# 2021 North Dakota State Bison football team

The 2021 North Dakota State Bison football team represented the North Dakota State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bison competed as members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and were led by third-year head coach Matt Entz. They played their home games at Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota.
The Bison finished their regular season with a 10–1 record (7–1 in conference), losing only to South Dakota State. They were seeded second in the FCS postseason tournament and received a first-round bye; they then defeated Southern Illinois, East Tennessee State, and James Madison to reach the championship game. The Bison completed their season by defeating Montana State on January 8 in Frisco, Texas, to capture the program's ninth FCS title in 11 seasons.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | 2:30 p.m. | Albany* | No. 4 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 28–6 | 15,156 |
| September 11 | 2:30 p.m. | Valparaiso* | No. 5 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 64–0 | 15,118 |
| September 18 | 5:00 p.m. | at Towson* | No. 5 | Johnny Unitas StadiumTowson, MD | FloSports | W 35–7 | 9,109 |
| October 2 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 10 North Dakota | No. 5 | Alerus CenterGrand Forks, ND (Nickel Trophy) | ABC ND/ESPN+/Midco | W 16–10 | 12,846 |
| October 9 | 1:00 p.m. | No. 16 Northern Iowa | No. 5 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 34–20 | 18,536 |
| October 16 | 2:00 p.m. | at Illinois State | No. 3 | Hancock StadiumNormal, IL | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 20–0 | 12,416 |
| October 23 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 17 Missouri State | No. 3 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 27–20 | 15,559 |
| October 30 | 2:30 p.m. | Indiana State | No. 2 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 44–2 | 14,383 |
| November 6 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 9 South Dakota State | No. 2 | Dana J. Dykhouse StadiumBrookings, SD (Dakota Marker) | ABC ND/ESPN+/Midco | L 19–27 | 18,122 |
| November 13 | 11:00 a.m. | at Youngstown State | No. 5 | Stambaugh StadiumYoungstown, OH | ESPN+ | W 49–17 | 8,307 |
| November 20 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 16 South Dakota | No. 4 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+/Midco | W 52–24 | 16,252 |
| December 4 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 21 Southern Illinois* | No. 3 | FargodomeFargo, ND (NCAA Division I Second Round) | ESPN+ | W 38–7 | 12,557 |
| December 11 | 11:00 a.m. | No. 7 East Tennessee State* | No. 3 | FargodomeFargo, ND (NCAA Division I Quarterfinal) | ESPN | W 27–3 | 11,794 |
| December 17 | 8:15 p.m. | No. 2 James Madison* | No. 3 | FargodomeFargo, ND (NCAA Division I Semifinal) | ESPN2 | W 20–14 | 16,550 |
| January 8, 2022 | 11:00 a.m. | vs. No. 7 Montana State | No. 3 | Toyota StadiumFrisco, TX (NCAA Division I Championship Game) | ESPN2 | W 38–10 | 18,942 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Regular season
#### Albany

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Great Danes | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| No. 4 Bison | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: September 4, 2021
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 15,156
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Albany | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 8 | 20 |
| Plays–yards | 47-205 | 62-387 |
| Rushes–yards | 19-22 | 43-259 |
| Passing yards | 183 | 128 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 16-28-2 | 14-19-0 |
| Time of possession | 23:29 | 36:31 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Albany | Passing | Jeff Undercuffer | 16/28, 183 yds, TD, 2 INT |
| Albany | Rushing | Karl Mofor | 11 car, 21 yds |
| Albany | Receiving | Roy Alexander | 4 rec, 113 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Quincy Patterson | 12/16, 115 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Dominic Gonnella | 13 car, 135 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 4 rec, 37 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | ALB | NDSU |
| 1st | 1:41 | 8 | 80 | 3:59 | NDSU | Dominic Gonnella (#29) 3-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 2nd | 0:20 | 5 | 39 | 1:45 | NDSU | Josh Babicz (#81) 18-yard touchdown reception from Quincy Patterson (#2), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 2nd | 0:04 | 1 | 67 | 0:11 | ALB | Roy Alexander (#11) 67-yard touchdown reception from Jeff Undercuffer (#13), 2-point pass incomplete | 6 | 14 |
| 3rd | 14:47 | 1 | 75 | 0:13 | NDSU | Dominic Gonnella (#29) 75-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 6 | 21 |
| 4th | 7:10 | 5 | 28 | 2:09 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 7-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 6 | 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. | 6 | 28 |

#### Valparaiso

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Beacons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 5 Bison | 22 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 64 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: September 11, 2021
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 15,118
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Valparaiso | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 15 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 64-185 | 49-583 |
| Rushes–yards | 41-73 | 43-458 |
| Passing yards | 112 | 125 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 14-23-1 | 5-6-0 |
| Time of possession | 35:03 | 24:57 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Valparaiso | Passing | Ben Nimz | 9/14, 63 yds |
| Valparaiso | Rushing | Ben Nimz | 5 car, 20 yds |
| Valparaiso | Receiving | Jordan Bingham | 4 rec, 34 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Quincy Patterson | 4/5, 102 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Quincy Patterson | 4 car, 94 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 2 rec, 83 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | VALPO | NDSU |
| 1st | 13:14 | | | | NDSU | Punt returned 45 yards for touchdown by Jayden Price (#23), 2-point rush good | 0 | 8 |
| 1st | 5:22 | 9 | 92 | 3:45 | NDSU | Braylon Henderson (#12) 28-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 15 |
| 1st | 0:10 | 4 | 67 | 2:15 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 20-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 22 |
| 2nd | 12:32 | 1 | 65 | 0:10 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 65-yard touchdown reception from Quincy Patterson (#2), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 29 |
| 2nd | 7:03 | 3 | 80 | 1:06 | NDSU | Jalen Bussey (#21) 72-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 36 |
| 2nd | 0:24 | 6 | 83 | 1:28 | NDSU | Quincy Patterson (#2) 52-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 43 |
| 3rd | 10:58 | 1 | 9 | 0:04 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 9-yard touchdown run, Will Cardinal (#38) kick good | 0 | 50 |
| 3rd | 1:57 | 10 | 91 | 5:59 | NDSU | Jalen Bussey (#21) 23-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Will Cardinal (#38) kick good | 0 | 57 |
| 4th | 5:34 | 10 | 80 | 6:12 | NDSU | Cole Payton (#15) 37-yard touchdown run, Will Cardinal (#38) kick good | 0 | 64 |
| "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 | 64 |

#### Towson

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 5 Bison | 6 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Johnny Unitas Stadium, Towson, MD
* Date: September 18, 2021
* Game time: 5:00 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Sunny; 80 °F (27 °C)
* Game attendance: 9,109
* TV: FloSports
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Towson |
| First downs | 21 | 12 |
| Plays–yards | 58-493 | 58-200 |
| Rushes–yards | 46-328 | 30-35 |
| Passing yards | 165 | 165 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 6-12-1 | 19-28-0 |
| Time of possession | 30:14 | 29:43 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Quincy Patterson | 6/11, 165 yds, TD, INT |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Dominic Gonnella | 13 car, 92 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 3 rec, 79 yds, TD |
| Towson | Passing | Chris Ferguson | 19/28, 165 yds |
| Towson | Rushing | Jerry Howard | 18 car, 45 yds, TD |
| Towson | Receiving | Caleb Smith | 1 rec, 39 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | TOW |
| 1st | 8:38 | 4 | 86 | 2:05 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 67-yard touchdown reception from Quincy Patterson (#2), 2-point rush no good | 6 | 0 |
| 2nd | 14:57 | 12 | 82 | 6:45 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 1-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 13 | 0 |
| 2nd | 9:07 | 7 | 96 | 3:32 | NDSU | Quincy Patterson (#2) 3-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick failed | 19 | 0 |
| 2nd | 2:15 | | | | NDSU | Chris Ferguson (#14) tackled in end zone for a safety by Brayden Thomas (#98) | 21 | 0 |
| 3rd | 11:02 | 7 | 73 | 3:58 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 3-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 28 | 0 |
| 4th | 11:35 | 6 | 58 | 3:25 | NDSU | Jalen Bussey (#21) 12-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 35 | 0 |
| 4th | 2:20 | 14 | 83 | 5:33 | TOW | Jerry Howard (#31) 1-yard touchdown run, Keegan Vaughan (#30) kick good | 35 | 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. | 35 | 7 |

#### North Dakota

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 5 Bison | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 16 |
| No. 10 Fighting Hawks | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
at Alerus Center, Grand Forks, ND
* Date: October 2, 2021
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 72 °F (22 °C)
* Game attendance: 12,846
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | North Dakota |
| First downs | 13 | 13 |
| Plays–yards | 58-280 | 61-289 |
| Rushes–yards | 47-223 | 29-113 |
| Passing yards | 57 | 176 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 5-11-0 | 18-32-1 |
| Time of possession | 33:01 | 26:59 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Quincy Patterson | 4/10, 48 yds |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Quincy Patterson | 19 car, 92 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Noah Gindorff | 4 rec, 58 yds |
| North Dakota | Passing | Tommy Schuster | 18/30, 176 yds, TD, INT |
| North Dakota | Rushing | Otis Weah | 19 car, 85 yds |
| North Dakota | Receiving | Luke Skokna | 6 rec, 50 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | UND |
| 1st | 4:55 | 10 | 38 | 4:07 | NDSU | 45-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 3 | 0 |
| 1st | 1:34 | 8 | 73 | 3:16 | UND | Bo Belquist (#1) 30-yard touchdown reception from Tommy Schuster (#2), Adam Stage (#45) kick good | 3 | 7 |
| 2nd | 13:48 | 7 | 32 | 2:38 | NDSU | 34-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 6 | 7 |
| 3rd | 4:34 | 4 | 8 | 2:20 | NDSU | 30-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 9 | 7 |
| 4th | 1:13 | 8 | 58 | 4:34 | NDSU | Quincy Patterson (#2) 3-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 16 | 7 |
| 4th | 0:16 | 6 | 29 | 0:51 | UND | 46-yard field goal by Adam Stage (#45) | 16 | 10 |
| "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 | 10 |

#### Northern Iowa

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 12 Panthers | 0 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
| No. 5 Bison | 10 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 34 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: October 9, 2021
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 18,536
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Northern Iowa | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 14 | 15 |
| Plays–yards | 63-381 | 64-363 |
| Rushes–yards | 32-124 | 43-181 |
| Passing yards | 257 | 182 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 12-31-0 | 11-21-0 |
| Time of possession | 27:37 | 32:23 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Northern Iowa | Passing | Theo Day | 12/31, 257 yds, TD |
| Northern Iowa | Rushing | Bradrick Shaw | 10 car, 44 yds |
| Northern Iowa | Receiving | Isaiah Weston | 5 rec, 181 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Quincy Patterson | 11/21, 182 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Quincy Patterson | 12 car, 60 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 5 rec, 163 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 | 7:37 | 1 | 85 | 0:11 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 85-yard touchdown reception from Quincy Patterson (#2), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 3:37 | 6 | 40 | 2:11 | NDSU | 27-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 0 | 10 |
| 2nd | 11:24 | 8 | 73 | 3:36 | UNI | Isaiah Weston (#80) 44-yard touchdown reception from Theo Day (#12), Matthew Cook (#97) kick good | 7 | 10 |
| 2nd | 3:00 | 8 | 73 | 3:36 | UNI | 33-yard field goal by Matthew Cook (#97) | 10 | 10 |
| 2nd | 0:23 | 9 | 71 | 2:37 | NDSU | 22-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 10 | 13 |
| 3rd | 11:46 | 2 | 9 | 1:12 | NDSU | Quincy Patterson (#2) 4-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 10 | 20 |
| 3rd | 9:02 | 4 | 21 | 2:06 | NDSU | Noah Gindorff (#87) 3-yard touchdown reception from Quincy Patterson (#2), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 10 | 27 |
| 3rd | 7:39 | 3 | 75 | 1:23 | UNI | Dom Williams (#7) 5-yard touchdown run, Matthew Cook (#98) kick good | 17 | 27 |
| 4th | 14:09 | 16 | 80 | 8:26 | NDSU | Quincy Patterson (#2) 4-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 17 | 34 |
| 4th | 9:08 | 11 | 48 | 5:01 | UNI | 44-yard field goal by Matthew Cook (#98) | 20 | 34 |
| "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 | 34 |

#### Illinois State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 3 Bison | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Redbirds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Hancock Stadium, Normal, IL
* Date: October 16, 2021
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Sunny; 60 °F (16 °C); S 13 MPH
* Game attendance: 12,416
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Illinois State |
| First downs | 15 | 9 |
| Plays–yards | 70-325 | 50-99 |
| Rushes–yards | 48-201 | 30-59 |
| Passing yards | 124 | 40 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 13-22-2 | 4-20-2 |
| Time of possession | 37:12 | 22:48 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Quincy Patterson | 13/22, 124 yds, TD, 2 INT |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Quincy Patterson | 18 car, 100 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Phoenix Sproles | 3 rec, 46 yds |
| Illinois State | Passing | Bryce Jefferson | 4/18, 40 yds, 2 INT |
| Illinois State | Rushing | Cole Mueller | 8 car, 27 yds |
| Illinois State | Receiving | Tristan Bailey | 1 rec, 15 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 | 4:55 | 7 | 67 | 4:06 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 4-yard touchdown reception from Quincy Patterson (#2), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2nd | 0:00 | 6 | 34 | 0:42 | NDSU | 46-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 10 | 0 |
| 4th | 5:41 | 9 | 26 | 4:35 | NDSU | 24-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 13 | 0 |
| 4th | 2:37 | 5 | 33 | 2:23 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 7-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 20 | 0 |
| "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 | 0 |

#### Missouri State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 17 Bears | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| No. 3 Bison | 0 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 27 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: October 23, 2021
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 15,559
* Referee: Andrew Speciale
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Dom Izzo and Kyle Emanuel
| Statistics | Missouri State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 15 | 16 |
| Plays–yards | 57-321 | 61-333 |
| Rushes–yards | 32-79 | 35-144 |
| Passing yards | 242 | 189 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 16-25-1 | 12-26-1 |
| Time of possession | 30:57 | 29:03 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Missouri State | Passing | Jason Shelley | 16/25, 242 yds, INT |
| Missouri State | Rushing | Tobias Little | 9 car, 41 yds, 2 TD |
| Missouri State | Receiving | Tyrone Scott | 6 rec, 104 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 7/9, 112 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Quincy Patterson | 8 car, 56 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 4 rec, 106 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MOST | NDSU |
| 1st | 12:56 | 4 | 7 | 1:55 | MOST | 47-yard field goal by Jose Pizano (#38) | 3 | 0 |
| 1st | 9:07 | 3 | 61 | 1:28 | MOST | Tobias Little (#0) 11-yard touchdown run, Jose Pizano (#38) kick good | 10 | 0 |
| 2nd | 12:09 | 1 | 15 | 0:07 | NDSU | Quincy Patterson (#2) 15-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 10 | 7 |
| 2nd | 1:13 | 11 | 84 | 5:44 | MOST | 25-yard field goal by Jose Pizano (#38) | 13 | 7 |
| 2nd | 0:00 | 9 | 42 | 1:09 | NDSU | 46-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 13 | 10 |
| 3rd | 12:20 | 5 | 52 | 2:40 | NDSU | 41-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz | 13 | 13 |
| 3rd | 9:08 | 6 | 75 | 3:06 | MOST | Tobias Little (#0) 5-yard touchdown run, Jose Pizano (#38) kick good | 20 | 13 |
| 4th | 13:40 | 4 | 59 | 1:37 | NDSU | Phoenix Sproles (#11) 29-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 20 | 20 |
| 4th | 4:57 | 12 | 62 | 7:06 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 24-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 20 | 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. | 20 | 27 |

#### Indiana State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Sycamores | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| No. 2 Bison | 16 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 44 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: October 30, 2021
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 14,383
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Indiana State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 17 | 14 |
| Plays–yards | 71-275 | 55-477 |
| Rushes–yards | 35-94 | 38-292 |
| Passing yards | 181 | 185 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 30-36-1 | 11-17-1 |
| Time of possession | 31:37 | 28:23 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Indiana State | Passing | Kurtis Wilderman | 13/25, 121 yds, INT |
| Indiana State | Rushing | Peterson Kerlegrand | 18 car, 89 yds |
| Indiana State | Receiving | Dante Hendrix | 9 rec, 87 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 10/14, 179 yds, 3 TD, INT |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Kobe Johnson | 5 car, 155 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Josh Babicz | 2 rec, 58 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | IN ST | NDSU |
| 1st | 10:45 | 7 | 72 | 4:10 | NDSU | Josh Babicz (#81) 3-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 8:24 | 4 | 3 | 1:24 | NDSU | 43-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 0 | 10 |
| 1st | 3:03 | 5 | 89 | 2:21 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 20-yard touchdown run, 2-point rush failed | 0 | 16 |
| 2nd | 10:01 | 2 | 99 | 0:58 | NDSU | Kobe Johnson (#4) 97-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 23 |
| 2nd | 4:05 | 6 | 88 | 3:36 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 8-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 30 |
| 3rd | 8:51 | 8 | 50 | 5:08 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 1-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 37 |
| 4th | 11:36 | 2 | 22 | 0:47 | NDSU | Cole Payton (#15) 18-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 44 |
| 4th | 6:51 | | | | IN ST | Cody Lindquist (#45) tackled in end zone for a safety by Team | 2 | 44 |
| "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. | 2 | 44 |

#### South Dakota State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 Bison | 7 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 19 |
| No. 9 Jackrabbits | 14 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings, SD
* Date: November 6, 2021
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Sunny; 66 °F (19 °C); S 10 MPH
* Game attendance: 18,122
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | South Dakota State |
| First downs | 20 | 16 |
| Plays–yards | 59-365 | 63-349 |
| Rushes–yards | 36-147 | 40-181 |
| Passing yards | 218 | 168 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 15-23-1 | 14-23-0 |
| Time of possession | 29:55 | 30:05 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 15/23, 218 yds, 2 TD, INT |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Cam Miller | 13 car, 59 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 3 rec, 82 yds |
| South Dakota State | Passing | Chris Oladokun | 13/22, 157 yds |
| South Dakota State | Rushing | Pierre Strong Jr. | 23 car, 156 yds, 2 TD |
| South Dakota State | Receiving | Jaxon Janke | 6 rec, 118 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | SDSU |
| 1st | 14:44 | 2 | 75 | 0:16 | SDSU | Pierre Strong (#20) 75-yard touchdown run, Cole Frahm (#97) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 6:20 | 5 | 54 | 2:23 | NDSU | Josh Babicz (#81) 22-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 1st | 0:18 | 12 | 75 | 6:02 | SDSU | Pierre Strong (#20) 1-yard touchdown run, Cole Frahm (#97) kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd | 2:17 | 16 | 80 | 9:24 | SDSU | Tucker Kraft (#85) 11-yard touchdown reception from Pierre Strong (#20), Cole Frahm (#97) kick good | 7 | 21 |
| 2nd | 0:00 | 7 | 52 | 1:35 | SDSU | 32-yard field goal by Cole Frahm (#97) | 7 | 27 |
| 3rd | 0:42 | 12 | 75 | 6:53 | NDSU | RaJa Nelson (#12) 14-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 14 | 27 |
| 4th | 4:21 | | | | NDSU | Team tackled in end zone for a safety by Dawson Weber (#2) | 16 | 27 |
| 4th | 1:09 | 9 | 56 | 3:03 | NDSU | 33-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 19 | 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. | 19 | 27 |

#### Youngstown State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 5 Bison | 7 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 49 |
| Penguins | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at Stambaugh Stadium, Youngstown, OH
* Date: November 13, 2021
* Game time: 11:00 a.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Cloudy; 39 °F (4 °C); NE 10 mph
* Game attendance: 8,307
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Youngstown State |
| First downs | 20 | 13 |
| Plays–yards | 59-623 | 65-288 |
| Rushes–yards | 45-454 | 32-59 |
| Passing yards | 169 | 229 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 10-14-0 | 17-33-1 |
| Time of possession | 29:14 | 30:46 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 10/14, 169 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | TK Marshall | 3 car, 146 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 4 rec, 91 yds, TD |
| Youngstown State | Passing | Mitch Davidson | 10/22, 166 yds, 2 TD, INT |
| Youngstown State | Rushing | Jaleel McLaughlin | 11 car, 52 yds |
| Youngstown State | Receiving | Drew Ogletree | 5 rec, 70 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | YSU |
| 1st | 11:45 | 7 | 69 | 3:06 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 49-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2nd | 10:52 | 16 | 80 | 8:08 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 1-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 2nd | 6::48 | 9 | 49 | 4:04 | YSU | 44-yard field goal by Colt McFadden (#19) | 14 | 3 |
| 2nd | 6:29 | 1 | 71 | 0:12 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 71-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 21 | 3 |
| 3rd | 13:16 | 1 | 50 | 0:11 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 50-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 28 | 3 |
| 3rd | 4:07 | 8 | 70 | 4:07 | NDSU | Noah Gindorff (#87) 1-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 35 | 3 |
| 3rd | 1:04 | 8 | 77 | 2:56 | YSU | Bryce Oliver (#0) 2-yard touchdown reception from Mitch Davidson (#14), Colt McFadden (#19) kick good | 35 | 10 |
| 4th | 10:19 | 8 | 60 | 3:57 | YSU | Bryce Oliver (#0) 2-yard touchdown reception from Mitch Davidson (#14), Colt McFadden (#19) kick good | 35 | 17 |
| 4th | 5:44 | 2 | 65 | 0:44 | NDSU | Jalen Bussey (#21) 61-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 42 | 17 |
| 4th | 1:21 | 2 | 86 | 0:58 | NDSU | TK Marshall (#28) 84-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 49 | 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. | 49 | 17 |

#### South Dakota

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 16 Coyotes | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 24 |
| No. 4 Bison | 21 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 52 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: November 20, 2021
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 16,252
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | South Dakota | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 15 | 27 |
| Plays–yards | 54-293 | 70-522 |
| Rushes–yards | 27-97 | 47-303 |
| Passing yards | 196 | 219 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 21-27-1 | 19-23-0 |
| Time of possession | 24:01 | 35:59 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| South Dakota | Passing | Carson Camp | 21/27, 196 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT |
| South Dakota | Rushing | Nate Thomas | 12 car, 60 yds |
| South Dakota | Receiving | Jeremiah Webb | 3 rec, 54 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 19/23, 219 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Jalen Bussey | 5 car, 62 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Phoenix Sproles | 2 rec, 87 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 | 6:46 | 12 | 62 | 5:37 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 1-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 5:17 | 1 | 75 | 0:12 | NDSU | Phoenix Sproles (#11) 75-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 1st | 0:18 | 6 | 49 | 3:06 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 8-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 21 |
| 2nd | 12:00 | 1 | 43 | 0:11 | NDSU | Christian Watson (#1) 43-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 28 |
| 2nd | 6:20 | 11 | 71 | 5:35 | USD | 25-yard field goal by Mason Lorber (#31) | 3 | 28 |
| 3rd | 12:42 | | | | USD | Punt returned 47 yards for touchdown by Carter Bell (#14), Mason Lorber (#31) kick good | 10 | 28 |
| 3rd | 10:01 | 7 | 36 | 2:34 | NDSU | 30-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 10 | 31 |
| 3rd | 4:05 | 9 | 55 | 4:08 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 8-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 10 | 38 |
| 3rd | 3:15 | 4 | 75 | 0:50 | USD | Mike Mansaray (#21) 40-yard touchdown reception from Carson Camp (#18), Mason Lorber (#31) kick good | 17 | 38 |
| 4th | 14:26 | 7 | 65 | 3:49 | NDSU | Jalen Bussey (#21) 20-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 17 | 45 |
| 4th | 10:48 | 7 | 31 | 3:32 | NDSU | Kobe Johnson (#4) 2-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 17 | 52 |
| 4th | 5:28 | 13 | 75 | 5:20 | USD | JJ Galbreath (#82) 8-yard touchdown reception from Carson Camp (#18), Mason Lorber (#31) kick good | 24 | 52 |
| "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. | 24 | 52 |

### NCAA Division I Playoffs
#### Southern Illinois (second round)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 21 Salukis | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 3 (2) Bison | 10 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: December 4, 2021
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 12,557
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Jason Ross, Tyoka Jackson
| Statistics | Southern Illinois | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 14 | 29 |
| Plays–yards | 59-281 | 76-477 |
| Rushes–yards | 26-61 | 62-389 |
| Passing yards | 220 | 88 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 23-33-0 | 9-14-1 |
| Time of possession | 22:15 | 37:45 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southern Illinois | Passing | Nic Baker | 23/32, 220 yds, TD |
| Southern Illinois | Rushing | Javon Williams Jr. | 8 car, 42 yds |
| Southern Illinois | Receiving | Tyce Daniel | 4 rec, 85 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 9/14, 88 yds, INT |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | TaMerik Williams | 17 car, 112 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Noah Gindorff | 3 rec, 35 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | SIU | NDSU |
| 1st | 7:37 | 9 | 83 | 4:44 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 9-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 1:58 | 9 | 65 | 3:51 | NDSU | 20-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 0 | 10 |
| 2nd | 14:54 | 5 | 75 | 2:04 | SIU | Landon Lenoir (#17) 22-yard touchdown reception from Nic Baker (#8), Nico Gualdoni (#99) kick good | 7 | 10 |
| 2nd | 7:45 | 13 | 65 | 7:09 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 1-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 7 | 17 |
| 2nd | 2:00 | 11 | 63 | 4:58 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 5-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 7 | 24 |
| 3rd | 6:29 | 15 | 75 | 8:31 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 1-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 7 | 31 |
| 4th | 2:38 | 5 | 61 | 2:52 | NDSU | Quincy Patterson (#2) 32-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) 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 |

#### East Tennessee State (quarterfinal)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 8 (7) Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| No. 3 (2) Bison | 0 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: December 11, 2021
* Game time: 11:00 a.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 11,794
* TV announcers (ESPN): Anish Shroff, Mike Golic Jr., Taylor McGregor
| Statistics | East Tennessee State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 11 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 58-165 | 66-401 |
| Rushes–yards | 25-66 | 49-278 |
| Passing yards | 99 | 128 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 17-33-1 | 10-17-0 |
| Time of possession | 26:36 | 33:24 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| East Tennessee State | Passing | Tyler Riddell | 16/32, 92 yds, INT |
| East Tennessee State | Rushing | Quay Holmes | 14 car, 35 yds |
| East Tennessee State | Receiving | Malik Murray | 6 rec, 40 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 10/17, 123 yds |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | TaMerik Williams | 15 car, 91 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Josh Babicz | 3 rec, 49 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | ETSU | NDSU |
| 2nd | 7:04 | 8 | 62 | 4:31 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 3-yard touchdown run, 2-point rush failed | 0 | 6 |
| 2nd | 0:51 | 9 | 76 | 4:19 | NDSU | TaMerik Williams (#22) 7-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 13 |
| 3rd | 6:06 | 4 | 46 | 1:54 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 3-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 20 |
| 3rd | 1:35 | 5 | 8 | 1:51 | ETSU | 40-yard field goal by Tyler Keltner (#82) | 3 | 20 |
| 4th | 6:18 | 12 | 82 | 6:13 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 11-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 3 | 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. | 3 | 27 |

#### James Madison (semifinal)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 (3) Dukes | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| No. 3 (2) Bison | 7 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: December 18, 2021
* Game time: 8:15 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 16,550
* TV announcers (ESPN2): Wes Durham, Barrett Brooks, Lauren Sisler
| Statistics | James Madison | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 18 | 19 |
| Plays–yards | 61-308 | 62-339 |
| Rushes–yards | 27-95 | 43-174 |
| Passing yards | 210 | 165 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 25-34-2 | 10-19-0 |
| Time of possession | 27:29 | 32:31 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| James Madison | Passing | Cole Johnson | 25/34, 210 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| James Madison | Rushing | Latrele Palmer | 18 car, 89 yds |
| James Madison | Receiving | Solomon Vanhorse | 8 rec, 57 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 10/19, 165 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Hunter Luepke | 19 car, 110 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Hunter Luepke | 3 rec, 89 yds, 2 TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | JMU | NDSU |
| 1st | 5:12 | 5 | 60 | 2:36 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 32-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 2nd | 13:03 | 8 | 47 | 4:03 | NDSU | 43-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 0 | 10 |
| 2nd | 0:02 | 15 | 74 | 6:13 | NDSU | 20-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 0 | 13 |
| 3rd | 8:51 | 13 | 80 | 6:01 | JMU | Antwane Wells Jr. (#7) 13-yard touchdown reception from Cole Johnson (#12), Ethan Ratke (#91) kick good | 7 | 13 |
| 3rd | 1:26 | 6 | 41 | 2:10 | JMU | Devin Ravenel (#19) 4-yard touchdown reception from Cole Johnson (#12), Ethan Ratke (#91) kick good | 14 | 13 |
| 4th | 13:44 | 6 | 73 | 2:34 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 22-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 14 | 20 |
| "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 | 20 |

#### Montana State (National Championship)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 7 (8) Bobcats | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| No. 3 (2) Bison | 7 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 38 |
at Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
* Date: January 8, 2022
* Game time: 11:00 a.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Cloudy; 48 °F (9 °C); SE 9 mph
* Game attendance: 18,942
* TV announcers (ESPN2): Dave Flemming, Jay Walker, Stormy Buonantony
| Statistics | Montana State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 17 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 65-335 | 66-504 |
| Rushes–yards | 34-156 | 53-378 |
| Passing yards | 179 | 126 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 15-31-1 | 9-13-0 |
| Time of possession | 26:12 | 33:48 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Montana State | Passing | Tucker Rovig | 13/28, 156 yds, TD, INT |
| Montana State | Rushing | Isaiah Ifanse | 18 car, 84 yds |
| Montana State | Receiving | Lance McCutcheon | 5 rec, 106 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 9/13, 126 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Kobe Johnson | 4 car, 106 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Christian Watson | 4 rec, 61 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MON ST | NDSU |
| 1st | 6:48 | 11 | 80 | 5:01 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 8-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 2nd | 14:56 | 7 | 75 | 3:22 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 11-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 2nd | 10:50 | 2 | 75 | 0:50 | NDSU | Kobe Johnson (#4) 76-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 21 |
| 2nd | 0:32 | 14 | 85 | 4:54 | NDSU | Hunter Luepke (#44) 6-yard touchdown run, Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 28 |
| 3rd | 12:34 | 5 | 65 | 2:26 | NDSU | Josh Babicz (#81) 35-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Jake Reinholz (#37) kick good | 0 | 35 |
| 3rd | 7:43 | 12 | 67 | 4:51 | MON ST | 26-yard field goal by Blake Glessner (#39) | 3 | 35 |
| 3rd | 0:38 | 7 | 28 | 3:35 | NDSU | 37-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz (#37) | 3 | 38 |
| 4th | 5:08 | 11 | 80 | 4:43 | MON ST | Lance McCutcheon (#86) 28-yard touchdown reception from Tucker Rovig (#12), Blake Glessner (#39) kick good | 10 | 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. | 10 | 38 |

## 2022 NFL Draft

The following Bison players were selected in the 2022 NFL draft.
| Player | Position | School | Draft Round | Round Pick | Overall Pick | Team | Notes |
| Christian Watson | WR | North Dakota State | 2 | 2 | 34 | Green Bay Packers | from Detroit via Minnesota |
| Cordell Volson | OT | North Dakota State | 4 | 31 | 136 | Cincinnati Bengals | |