The 1,000-mile journey from Fargo, N.D., to Frisco, Texas, has been fruitful and fulfilling for North Dakota State football. And for the 10th time in the last 15 years, the Bison’s route to North Texas concluded with a national championship, this time a 35-32 victory over previously unbeaten Montana State.
North Dakota State (14-2) had eliminated Montana State (15-1) four times in the FCS playoffs since 2018, including in last year’s 35-34 overtime classic. It appeared the Bison were coasting to a fifth postseason win against the Bobcats by rolling to a 21-3 halftime lead.
Montana State, however, wasn’t going to take the loss without a valiant comeback effort. Four times in the second half, the Bobcats rallied within three points. But each time the Bison extended the lead to put the comeback just out of reach.
It earned the Bison, under first-year head coach Tim Polasek, their first FCS national title since 2021.
“I think doing it with this group, pretty awesome,” Polasek told ESPN’s Stormy Buonantony. “They all stayed. They could have very easily, in today’s day and age … we’re running a football program with guys that buy into each other. When you do that, you’ve got a chance to meet your full potential.”
𝐍𝐚𝐭𝟏𝟎𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 pic.twitter.com/h5TUlcgjtb
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) January 7, 2025
The game was billed as a showdown between FCS’ top two quarterbacks in North Dakota State’s Cam Miller and Montana State’s Tommy Mellott, and they delivered. Miller, who finished his career with a 45-11 win-loss record, combined for 321 yards and four touchdowns; Mellott, who won the Walter Payton Award as FCS’ top player, rallied the Bobcats with four second-half touchdown drives.
Midway through the fourth quarter, North Dakota State rolled 66 yards in nine plays and took 5:06 off the clock in a drive that ended with CharMar Brown’s 3-yard score with 2:41 left to take a 34-24 lead. But Montana State quickly pulled within three points for the fourth time on a fourth-down touchdown pass from Mellott to Taco Dowler. The Bison secured the victory after receiver Bryce Lance recovered Montana State’s ensuing onside kick, enabling them to run out the clock.
Miller ended his career with 11,999 total yards and 81 passing touchdowns. Mellott passed for two touchdowns and rushed for one.
Cam Miller has passed Carson Wentz’s NDSU single-season passing yards record set in 2014 at 3,111. Miller currently has 3,147. pic.twitter.com/HFKHvpLGBc
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) January 7, 2025
Required reading
(Photo: Justin Tafoya / NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
