Final Statistics (PDF)
NORMAL, Ill. – No. 4-ranked North Dakota State clinched its third outright Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with a 20-7 victory over No. 21-ranked Illinois State on Saturday, Nov. 18, at a cold and snowy Hancock Stadium.
Bruce Anderson carried 22 times for 95 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback
Easton Stick carried 17 times for 65 yards and two scores for the Bison, who finished the regular season 10-1 overall and 7-1 in the conference.
Passing was not an option for either team early on with a driving rain and wind gusting around 30 mph, and a quick-moving snow storm set in for the latter stages of the second quarter as the teams settled for a 0-0 tie at halftime.
NDSU scored on its first drive of the second half with the benefit of a roughing-the-punter penalty that gave the Bison a first down at the Illinois State 33. Anderson rushed for nine and 11 yards to get in the red zone and Stick capped the drive with a 10-yard scoring run.
The momentum swung in NDSU's favor on the ensuing drive when linebacker
Jabril Cox returned his first collegiate interception 32 yards to the Illinois State 25. Anderson's 1-yard run four plays later gave the Bison a 13-0 lead after a blocked extra-point kick.
James Robinson scored on an 11-yard run with 3:21 left in the game to pull Illinois State back within 13-7, but the Bison answered on the next drive. Stick got loose for a 56-yard run to set up a 1-yard touchdown run to put NDSU ahead 20-7.
NDSU outgained Illinois State 260-219 in total yardage including a 245-106 rushing advantage.
Chris Board and
Robbie Grimsley led the Bison defense with seven tackles apiece as the Redbirds converted just 1 of 13 attempts on third down.
Jackson Koonce averaged 35.6 yards on eight punts with a long of 52 yards and four inside the 20-yard line to give NDSU a boost in the field position game. Illinois State started three drives inside the 10 and only crossed midfield twice.
North Dakota State, which was ranked fourth in the second of two NCAA Division I Football Committee rankings, is the MVFC automatic qualifier and is expected to earn a top seed and first-round bye for the FCS playoffs. The 24-team bracket will be announced live on ESPNU from 10 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 19.
