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2025 Football Roster

Tim Sanger
Zachary Lucy
Zachary Lucy
Tim Sanger
Tim Sanger

9 Cole Payton

  • Position Quarterback
  • Height 6-3
  • Weight 233
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown Omaha, Neb.
  • High School Westside HS

Biography

* 2026 NFL Scouting Combine
* 2026 Panini Senior Bowl
* 2025 Walter Payton Award finalist (3rd)
* 2025 Stats Perform FCS All-America first team
* 2025 FCS Football Central All-America first team
* 2025 Associated Press FCS All-America second team (QB)
* 2025 Phil Steele FCS All-America second team
* 2025 Associated Press FCS All-America honorable mention (AP)
* 2025 All-MVFC second team
* 2025 MVFC Offensive Player of the Week (9/29, 10/13, 10/27)
* 2025 MVFC Scholar-Athlete second team
* 2025 CSC Academic All-District Team
* 2022, 2024 MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award
* 2022, 2023, 2024 MVFC Honor Roll

2025 SEASON (SENIOR):
 Record-setting season in his first year as North Dakota State's starting quarterback...Led the Bison to a 12-1 record including an 8-0 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference...Finished third in voting for the Walter Payton Award, presented to the offensive player of the year in the Football Championship Subdivision...All-MVFC second team behind Walter Payton Award winner Beau Brungard of Youngstown State...Earned FCS All-America honors from Stats Perform, FCS Football Central, The Associated Press and Phil Steele, plus honorable mention from the AP as an all-purpose back...Set NDSU single-season records for pass efficiency (193.8), yards per pass attempt (12.1) and total offense yards per game (268.9) and per play (9.71)...His .719 completion percentage ranked second in the FCS and was third in school single-season history...Finished second in NDSU single-season history in passing yards per game (209.2) and fourth in total offense yards (3,496)...Completed 161 of 224 passes for 2,719 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions...Averaged 5.7 yards per carry and was NDSU's second leading rusher with 136 attempts for 777 yards and 13 TDs...Had three of the top six single-game offensive performances in NDSU history...His 348 passing yards and 401 total yards against Southeast Missouri State both ranked third in NDSU single-game history...Three-time MVFC Offensive Player of the Week...Had 375 yards of total offense and three TDs against South Dakota...Went 14 of 18 passing for 273 yards and two TDs with 11 carries for 102 yards and one score...Picked up six first downs in the run game including one on fourth-and-short and three third down conversions including a 21-yard scramble on third-and-17...Had 291 total yards and three TDs including a 41-yard scramble against Southern Illinois...Picked up eight first downs on 13 of 16 passing for 243 yards...Totaled 380 yards at South Dakota State rushing 17 times for 137 yards and four TDs while going 18 of 23 passing for 243 yards to power the top-ranked Bison over the No. 2-ranked Jackrabbits to win the Dakota Marker for a second straight season...Graduated as NDSU's career record holder in completion percentage (.702), pass efficiency (185.5) and yards per pass attempt (11.3)...Finished 10th in school history with 5,106 yards of total offense and was sixth with 6.68 yards per carry...Selected to the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine...Named to the MVFC Scholar-Athlete second team and CSC Academic All-District Team.

2024 SEASON (JUNIOR): Played in the first eight games as NDSU's backup quarterback including one start at tailback in the home opener against Tennessee State...Missed the final eight games of the year after sustaining an injury in the Oct. 19 home win over South Dakota State...Finished the season with 21 carries for 164 yards and one touchdown...Season-high 80 yards against Illinois State, including a 73-yard touchdown run...Completed 10 of 16 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns...Named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll...Earned the MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award.

2023 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart...Carried the ball at least once in all 15 games...Rushed 84 times for 615 yards and tied for the team lead with 13 rushing touchdowns...Season-high 13 carries, 104 yards and two touchdowns in the NCAA first round playoff win against Drake...Opened the season with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games with 104 against Eastern Washington and 102 against Maine...Completed 18 of 27 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns...Named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll.

2022 SEASON (FRESHMAN): Played in 13 games as the team's No. 2 quarterback...Rushed 38 times for 284 yards and two touchdowns...Averaged 7.5 yards per carry...Tied a career high with 48 rushing yards against Montana in the second round of the NCAA playoffs...Completed all four passing attempts against North Carolina A&T and finished the season 8 of 12 for 51 yards with one interception and no touchdowns...Named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll...Earned the MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award.

2021 SEASON (REDSHIRT): Used a redshirt season with the Bison...Played in three of a possible four games under NCAA rules but dressed with the team in all 15 games...Completed 1 of 3 passing attempts and rushed eight times for 78 yards and two touchdowns...Ran three times for 48 yards including a 37-yard TD in the home win over Valparaiso...Had four carries for 28 yards with an 18-yard TD against Indiana State...Also appeared in the national championship win over Montana State carrying one time for two yards.

HIGH SCHOOL: 2021 graduate of Omaha Westside High School...Three-year starter...Team captain his senior year...Played for coach Brett Froendt...Led the Warriors to a 31-5 record over three seasons including a Class A state championship in 2020...Nebraska's Gatorade State Player of the Year for 2020-21...Two-time all-state first team...Set school records for career passing completions, yards and touchdowns...Threw for 5,338 yards and 65 TDs in his career while rushing for 2,122 yards and 37 scores...Accounted for 2,742 yards of total offense and 39 TDs in a 12-0 senior season after a state runner-up finish his junior year...Also participates in baseball...All-metro academic honoree...2020 Greater Omaha Sports Football Scholar.

PERSONAL: Graduated from NDSU in May 2025 with a degree in sport management and earned a master's degree in sport management from NDSU in December 2025...Son of Brian and Lynda...Has a brother, Ethan.

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 15

    2021Freshman

    Quarterback
    6'3" 221 lbs
    15
  • 15

    2022Redshirt Freshman

    Quarterback
    6'3" 230 lbs
    15
  • 9

    2023Sophomore

    Quarterback
    6'3" 230 lbs
    9
  • 9

    2024Junior

    Quarterback
    6'3" 234 lbs
    9
  • 9

    2025Senior

    Quarterback
    6'3" 233 lbs
    9