against FBS foes since 2010 with wins at Kansas (6-3), Minnesota (37-24), Colorado State (22-7), Kansas State (24-21), Iowa State (34-14) and 11th-ranked Iowa (23-21).  NDSU has three future FBS games against Oregon in 2020, Arizona in 2022 and Colorado in 2024.  NDSU's first three FBS wins were against Ball State (2006), Central Michigan (2007) and Minnesota (2007).
 
BIG LEAGUE BISON:  North Dakota State will host Butler at Target Field in Minneapolis in the season opener August 31, 2019.  It will be the first Division I football game at the Major League Baseball stadium, which hosted a Division III game this year between in-state rivals St. Thomas and Saint John's.  NDSU has more than 12,000 alumni in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and nearly 26,000 alumni across Minnesota.  The game is in addition to a six-game home schedule at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome in 2019, which is a 12-game regular season.