Bison overcome sluggish start, roll in FCS playoffs

 

The North Dakota State Bison faced a pesky Nicholls Colonels team in the first round of the FCS playoffs but ultimately too many big plays for the Bison  resulted in a 37-13 NDSU victory to advance to the FCS Quarterfinals to face Missouri Valley Conference foe Illinois State.

It was the 9-5 Colonels who struck first with a field goal to make it 3-0 with three minutes to go in the first quarter but the Bison responded on the final play in the first with Phoenix Sproles run on a reverse for 55 yards gave the Bison the lead back at 7-3 going into the second. Nichols wouldn't go away though as they struck back on their next drive with a 25 yard touchdown from Chase Fourcade to Dai'Jean Dixon to make it 10-7 Nicholls early in the second. The Bison would end the half with a Trey Lance passing Touchdown to Jimmy Kepouro from 43 yards out 14-10 Bison at the half.

The game started with a Nicholls and the second half started Nicholls field goal to make it 14-13 game. From then on it was all NDSU as a Michael Tutsie Interception of Chase Fourcade lead to a Will Cardinal field goal to push the lead to 17-13. Fourcade threw another interception, this one to James Hendricks lead to Trey Lance's second touchdown pass to extend it to 24-13.

The Bison added two more touchdowns in the 4th, both on the ground courtesy to Trey Lance for 6 yards and Dimitri Williams from 3 yards out to end the scorin

Lance finsihed the game 10 for 16 passing and 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions while also leading NDSU with 94 rushing yards on 11 carries.

The Bison will host Illinois State on Saturday.