THIS WEEK: Defending national champion and No. 1-ranked North Dakota State faces Butler at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, at Target Field in Minneapolis presented by Pioneer. It is the first Division I game and second college football game at the home of Minnesota Twins baseball. Gates open at 12 p.m. with a pregame concert hosted by Cenex featuring country artist Jordan Davis beginning at 1 p.m.
 
TELEVISION: KVLY and the NBC North Dakota network will carry the game with Brian Shawn joined by Lee Timmerman and sideline reporter Ryan Gellner. Pregame coverage hosted by Beth Hoole and Alex Egan begins at 1:30 p.m. The game will be available to ESPN+ subscribers on the ESPN app.
 
RADIO: Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on the Peterson Farms Seed Bison Radio Network with fourth-year NDSU play-by-play voice Jeff Culhane joined by NDSU and Buffalo Bills hall of famer Phil Hansen and NDSU sideline reporter Jeremy Jorgenson. Extended coverage locally on 107.9 The Fox, Bison 1660 and 92.7 FM includes "Bison Tailgate" from 11:00-12:00 with Brad Jones and Nate Tanguay and "Bison Game Day" from 12:00-2:30 with Keith Brake and Cole Jirik. Brake and Jirik return for "Bison Hotline" with Chris Hanson and Kyle Emanuel for two hours following the network broadcast.
 
ONLINE: NDSU All Access offers free audio streaming of all NDSU football games as well as live video of Bison home games to subscribers on GoBison.com/allaccess and the NDSU Athletics mobile app. Live stats for NDSU home games are available on BisonStats.com. Follow along with in-game updates on Twitter @NDSUfootball.
 
TICKETS AVAILABLE: Tickets are available starting at $20 at TwinsBaseball.com/football, by calling 612-33-TWINS (612-338-9467) or 800-33-TWINS (800-338-9467), or in-person at the Target Field ticket office. Game tickets include the pregame concert.
 
STADIUM POLICIES: The Minnesota Twins recently enacted new entry policies at Target Field that will be in effect for the NDSU-Butler football game. Football fans coming to Target Field are reminded to plan ahead, arrive early and consider all the transportation options available, whether you plan to drive, take transit, bike or walk.
 
NDSU TWIN CITIES PEP FEST: Join Bison fans from all over the region at the NDSU Twin Cities Pep Fest hosted by the NDSU Foundation and Alumni Association from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, at the Renaissance Depot in Minneapolis featuring live music by the Front Fenders. Tickets are on sale at NDSUFoundation.com and are $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 3-12.
 
TOP 10 CROWD FOR BISON FOOTBALL: Saturday will be the first Division I game and second football game played at Target Field. St. John's and St. Thomas drew a Division III-record crowd of 37,555 fans on Sept. 23, 2017. With more than 32,000 tickets sold and a capacity of 38,544, this week's game will be either the ninth or 10th largest crowd in Bison football history.
        Largest Crowds for NDSU Football
        1. 70,585 – at Iowa, 9/17/2016 (W, 23-21)
        2. 63,088 – at Minnesota, 10/20/2007 (W, 27-21)
        3. 62,845 – at Minnesota, 10/21/2006 (L, 9-10)
        --
        8. 48,417 – at Kansas, 9/4/2010 (W, 6-3)
        9. 35,342 – at San Diego State, 11/5/1966 (L, 0-36)
        10. 27,000 – at Minnesota, 9/29/1934 (L, 12-52)

THE SERIES: This is the first meeting between North Dakota State and the Butler Bulldogs from the Pioneer Football League. NDSU is 3-0 against PFL teams including a pair of home playoff victories over San Diego 45-7 in 2016 and 38-3 in 2017. The other matchup was the 2004 home opener against Valparaiso with NDSU winning 52-0 in the first game of its Division I era.
 
FRESHMAN LANCE TO QUARTERBACK BISON: Trey Lance, a 6-foot-3, 221-pound redshirt freshman from Marshall, Minn., will be North Dakota State's new starting quarterback in this week's opener against Butler. Lance played in two games last year against North Alabama and South Dakota completing his only pass attempt and rushing for two touchdowns. He will be the seventh starting quarterback for the Bison dating back to the start of NDSU's Division I era in 2004. Five of the six previous QBs won their first start including Lance's predecessor, Easton Stick, who led the Bison to a 28-14 win at Indiana State in 2015.
        First Start as NDSU Quarterback
        2015 – Easton Stick, at Indiana State (W, 28-14)
        2014 – Carson Wentz, at Iowa State (W, 34-14)
        2010 – Brock Jensen, South Dakota (W, 38-16)
        2009 – Jose Mohler, Missouri State (L, 17-21)
        2008 – Nick Mertens, Austin Peay (W, 41-6)
        2004 – Steve Walker, Northwestern State (W, 30-17)
 
BISON RETURN SEVEN FULL-TIME STARTERS: North Dakota State returns three offensive starters and four defensive starters from last year's 15-0 national championship team. Offensive linemen Dillon Radunz and Zack Johnson return with tight end Ben Ellefson on an offensive unit that will have a new quarterback and lost 65% of its rushing yards, 80% of its receptions and 84% of its receiving yards. NDSU still has depth at running back where Ty Brooks, Adam Cofield and Saybein Clark combined for 200 carries, 1,391 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. On defense, the Bison return their leading tackler in Buck Buchanan Award candidate Jabril Cox at linebacker, second-leading sack-getter in defensive end Derrek Tuszka, leading pass defender James Hendricks at safety, and cornerback Marquise Bridges.
 
12-GAME SCHEDULE: While 12-game regular season schedules are the norm for the Football Bowl Subdivision, this year's 12-game schedule in the Football Championship Subdivision is a rare departure from the usual 11-game slate based on the 2019 calendar. Teams are not required to play 12 games. NDSU opponents North Dakota and Missouri State each have 11-game schedules with two bye weeks. The last time NDSU played a 12-game regular season was 2014 when the Bison beat Iowa State 34-14 in the opener and went on to win their fourth FCS national championship. The next 12-game schedule opportunity is in 2024.
 
COX ON BUCHANAN WATCH LIST: Junior linebacker Jabril Cox was on the 25-man preseason watch list for the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award presented annually to the top defensive player in the FCS. Cox finished fourth in the voting last year after being selected as the Defensive Player of the Year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. He led the Bison defense and ranked 10th in the MVFC with 91 total tackles in 2018 and finished with 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, four interceptions including two for touchdowns, three pass breakups and seven quarterback hurries. He was the 2017 MVFC Newcomer of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
 
WEGNER ON WATCH LIST FOR FCS PUNTER OF THE YEAR: Junior punter Garret Wegner is on the preseason watch list for the inaugural FCS Punter of the Year award by the Augusta Sports Council, which has been home to the Ray Guy Award since 2000 honoring the nation's best punters as the FBS level. Wegner was All-MVFC first team in 2018 averaging 43.0 yards on 59 punts, which was 11th in the FCS. He had 14 punts of 50-plus yards, a league-best 27 punts inside the 20-yard line, and another 16 fair catches. NDSU opponents returned 20 punts for just 3.3 yards per return and the Bison ranked sixth nationally in net punting with a 39.15 average.
 
FIVE PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: North Dakota State has five preseason All-Americans including junior linebacker Jabril Cox and senior offensive lineman Zack Johnson, who were each named to first teams by HERO Sports, Athlon Sports and STATS FCS. Junior offensive lineman Dillon Radunz was second team by HERO Sports, senior defensive end Derrek Tuszka was named to the STATS FCS second team and HERO Sports third team, and junior punter Garret Wegner was third team by STATS FCS.
 
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE: North Dakota State led the way with six players named to the Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference team. Offensive linemen Zack Johnson and Dillon Radunz joined linebacker Jabril Cox, safety James Hendricks, defensive end Derrek Tuszka and punter Garret Wegner on the first team. NDSU had three honorable mentions in tight end Ben Ellefson, defensive tackle Cole Karcz and long snapper Ross Kennelly.
 
CAPTAINS: North Dakota State's six captains in 2019 selected by a vote of team members are safety James Hendricks, cornerback Marquise Bridges, running back Ty Brooks, tight end Ben Ellefson, offensive lineman Zack Johnson and defensive end Derrek Tuszka.
 
MERCADEL GETS SIXTH YEAR: After missing the 2018 season with a knee injury, North Dakota State linebacker Aaron Mercadel has received a sixth year of eligibility in 2020. That news brings NDSU's current senior class to just 14 after the Bison boasted their largest outgoing class ever with 24 seniors on the 2018 team.
 
BISON ON 21-GAME WINNING STREAK: North Dakota State owns the longest active winning streak in the FCS at 21 games, which is second longest in Missouri Valley Football Conference history and tied for sixth longest in FCS history behind the record 33-game Bison winning streak from 2012 to 2014.
        FCS Longest Winning Streaks
        33 - North Dakota State, 2012-14
        26 - James Madison, 2016-17
        24 - Montana, 2001-02
        24 - Penn, 1992-95
        22 - Harvard, 2013-15
        21 - North Dakota State, 2017-present
        21 - Colgate, 2002-03
        21 - Montana, 1995-96
 
15-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: North Dakota State won its 15th football national championship in 2018. NDSU claimed three College Division national championships in 1965, 1968 and 1969, five Division II titles in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990, and was the first team in college football history to win five straight national titles with FCS crowns in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 before winning again in 2017.
 
BISON WIN RECORD SEVENTH FCS TITLE: North Dakota State has won seven of the last eight FCS championships to surpass Georgia Southern's record of six FCS titles. The Bison are 7-0 in seven FCS title game appearances.
        Most FCS Championship Game Appearances
        8 - Georgia Southern (6-2)
        7 - North Dakota State (7-0)
        7 - Youngstown State (4-3)
        7 - Montana (2-5)
 
FIFTH UNDEFEATED, UNTIED FCS CHAMPION: Last year's 15-0 North Dakota State team was the fifth to go undefeated and untied in winning the FCS championship joining Eastern Kentucky in 1982 (13-0), Georgia Southern in 1989 (15-0), Marshall in 1996 (15-0) and NDSU in 2013 (15-0).
 
UNBEATEN SEASONS: Eleven teams have gone unbeaten in Missouri Valley Football Conference games since 1985, and only North Dakota State (2013 and 2018) and Southern Illinois (2009) have done it through an eight-game conference schedule. There have been 15 undefeated NDSU teams since 1894 including the 2018 national champions (15-0).
 
EIGHT STRAIGHT CONFERENCE TITLES: NDSU won its eighth consecutive Missouri Valley Football Conference championship in 2018, topping the league record seven straight by Northern Iowa in the early 1990s. NDSU won outright MVFC titles in 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2018. North Dakota State has won 35 football conference championships including 26 in the North Central Conference (last in 1994) and one in the Great West Football Conference (2006).
        Most Consecutive Conference Titles in Division I Football
        14 - Oklahoma (Big 8, 1946-59)
        12 - Montana (Big Sky, 1998-09)
        10 - BYU (WAC, 1976-85)
        9 - Florida State (ACC, 1992-00)
        8 - Nebraska (Big 8, 1910-17)
        8 - North Dakota State (MVFC, 2011-18)
 
BISON PICKED TO WIN VALLEY FOOTBALL CROWN: North Dakota State topped the Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason poll with 392 points and 32 of the 40 first-place votes from the league's coaches, media and sports information directors. South Dakota State earned the second spot in the poll, finishing with 348 total points and four first-place votes. Illinois State (289 points), Indiana State (279) and Northern Iowa (266) were tightly bunched for third, fourth and fifth place, while Illinois State (3) and Indiana State (1) also received first-place mentions. South Dakota came in sixth followed by Youngstown State, Western Illinois, Southern Illinois and Missouri State (80).
 
BISON AT HOME: NDSU is 74-6 at home since 2010 including a 24-1 mark in the FCS playoffs. The Bison have won 64 of the last 66 home games over non-conference opponents with its last home loss coming in the 2016 semifinals to James Madison. NDSU is 24-4 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 18,106.
 
DECADE LEADER:  North Dakota State's 121 wins this decade are more than any other program in college football. NDSU is 112-8 since the beginning of 2011, the first of five consecutive national championship seasons. North Dakota State holds the distinction of being the winningest Division II program of the 1980s, going 103-20-2 from 1980-89 with four national titles in that span.
        FCS Winningest Teams, 2010s (by wins)
        121 - North Dakota State (121-13)
        92 - Sam Houston State (92-32)
        90 - Eastern Washington (90-30)
        85 - Jacksonville State (85-28)
        82 - James Madison (82-33)

        FCS Winningest Teams, 2010s (by pct.)
        .903 - North Dakota State (121-13)
        .778 - Harvard (70-20)
        .752 - Jacksonville State (85-28)
        .750 - Eastern Washington (90-30)
        .742 - Sam Houston State (92-32)

SUCCESS VS. THE FBS: NDSU 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).
 
ANNIVERSARY SEASONS: Three milestones are being celebrated this year with the 150th anniversary of college football, the 125th anniversary of NDSU football, and the 35th anniversary of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. NDSU has commissioned artist Terrence Fogarty for a limited-edition commemorative painting on sale at GoBison.com/painting. It features iconic images from the program's humble beginnings in 1894 through NDSU's modern-day FCS dynasty.