Bison Roll Past Coyotes in FCS Quarterfinals, 45-17

Saturday, December 9

Vermillion, S.D.

1:30 p.m.

North Dakota State Athletics

11-3 , 5-3

South Dakota

10-3 , 7-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
North Dakota State	21	14	3	7	45
South Dakota	3	0	7	7	17

Photo by: Tim Sanger

Bison Roll Past Coyotes in FCS Quarterfinals, 45-17

12/9/2023 7:00:00 PM | Football

Box Score Game Statistics Photo Gallery

VERMILLION, S.D. - North Dakota State scored five first-half touchdowns and forced three turnovers in a 45-17 rout of No. 3 seed South Dakota in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 9, before a crowd of 9,141 at the DakotaDome.

NDSU quarterback Cam Miller went 13-for-15 passing for 210 yards with one touchdown and added a rushing touchdown for the Bison (11-3), who converted 8 of 11 third-down opportunities and controlled the ball for more than 36 minutes.

Eli Green had his first 100-yard receiving game for NDSU making five receptions for 116 yards and five first downs, including plays of 31 and 48 yards on two separate NDSU scoring drives as the Bison built a 35-3 halftime lead.

It was a reversal of the teams' regular-season meeting in September, which saw USD take a 21-3 halftime lead. NDSU won the coin toss, took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 10 plays capped by Miller's 9-yard TD run to take an early lead.

USD (10-3) quickly moved into the red zone with passing plays of 38 and 16 yards before three incompletions forced the Coyotes to settle for a field goal.

NDSU extended its lead on a 43-yard touchdown run by quarterback Cole Payton, then got a three-and-out on defense before Jayden Price scored on an 82-yard punt return to go ahead 21-3. It was the eighth longest punt return in school history and gave Price sole possession of the NDSU career record with five punt return TDs.

Bison linebacker Logan Kopp made a team-high seven tackles, safety Sam Jung had six tackles and his third interception in the past four games, and linebacker Luke Weerts made five tackles plus a pass deflection that led to one of safety Cole Wisniewski's two interceptions.

Wisniewski tied the NDSU single-season record of eight interceptions set in 1953 by Frank Esposito. The Bison lead the FCS with 21 interceptions this season.

North Dakota State advances to the NCAA FCS semifinals to play No. 2 seed Montana (12-1), which held off No. 7 Furman for a 35-28 overtime win in a Friday night quarterfinal.

Game time between the Bison and Grizzlies is set for 2:30 p.m. MT on Saturday, Dec. 16, at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Mont., with national television coverage on ESPN2.