# 2019 North Dakota State Bison football team

The 2019 North Dakota State Bison football team represented North Dakota State University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Matt Entz. The team played in the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota, for the 27th season as members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). They entered the season as defending national champions, having won seven of the prior eight FCS titles. In 2019, the Bison finished the regular season 12–0, the second consecutive undefeated Bison season, and won their ninth consecutive MVFC title. They received an automatic qualifying bid to the FCS playoff tournament and were seeded as the No. 1 team. The Bison then went 4–0 in the FCS playoffs to finish 16–0 as FCS champions, becoming the first team at any level of college football to finish a season 16–0 since Yale in 1894. They also extended their FCS-record winning streak to 37 games.

## Preseason
### MVFC poll

In the MVFC preseason poll released on July 29, 2019, the Bison were predicted to finish in first place.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | North Dakota State | 392 (32) |
| 2 | South Dakota State | 348 (4) |
| 3 | Illinois State | 289 (3) |
| 4 | Indiana State | 279 (1) |
| 5 | Northern Iowa | 266 |
| 6 | South Dakota | 176 |
| 7 | Youngstown State | 153 |
| 8 | Western Illinois | 128 |
| 9 | Southern Illinois | 89 |
| 10 | Missouri State | 80 |

### Preseason All–MVFC team

The Bison had six players selected to the preseason all-MVFC team.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 3:00 p.m. | vs. Butler* | No. 1 | Target FieldMinneapolis, MN | NBC ND/ESPN+ | W 57–10 | 34,544 |
| September 7 | 2:30 p.m. | North Dakota* | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND (Nickel Trophy) | NBC ND/ESPN+ | W 38–7 | 18,923 |
| September 14 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 18 Delaware* | No. 1 | Delaware StadiumNewark, DE | NBC ND/FloSports | W 47–22 | 14,489 |
| September 21 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 4 UC Davis* | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND | NBC ND/ESPN+ | W 27–16 | 18,425 |
| October 5 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 10 Illinois State | No. 1 | Hancock StadiumNormal, IL | NBC ND/ESPN+ | W 37–3 | 13,391 |
| October 12 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 10 Northern Iowa | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND | NBC ND/ESPN+ | W 46–14 | 18,178 |
| October 19 | 2:30 p.m. | Missouri State | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND | NBC ND/ESPN+ | W 22–0 | 18,252 |
| October 26 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 3 South Dakota State | No. 1 | Dana J. Dykhouse StadiumBrookings, SD (Dakota Marker / College GameDay) | NBC ND/ESPN+/Midco | W 23–16 | 19,371 |
| November 2 | 5:00 p.m. | at Youngstown State | No. 1 | Stambaugh StadiumYoungstown, OH | NBC ND/ESPN+ | W 56–17 | 11,102 |
| November 9 | 2:30 p.m. | Western Illinois | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND | NBC ND/ESPN+ | W 57–21 | 17,411 |
| November 16 | 2:30 p.m. | South Dakota | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND | NBC ND/ESPN+/Midco | W 49–14 | 17,844 |
| November 23 | 2:00 p.m. | at Southern Illinois | No. 1 | Saluki StadiumCarbondale, IL | NBC ND/ESPN+ | W 21–7 | 5,423 |
| December 7 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 19 Nicholls* | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND (FCS Playoffs Second Round) | ESPN3 | W 37–13 | 15,690 |
| December 14 | 11:00 a.m. | No. 13 Illinois State* | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND (FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals) | ESPN | W 9–3 | 14,132 |
| December 21 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 5 Montana State* | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND (FCS Playoffs Semifinals) | ESPN2 | W 42–14 | 18,077 |
| January 11 | 11:00 a.m. | vs. No. 2 James Madison* | No. 1 | Toyota StadiumFrisco, TX (FCS Championship Game) | ABC | W 28–20 | 17,866 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Regular season
#### Butler

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| No. 1 Bison | 15 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 57 |
at Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
* Date: August 31, 2019
* Game time: 3:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Mostly cloudy; 70 °F (21 °C); Wind: Calm
* Game attendance: 34,544
* Referee: Matt Gallagher
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Butler | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 14 | 25 |
| Plays–yards | 60–198 | 59–605 |
| Rushes–yards | 30–88 | 45–388 |
| Passing yards | 110 | 217 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 16–30–1 | 12–14–0 |
| Time of possession | 30:49 | 29:11 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Butler | Passing | Sam Brown | 12/26, 85 yds, INT |
| Butler | Rushing | Brad Sznajder | 14 car, 58 yds |
| Butler | Receiving | John Turley | 3 rec, 39 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 10/11, 185 yds, 4 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Trey Lance | 5 car, 116 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Phoenix Sproles | 2 rec, 71 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | BUTL | NDSU |
| 1st | 10:20 | 8 | 90 | 4:30 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 33-yard touchdown run, 2-point run good | 0 | 8 |
| 1st | 7:58 | 2 | 68 | 0:40 | NDSU | Phoenix Sproles (#11) 47-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 15 |
| 2nd | 11:02 | 5 | 40 | 1:36 | NDSU | Josh Babicz (#81) 15-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 22 |
| 2nd | 5:24 | 4 | 57 | 2:00 | NDSU | Noah Gindorff (#87) 26-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 29 |
| 2nd | 0:45 | 6 | 31 | 3:13 | NDSU | Josh Babicz (#81) 3-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 36 |
| 3rd | 9:47 | 13 | 63 | 5:13 | BUTL | 29-yard field goal by Drew Bevelhimer (#36) | 3 | 36 |
| 3rd | 9:33 | | | | BUTL | Fumble recovery returned 29 yards for touchdown by Dan DelGrosso (#49), Drew Bevelhimer (#36) kick good | 10 | 36 |
| 3rd | 7:45 | 5 | 80 | 1:45 | NDSU | Ty Brooks (#28) 36-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 10 | 43 |
| 3rd | 6:14 | 1 | 61 | 0:11 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 61-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 10 | 50 |
| 4th | 9:25 | 7 | 72 | 3:32 | NDSU | Saybein Clark (#30) 7-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 10 | 57 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 10 | 57 |

#### North Dakota

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Fighting Hawks | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 1 Bison | 14 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 38 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: September 7, 2019
* Game time: 2:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 18,923
* Referee: Jeremy Valentine
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 14 | 20 |
| Plays–yards | 55–230 | 65–428 |
| Rushes–yards | 26–68 | 50–266 |
| Passing yards | 162 | 162 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 18–29–2 | 11–15–0 |
| Time of possession | 24:54 | 35:06 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota | Passing | Andrew Zimmerman | 16/27, 150 yds, 2 INT |
| North Dakota | Rushing | James Johannesson | 7 car, 21 yds, TD |
| North Dakota | Receiving | Garett Maag | 6 rec, 76 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 11/15, 162 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Trey Lance | 16 car, 95 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Zach Mathis | 1 rec, 41 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | UND | NDSU |
| 1st | 11:14 | 9 | 68 | 3:40 | NDSU | Dimitri Williams (#4) 3-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 0:34 | 10 | 80 | 5:35 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 8-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 2nd | 9:20 | 13 | 75 | 6:14 | UND | James Johannesson (#33) 3-yard touchdown run, Brady Leach (#27) kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd | 4:44 | 8 | 73 | 4:30 | NDSU | Ben Ellefson (#82) 2-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 21 |
| 3rd | 10:38 | 7 | 19 | 3:36 | NDSU | 27-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 7 | 24 |
| 3rd | 4:56 | 7 | 78 | 3:39 | NDSU | Noah Gindorff (#87) 34-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 31 |
| 4th | 9:23 | 14 | 80 | 7:06 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 14-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 38 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 7 | 38 |

#### Delaware

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Bison | 10 | 17 | 6 | 14 | 47 |
| No. 18 Fightin' Blue Hens | 5 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 22 |
at Delaware Stadium, Newark, DE
* Date: September 14, 2019
* Game time: 12:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Overcast; 77 °F (25 °C); Wind: S 8 MPH
* Game attendance: 14,489
* Referee: Matt Overton
* TV: FloSports
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Delaware |
| First downs | 26 | 14 |
| Plays–yards | 65–490 | 57–261 |
| Rushes–yards | 41–295 | 36–125 |
| Passing yards | 195 | 136 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 18–24–0 | 11–21–1 |
| Time of possession | 31:56 | 28:04 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 18/23, 195 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Kobe Johnson | 11 car, 101 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Phoenix Sproles | 3 rec, 72 yds |
| Delaware | Passing | Nolan Henderson | 9/12, 125 yds, 2 TD |
| Delaware | Rushing | Will Knight | 8 car, 115 yds |
| Delaware | Receiving | Will Knight | 3 rec, 46 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | DELA |
| 1st | 13:14 | | | | DELA | NDSU Punt blocked by Luke Frederick and recovered for a safety | 0 | 2 |
| 1st | 10:12 | 4 | 35 | 1:36 | NDSU | Kobe Johnson (#24) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 2 |
| 1st | 5:45 | 5 | 26 | 2:09 | NDSU | 46-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 10 | 2 |
| 1st | 2:17 | 8 | 14 | 3:19 | DELA | 36-yard field goal by Jake Roth (#36) | 10 | 5 |
| 2nd | 14:11 | 8 | 75 | 3:06 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 24-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 17 | 5 |
| 2nd | 6:57 | 9 | 42 | 4:12 | NDSU | 23-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 20 | 5 |
| 2nd | 0:30 | 7 | 80 | 2:36 | NDSU | Ben Ellefson (#82) 5-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 27 | 5 |
| 3rd | 8:47 | 9 | 50 | 4:53 | NDSU | Noah Gindorff (#87) 4-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick no good | 33 | 5 |
| 3rd | 3:29 | 11 | 84 | 4:35 | DELA | 23-yard field goal by Jake Roth (#36) | 33 | 8 |
| 4th | 12:01 | 8 | 81 | 2:50 | DELA | Gene Coleman II (#5) 7-yard touchdown reception from Nolan Henderson (#14), 2-point pass good | 33 | 16 |
| 4th | 9:40 | 5 | 75 | 2:21 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 10-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 40 | 16 |
| 4th | 6:00 | 7 | 80 | 3:35 | DELA | Chichi Amachi (#2) 44-yard touchdown reception from Nolan Henderson (#14), 2-point rush failed | 40 | 22 |
| 4th | 1:46 | 9 | 75 | 4:14 | NDSU | Saybein Clark (#30) 20-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 47 | 22 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 47 | 22 |

#### UC Davis

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 4 Aggies | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 16 |
| No. 1 Bison | 7 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: September 21, 2019
* Game time: 2:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 18,425
* Referee: Matt Packowski
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | UC Davis | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 19 | 16 |
| Plays–yards | 80–422 | 67–354 |
| Rushes–yards | 32–110 | 44–198 |
| Passing yards | 312 | 156 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 29–48–3 | 13–23–0 |
| Time of possession | 29:33 | 30:27 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| UC Davis | Passing | Jake Maier | 29/48, 312 yds, TD, 3 INT |
| UC Davis | Rushing | Ulonzo Gilliam Jr. | 19 car, 73 yds |
| UC Davis | Receiving | Jared Harrell | 12 rec, 102 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 13/23, 156 yds |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Ty Brooks | 11 car, 104 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 4 rec, 56 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | UCD | NDSU |
| 1st | 11:58 | 6 | 33 | 2:27 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 2-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 4:59 | 5 | 44 | 2:31 | UCD | Wes Preece (#87) 17-yard touchdown reception from Jake Maier (#15), Max O'Rourke (#43) kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 2nd | 10:28 | 8 | 49 | 3:39 | UCD | 48-yard field goal by Max O'Rourke (#43) | 10 | 7 |
| 2nd | 7:24 | 6 | 69 | 2:56 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 10 | 14 |
| 2nd | 0:54 | 10 | 66 | 2:23 | UCD | 44-yard field goal by Max O'Rourke (#43) | 13 | 14 |
| 2nd | 0:00 | 6 | 39 | 0:47 | NDSU | 42-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 13 | 17 |
| 3rd | 7:32 | 11 | 61 | 5:36 | NDSU | 26-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 13 | 20 |
| 3rd | 4:07 | 10 | 57 | 3:23 | UCD | 40-yard field goal by Max O'Rourke (#43) | 16 | 20 |
| 4th | 2:50 | 3 | 18 | 0:53 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 10-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 16 | 27 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 16 | 27 |

#### Illinois State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Bison | 16 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 37 |
| No. 10 Redbirds | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Hancock Stadium, Normal, IL
* Date: October 5, 2019
* Game time: 12:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 13,391
* Referee: David Siegle
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Illinois State |
| First downs | 22 | 11 |
| Plays–yards | 70–482 | 51–200 |
| Rushes–yards | 55–293 | 31–79 |
| Passing yards | 189 | 121 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 12–15–0 | 8–20–0 |
| Time of possession | 35:57 | 24:03 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 12/15, 189 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Ty Brooks | 9 car, 106 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 3 rec, 57 yds, TD |
| Illinois State | Passing | Brady Davis | 8/20, 121 yds |
| Illinois State | Rushing | James Robinson | 20 car, 94 yds |
| Illinois State | Receiving | Kacper Rutkiewicz | 3 rec, 83 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | ILL ST |
| 1st | 11:11 | 5 | 56 | 1:59 | NDSU | Noah Gindorff (#87) 35-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 1st | 8:20 | 3 | 63 | 1:13 | NDSU | Ty Brooks (#28) 53-yard touchdown run, 2-point rush failed | 13 | 0 |
| 1st | 2:03 | 12 | 56 | 6:17 | ILL ST | 25-yard field goal by Sam Fenlason (#36) | 13 | 3 |
| 1st | 0:07 | 4 | -3 | 1:44 | NDSU | 38-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 16 | 3 |
| 2nd | 2:17 | 9 | 80 | 4:56 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 4-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 23 | 3 |
| 3rd | 2:43 | 11 | 80 | 5:51 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 42-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 30 | 3 |
| 4th | 7:32 | 15 | 92 | 7:47 | NDSU | Ben Ellefson (#82) 7-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 37 | 3 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 37 | 3 |

#### Northern Iowa

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 10 Panthers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| No. 1 Bison | 15 | 3 | 7 | 21 | 46 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: October 12, 2019
* Game time: 1:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 18,178
* Referee: Art Brown
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Northern Iowa | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 14 | 24 |
| Plays–yards | 63–339 | 69–492 |
| Rushes–yards | 33–106 | 51–347 |
| Passing yards | 233 | 145 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 15–30–1 | 10–18–0 |
| Time of possession | 28:20 | 31:40 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Northern Iowa | Passing | Will McElvain | 15/29, 233 yds, TD |
| Northern Iowa | Rushing | Tyler Hoosman | 12 car, 54 yds, TD |
| Northern Iowa | Receiving | Isaiah Weston | 5 rec, 129 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 10/18, 145 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Adam Cofield | 15 car, 104 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Phoenix Sproles | 3 rec, 59 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | UNI | NDSU |
| 1st | 10:57 | 8 | 77 | 3:57 | NDSU | Phoenix Sproles (#11) 36-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), 2-point rush good | 0 | 8 |
| 1st | 2:12 | 6 | 44 | 2:58 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 19-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 15 |
| 2nd | 13:13 | 2 | 11 | 0:44 | UNI | Isaiah Weston 17-yard touchdown reception from Will McElvain, Matthew Cook kick good | 7 | 15 |
| 2nd | 6:29 | 14 | 64 | 6:38 | NDSU | 25-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 7 | 18 |
| 2nd | 2:40 | 8 | 65 | 3:49 | UNI | Tyler Hoosman 6-yard touchdown run, Matthew Cook kick good | 14 | 18 |
| 3rd | 13:02 | 2 | 35 | 0:42 | NDSU | Noah Gindorff (#87) 30-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 14 | 25 |
| 4th | 12:53 | 11 | 68 | 4:51 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 14 | 32 |
| 4th | 9:05 | 4 | 54 | 1:51 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 37-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 14 | 39 |
| 4th | 2:05 | 5 | 65 | 2:52 | NDSU | Kobe Johnson (#24) 50-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 14 | 46 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 14 | 46 |

#### Missouri State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 1 Bison | 8 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 22 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: October 19, 2019
* Game time: 2:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 18,252
* Referee: Andy Speciale
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Missouri State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 12 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 57–185 | 74–447 |
| Rushes–yards | 20–21 | 43–222 |
| Passing yards | 164 | 225 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 20–37–0 | 21–31–0 |
| Time of possession | 25:08 | 34:52 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Missouri State | Passing | Peyton Huslig | 20/37, 164 yds |
| Missouri State | Rushing | Myron Mason | 4 car, 15 yds |
| Missouri State | Receiving | Damoriea Vick | 6 rec, 72 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 21/31, 225 yds |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Adam Cofield | 12 car, 93 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Phoenix Sproles | 6 rec, 52 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MOST | NDSU |
| 1st | 7:40 | 6 | 65 | 3:35 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 21-yard touchdown run, 2-point rush good | 0 | 8 |
| 2nd | 9:44 | 9 | 87 | 4:22 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 15 |
| 4th | 5:48 | 8 | 54 | 3:26 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 22 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 0 | 22 |

#### South Dakota State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Bison | 0 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 23 |
| No. 3 Jackrabbits | 6 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 16 |
at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings, SD
* Date: October 26, 2019
* Game time: 2:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Sunny; 62 °F (17 °C); Wind: S 15-20 MPH
* Game attendance: 19,371
* Referee: David Siegle
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | South Dakota State |
| First downs | 18 | 19 |
| Plays–yards | 59–394 | 60–330 |
| Rushes–yards | 44–332 | 43–220 |
| Passing yards | 62 | 110 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 7–15–1 | 7–17–1 |
| Time of possession | 30:57 | 29:03 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 7/14, 62 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Ty Brooks | 9 car, 97 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Phoenix Sproles | 1 rec, 24 yds |
| South Dakota State | Passing | J'Bore Gibbs | 3/5, 70 yds |
| South Dakota State | Rushing | Pierre Strong Jr. | 19 car, 120 yds |
| South Dakota State | Receiving | Cade Johnson | 4 rec, 76 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | SDSU |
| 1st | 12:39 | 6 | 64 | 2:21 | SDSU | 29-yard field goal by Chase Vinatieri (#4) | 0 | 3 |
| 1st | 2:11 | 12 | 72 | 5:14 | SDSU | 25-yard field goal by Chase Vinatieri (#4) | 0 | 6 |
| 2nd | 5:53 | 15 | 85 | 8:15 | NDSU | 22-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 3 | 6 |
| 3rd | 8:15 | 6 | 80 | 2:38 | NDSU | Ty Brooks (#28) 59-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 10 | 6 |
| 3rd | 5:57 | 5 | 14 | 2:07 | NDSU | Ben Ellefson (#82) 6-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), 2-point rush good | 16 | 6 |
| 3rd | 0:56 | 9 | 52 | 5:01 | SDSU | 40-yard field goal by Chase Vinatieri (#4) | 16 | 9 |
| 4th | 7:22 | 9 | 80 | 4:54 | SDSU | Keaton Heide (#13) 3-yard touchdown run, Chase Vinatieri (#4) kick good | 16 | 16 |
| 4th | 2:32 | 4 | 80 | 2:24 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 71-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 23 | 16 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 23 | 16 |

#### Youngstown State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Bison | 21 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 56 |
| Penguins | 0 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
at Stambaugh Stadium, Youngstown, OH
* Date: November 2, 2019
* Game time: 5:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Cloudy; 44 °F (7 °C); Wind: WSW 12 MPH
* Game attendance: 11,102
* Referee: Art Brown
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Youngstown State |
| First downs | 12 | 16 |
| Plays–yards | 45–447 | 65–279 |
| Rushes–yards | 34–251 | 43–173 |
| Passing yards | 196 | 106 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 9–11–0 | 11–22–0 |
| Time of possession | 24:11 | 35:49 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 7/9, 160 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Kobe Johnson | 6 car, 103 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson Phoenix Sproles | 1 rec, 69 yds, TD 3 rec, 69 yds |
| Youngstown State | Passing | Mark Waid | 5/10, 52 yds |
| Youngstown State | Rushing | Mark Waid | 8 car, 79 yds, TD |
| Youngstown State | Receiving | Miles Joiner | 3 rec, 37 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | YSU |
| 1st | 10:42 | 4 | 25 | 2:05 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 9-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 1st | 5:22 | 4 | 88 | 1:27 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 69-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 1st | 1:09 | 5 | 62 | 2:24 | NDSU | Josh Babicz (#81) 6-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 21 | 0 |
| 2nd | 9:17 | 3 | 41 | 1:16 | NDSU | Josh Babicz (#81) 6-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 28 | 0 |
| 2nd | 2:35 | 5 | 43 | 2:35 | NDSU | Dimitri Williams (#4) 4-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 35 | 0 |
| 2nd | 0:55 | 5 | 33 | 1:28 | YSU | Miles Joiner 23-yard touchdown reception from Joe Craycraft, Colten McFadden kick good | 35 | 7 |
| 2nd | 0:42 | | | | NDSU | Kickoff returned 94 yards for touchdown by Kobe Johnson (#24), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 42 | 7 |
| 3rd | 7:53 | 14 | 77 | 7:02 | YSU | 27-yard field goal by Colten McFadden | 42 | 10 |
| 3rd | 6:20 | 3 | 83 | 1:27 | NDSU | Kobe Johnson (#24) 75-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 49 | 10 |
| 4th | 13:49 | 7 | 74 | 3:27 | NDSU | Dimitri Williams (#4) 30-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 56 | 10 |
| 4th | 8:17 | 10 | 66 | 5:27 | YSU | Mark Waid 27-yard touchdown run, Colten McFadden kick good | 56 | 17 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 56 | 17 |

#### Western Illinois

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Leathernecks | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 21 |
| No. 1 Bison | 13 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 57 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: November 9, 2019
* Game time: 2:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 17,441
* Referee: Aaron Adams
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Western Illinois | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 18 | 27 |
| Plays–yards | 63–308 | 78–690 |
| Rushes–yards | 36–169 | 49–352 |
| Passing yards | 139 | 338 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 17–27–2 | 20–29–0 |
| Time of possession | 21:10 | 38:50 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Western Illinois | Passing | Kevin Johnson | 9/12, 84 yds, 2 TD |
| Western Illinois | Rushing | Tony Tate | 6 car, 51 yds |
| Western Illinois | Receiving | Dennis Houston | 3 rec, 40 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 17/22, 313 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Jalen Bussey | 6 car, 123 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 4 rec, 121 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | WIU | NDSU |
| 1st | 11:19 | 5 | 50 | 2:27 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 7:48 | 3 | 46 | 1:35 | NDSU | Dimitri Williams (#4) 10-yard touchdown run, 2-point rush good | 0 | 13 |
| 2nd | 13:33 | 13 | 80 | 6:54 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 23-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 20 |
| 2nd | 1:41 | 3 | 86 | 0:35 | NDSU | Josh Babicz (#81) 88-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 27 |
| 3rd | 11:58 | 7 | 75 | 3:02 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 51-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick no good | 0 | 33 |
| 3rd | 9:21 | 8 | 72 | 2:31 | WIU | Clint Ratkovich (#25) 9-yard touchdown reception from Kevin Johnson, Nathan Erickson (#33) kick good | 7 | 33 |
| 3rd | 5:42 | 8 | 75 | 3:39 | NDSU | Dimitri Williams (#4) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 40 |
| 4th | 12:26 | 5 | 65 | 1:41 | WIU | George Wahee (#11) 17-yard touchdown reception from Kevin Johnson (#19), Nathan Erickson (#33) kick good | 14 | 40 |
| 4th | 12:15 | 1 | 65 | 0:17 | NDSU | Jalen Bussey (#21) 65-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 14 | 47 |
| 4th | 11:21 | 4 | 1 | 0:48 | NDSU | 32-yard field goal by Will Cardinal (#15) | 14 | 50 |
| 4th | 9:04 | 7 | 60 | 2:06 | WIU | George Wahee (#11) 28-yard touchdown run, Nathan Erickson (#19) kick good | 21 | 50 |
| 4th | 8:47 | 1 | 45 | 0:09 | NDSU | Jalen Bussey (#21) 45-yard touchdown run, Will Cardinal (#15) kick good | 21 | 57 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 21 | 57 |

#### South Dakota

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Coyotes | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| No. 1 Bison | 14 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 49 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: November 16, 2019
* Game time: 2:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 17,844
* Referee: David Siegle
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | South Dakota | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 16 | 33 |
| Plays–yards | 64–245 | 70–700 |
| Rushes–yards | 45–172 | 52–419 |
| Passing yards | 73 | 281 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 11–19–0 | 15–18–0 |
| Time of possession | 27:40 | 32:20 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| South Dakota | Passing | Austin Simmons | 11/19, 73 yds |
| South Dakota | Rushing | Kai Henry | 8 car, 58 yds, TD |
| South Dakota | Receiving | Carter Bell | 3 rec, 46 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 12/15, 249 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Ty Brooks | 11 car, 128 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 3 rec, 94 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | USD | NDSU |
| 1st | 9:22 | 8 | 84 | 3:02 | NDSU | Ty Brooks (#28) 2-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 4:33 | 6 | 58 | 2:11 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 7-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 2nd | 14:53 | 5 | 90 | 2:02 | NDSU | Ben Ellefson (#82) 32-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#36), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 21 |
| 2nd | 7:50 | 9 | 90 | 4:33 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 43-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 28 |
| 2nd | 5:01 | 7 | 65 | 2:49 | USD | Kai Henry (#2) 1-yard touchdown run, Mason Lorber (#31) kick good | 7 | 28 |
| 3rd | 12:13 | 5 | 68 | 2:39 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 7-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 35 |
| 3rd | 6:58 | 8 | 60 | 3:18 | NDSU | Ty Brooks (#28) 4-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 42 |
| 4th | 14:56 | 10 | 66 | 4:59 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 3-yard touchdown reception from Zeb Noland (#8), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 49 |
| 4th | 7:03 | 19 | 74 | 7:46 | USD | Canaan Brooks (#25) 2-yard touchdown run, Mason Lorber (#31) kick good | 14 | 49 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 14 | 49 |

#### Southern Illinois

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Bison | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Salukis | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Saluki Stadium, Carbondale, IL
* Date: November 23, 2019
* Game time: 2:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Overcast; 39 °F (4 °C); NW 11 MPH
* Game attendance: 5,423
* Referee: Matt Gallagher
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Southern Illinois |
| First downs | 22 | 14 |
| Plays–yards | 68–392 | 52–276 |
| Rushes–yards | 45–246 | 42–206 |
| Passing yards | 146 | 70 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 13–23–0 | 6–10–1 |
| Time of possession | 31:14 | 28:46 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 13/23, 146 yds |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Adam Cofield | 15 car, 87 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Jimmy Kepouros | 6 rec, 80 yds |
| Southern Illinois | Passing | Kare Lyles | 6/10, 70 yds, INT |
| Southern Illinois | Rushing | Javon Williams Jr. | 23 car, 117 yds, TD |
| Southern Illinois | Receiving | Avante Cox | 2 rec, 25 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | SIU |
| 1st | 9:59 | 10 | 91 | 5:01 | NDSU | Kobe Johnson (#24) 44-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2nd | 9:35 | 10 | 60 | 5:40 | SIU | Javon Williams (#15) 28-yard touchdown run, Nico Gualdoni (#99) kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 3rd | 5:15 | 10 | 74 | 5:34 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 8-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 14 | 7 |
| 4th | 11:36 | 13 | 86 | 6:50 | NDSU | Trey Lance 34-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 21 | 7 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 21 | 7 |

### FCS Playoffs

The Bison entered the postseason tournament as the number one seed, with a first-round bye.

#### Nicholls

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 19 Colonels | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| No. 1 (1) Bison | 7 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 37 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: December 7, 2019
* Game time: 2:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 15,690
* Referee: Bob Johnson
* TV announcers (ESPN3): Jim Barbar, John Gregory
| Statistics | Nicholls | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 18 | 21 |
| Plays–yards | 56–265 | 57–434 |
| Rushes–yards | 41–171 | 41–265 |
| Passing yards | 94 | 169 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 11–15–2 | 10–16–0 |
| Time of possession | 26:31 | 33:29 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Nicholls | Passing | Chase Fourcade | 11/15, 94 yds, TD, 2 INT |
| Nicholls | Rushing | Julien Gums | 15 car, 77 yds |
| Nicholls | Receiving | Dai'Jean Dixon | 4 rec, 66 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 10/16, 169 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Trey Lance | 11 car, 88 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Jimmy Kepouros | 2 rec, 62 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NICH | NDSU |
| 1st | 3:03 | 9 | 62 | 3:17 | NICH | 35-yard field goal by Gavin Lasseigne (#46) | 3 | 0 |
| 1st | 0:00 | 6 | 6 | 84 | NDSU | Phoenix Sproles (#11) 55-yard touchdown run, Will Cardinal (#15) kick good | 3 | 7 |
| 2nd | 12:53 | 12 | 82 | 2:03 | NICH | Dai'Jean Dixon (#5) 25-yard touchdown reception from Chase Fourcade (#9), Gavin Lasseigne (#46) kick good | 10 | 7 |
| 2nd | 4:13 | 6 | 80 | 3:36 | NDSU | Jimmy Kepouros (#19) 43-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Will Cardinal (#15) kick good | 10 | 14 |
| 3rd | 10:36 | 8 | 69 | 4:24 | NICH | 23-yard field goal by Gavin Lasseigne (#46) | 13 | 14 |
| 3rd | 6:26 | 4 | 2 | 1:26 | NDSU | 32-yard field goal by Will Cardinal (#15) | 13 | 17 |
| 3rd | 2:58 | 4 | 13 | 1:55 | NDSU | Noah Gindorff (#87) 3-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Will Cardinal (#15) kick good | 13 | 24 |
| 4th | 8:21 | 12 | 85 | 6:30 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 6-yard touchdown run, Will Cardinal (#15) kick good | 13 | 31 |
| 4th | 3:12 | 5 | 44 | 2:58 | NDSU | Dimitri Williams (#4) 3-yard touchdown run, Will Cardinal (#15) kick no good | 13 | 37 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 13 | 37 |

#### Illinois State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 13 Redbirds | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| No. 1 (1) Bison | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: December 14, 2019
* Game time: 11:00 a.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 14,132
* Referee: Matt Overton
* TV announcers (ESPN): Jay Alter, Ray Bentley
| Statistics | Illinois State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 9 | 15 |
| Plays–yards | 48–194 | 64–263 |
| Rushes–yards | 40–160 | 43–128 |
| Passing yards | 34 | 135 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 3–8–1 | 10–21–0 |
| Time of possession | 27:33 | 32:27 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Illinois State | Passing | Bryce Jefferson | 3/8, 34 yds, INT |
| Illinois State | Rushing | James Robinson | 24 car, 94 yds |
| Illinois State | Receiving | James Robinson | 1 rec, 16 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 10/21, 135 yds |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Ty Brooks | 8 car, 49 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 7 rec, 107 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | ILL ST | NDSU |
| 2nd | 14:23 | 9 | 40 | 3:51 | NDSU | 38-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 0 | 3 |
| 2nd | 10:00 | 5 | 50 | 2:18 | NDSU | 33-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 0 | 6 |
| 2nd | 0:27 | 17 | 69 | 7:23 | NDSU | 22-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#36) | 0 | 9 |
| 3rd | 2:02 | 12 | 70 | 6:27 | ILL ST | 27-yard field goal by Sam Fenlason (#36) | 3 | 9 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 3 | 9 |

#### Montana State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 5 (5) Bobcats | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| No. 1 (1) Bison | 7 | 22 | 7 | 6 | 42 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: December 21, 2019
* Game time: 1:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 18,077
* Referee: Steve Hazle
* TV: ESPN2
| Statistics | Montana State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 13 | 21 |
| Plays–yards | 61–298 | 58–541 |
| Rushes–yards | 39–148 | 37–318 |
| Passing yards | 150 | 223 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 13–22–1 | 15–21–0 |
| Time of possession | 30:34 | 29:26 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Montana State | Passing | Tucker Rovig | 13/22, 150 yds, TD, INT |
| Montana State | Rushing | Isaiah Ifanse | 11 car, 60 yds |
| Montana State | Receiving | Kevin Kassis | 2 rec, 45 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 15/21, 223 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Christian Watson | 3 car, 86 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 2 rec, 88 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MON ST | NDSU |
| 1st | 7:35 | 12 | 73 | 6:39 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 8-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 2nd | 12:44 | 8 | 78 | 4:08 | MON ST | Travis Jonsen (#10) 1-yard touchdown run, Tristan Bailey (#23) kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 2nd | 12:34 | 1 | 75 | 0:10 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 75-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd | 10:51 | 1 | 70 | 0:10 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 70-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good | 7 | 22 |
| 2nd | 0:24 | 15 | 75 | 8:20 | NDSU | Jimmy Kepouros (#19) 6-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 7 | 29 |
| 3rd | 6:27 | 2 | 45 | 0:41 | MON ST | Kevin Kassis (#85) 41-yard touchdown reception from Tucker Rovig (#12), Tristan Bailey (#23) kick good | 14 | 29 |
| 3rd | 4:46 | 3 | 78 | 1:37 | NDSU | Dimitri Williams (#4) 73-yard touchdown reception from Trey Lance (#5), Griffin Crosa (#36) kick good | 14 | 36 |
| 4th | 13:23 | 2 | 50 | 0:45 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 6-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed | 14 | 42 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 14 | 42 |

#### James Madison

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 (2) Dukes | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| No. 1 (1) Bison | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
at Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
* Date: January 11, 2020
* Game time: 11:00 a.m.
* Game weather: Cloudy; 30 °F (−1 °C); Wind: WNW 16 MPH
* Game attendance: 17,866
* Referee: Kelly Holman
* TV announcers (ESPN2): Mark Jones, Dusty Dvoracek, Olivia Dekker
| Statistics | James Madison | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 24 | 20 |
| Plays–yards | 78–365 | 55–353 |
| Rushes–yards | 45–161 | 45–281 |
| Passing yards | 204 | 72 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 22–33–1 | 6–10–0 |
| Time of possession | 31:43 | 28:17 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| James Madison | Passing | Ben DiNucci | 22/33, 204 yds, 2 TD, INT |
| James Madison | Rushing | Percy Agyei-Obese | 18 car, 73 yds |
| James Madison | Receiving | Riley Stapleton | 10 rec, 100 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Trey Lance | 6/10, 72 yds |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Trey Lance | 30 car, 166 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Noah Gindorff | 1 rec, 22 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | JMU | NDSU |
| 1st | 7:27 | 17 | 86 | 7:33 | JMU | Riley Stapleton (#10) 5-yard touchdown reception from Ben DiNucci (#6), Ethan Ratke (#91) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 1st | 3:30 | 8 | 70 | 3:54 | NDSU | Adam Cofield (#18) 1-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 2nd | 14:50 | 4 | 69 | 2:13 | NDSU | Phoenix Sproles (#11) 38-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd | 9:37 | 11 | 56 | 5:13 | JMU | 26-yard field goal by Ethan Ratke (#91) | 10 | 14 |
| 2nd | 3:47 | 12 | 81 | 5:46 | NDSU | James Hendricks (#6) 20-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 10 | 21 |
| 3rd | 8:45 | 10 | 50 | 4:02 | JMU | 27-yard field goal by Ethan Ratke (#91) | 13 | 21 |
| 4th | 14:50 | 6 | 65 | 2:50 | NDSU | Trey Lance (#5) 44-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 13 | 28 |
| 4th | 6:55 | 11 | 46 | 4:29 | JMU | Riley Stapleton (#10) 5-yard touchdown reception from Ben DiNucci (#6), Ethan Ratke kick good | 20 | 28 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 20 | 28 |

## Ranking movements
### AP Poll

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| AP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV | — |

### FCS polls

Ranking movements Legend: ( ) = First-place votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Final |
| STATS FCS | 1 (142) | 1 (148) | 1 (149) | 1 (150) | 1 (153) | 1 (152) | 1 (155) | 1 (155) | 1 (156) | 1 (154) | 1 (155) | 1 (153) | 1 (156) | 1 (152) | 1 (153) |

## Players drafted into the NFL

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL team |
| 7 | 254 | Derrek Tuszka | OLB | Denver Broncos |