# 2024 North Dakota State Bison football team

The 2024 North Dakota State Bison football team represented North Dakota State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bison were led by first-year head coach Tim Polasek. Polasek joined the Bison after being an offensive coordinator at North Dakota State, Iowa, and most recently, Wyoming. Polasek was assisted by first-year offensive coordinator Jake Landry, who joined the Bison from St. Thomas, as well as co-defensive coordinators Grant Olson and Nick Goeser. The Bison played their home games at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota.
The Bison finished their regular season with a 10–2 record (7–1 in conference), losing to Colorado and South Dakota. They were seeded second in the FCS playoffs and received a first round bye; they then defeated Abilene Christian, Mercer, and South Dakota State to reach the championship game. The Bison completed their season by defeating Montana State on January 6 in Frisco, Texas, to capture the program's tenth FCS title in 14 seasons, and 18th overall title.

## Preseason
### MVFC poll

The Missouri Valley Football Conference released its preseason poll on July 22, 2024, voted on by league athletic directors, coaches, and media members. The Bison were predicted to finish second in the conference.
MVFC media poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | South Dakota State | 482 (42) |
| 2 | North Dakota State | 437 (1) |
| 3 | South Dakota | 371 |
| 4 | Southern Illinois | 293 |
| 5 | North Dakota | 276 |
| 6 | Illinois State | 264 |
| 7 | Youngtown State | 255 |
| 8 | Northern Iowa | 227 |
| 9 | Missouri State | 164 (1) |
| 10 | Indiana State | 68 |
| 11 | Murray State | 67 |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 29 | 7:00 pm | at Colorado* | No. 2 | Folsom FieldBoulder, CO | ESPN | L 26–31 | 49,438 |
| September 7 | 2:30 pm | Tennessee State* | No. 2 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 52–3 | 16,811 |
| September 14 | 4:30 pm | at East Tennessee State* | No. 2 | William B. Greene Jr. StadiumJohnson City, TN | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 38–35 | 11,040 |
| September 21 | 1:00 pm | Towson* | No. 2 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 41–24 | 17,185 |
| September 28 | 2:00 pm | at No. 18 Illinois State | No. 2 | Hancock StadiumNormal, IL | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 42–10 | 11,687 |
| October 5 | 2:30 pm | No. 7 North Dakota | No. 2 | FargodomeFargo, ND (Nickel Trophy) | ABC ND/MidcoSN/ESPN+ | W 41–17 | 18,723 |
| October 12 | 2:00 pm | at Southern Illinois | No. 2 | Saluki StadiumCarbondale, IL | ESPN+ | W 24–3 | 9,610 |
| October 19 | 7:00 pm | No. 1 South Dakota State | No. 2 | FargodomeFargo, ND (Dakota Marker) | ESPN2 | W 13–9 | 18,807 |
| October 26 | 1:00 pm | at Murray State | No. 1 | Roy Stewart StadiumMurray, KY | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 59–6 | 6,133 |
| November 2 | 2:30 pm | Northern Iowa | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 42–19 | 14,528 |
| November 16 | 2:30 pm | Missouri State | No. 1 | FargodomeFargo, ND | ABC ND/ESPN+ | W 59–21 | 14,679 |
| November 23 | 1:00 pm | at No. 4 South Dakota | No. 1 | DakotaDomeVermillion, SD | ABC ND/MidcoSN/ESPN+ | L 28–29 | 9,062 |
| December 7 | 2:00 pm | No. 15 Abilene Christian* | No. 3 | FargodomeFargo, ND (NCAA Division I Second Round) | ESPN+ | W 51–31 | 10,373 |
| December 14 | 2:30 pm | No. 8 Mercer* | No. 3 | FargodomeFargo, ND (NCAA Division I Quarterfinal) | ABC | W 31–7 | 10,353 |
| December 21 | 11:00 am | No. 2 South Dakota State* | No. 3 | FargodomeFargo, ND (NCAA Division I Semifinal) | ABC | W 28–21 | 17,849 |
| January 6, 2025 | 6:00 pm | vs. No. 1 Montana State* | No. 3 | Toyota StadiumFrisco, TX (NCAA Division I Championship Game) | ESPN | W 35–32 | 18,005 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Regular season
#### Colorado (FBS)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 Bison | 10 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 26 |
| Buffaloes | 14 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Folsum Field, Boulder, CO
* Date: August 29, 2024
* Game time: 7:00 pm
* Game weather: Clear; 75 °F (24 °C)
* Game attendance: 49,438
* Referee: Stephen Baron
* TV announcers (ESPN): Mark Jones (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst), and Quint Kessenich (sideline)
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Colorado |
| First downs | 25 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 69–449 | 57–504 |
| Rushes–yards | 43–157 | 23–59 |
| Passing yards | 292 | 445 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 20–26–0 | 26–34–1 |
| Time of possession | 36:44 | 23:16 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 18/22, 277 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Cam Miller | 16 car, 81 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Braylon Henderson | 5 rec, 72 yds |
| Colorado | Passing | Shedeur Sanders | 26/34, 445 yds, 4 TD, INT |
| Colorado | Rushing | Dallan Hayden | 9 car, 20 yds |
| Colorado | Receiving | Jimmy Horn Jr. | 7 rec, 198 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | CU |
| 1st | 12:12 | 6 | 57 | 2:48 | NDSU | 36-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 3 | 0 |
| 1st | 9:31 | 6 | 75 | 2:42 | CU | Travis Hunter (#12) 41-yard touchdown reception from Shedeur Sanders (#2), Alejandro Mata (#16) kick good | 3 | 7 |
| 1st | 3:59 | 10 | 75 | 5:32 | NDSU | Joe Stoffel (#82) 7-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 10 | 7 |
| 1st | 3:15 | 2 | 75 | 0:44 | CU | Jimmy Horn Jr. (#5) 69-yard touchdown reception from Shedeur Sanders (#2), Alejandro Mata (#16) kick good | 10 | 14 |
| 2nd | 12:07 | 10 | 77 | 6:02 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 7-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 17 | 14 |
| 2nd | 4:33 | 11 | 21 | 5:36 | NDSU | 31-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 20 | 14 |
| 2nd | 0:00 | 8 | 89 | 0:56 | CU | 27-yard field goal by Alejandro Mata (#16) | 20 | 17 |
| 3rd | 7:45 | 5 | 72 | 2:04 | CU | Travis Hunter (#12) 13-yard touchdown reception from Shedeur Sanders (#2), Alejandro Mata (#16) kick good | 20 | 24 |
| 4th | 7:57 | 17 | 80 | 8:10 | CU | Travis Hunter (#12) 3-yard touchdown reception from Shedeur Sanders (#2), Alejandro Mata (#16) kick good | 20 | 31 |
| 4th | 2:19 | 11 | 75 | 5:38 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 20-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass incomplete | 26 | 31 |
| "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. | 26 | 31 |

#### Tennessee State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| No. 2 Bison | 14 | 21 | 3 | 14 | 52 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: September 7, 2024
* Game time: 2:30 pm
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 16,811
* Referee: David Hergert
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Tennessee State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 12 | 21 |
| Plays–yards | 55–200 | 64–436 |
| Rushes–yards | 30–72 | 41–226 |
| Passing yards | 128 | 210 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 17–25–0 | 17–23–1 |
| Time of possession | 29:46 | 30:14 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Tennessee State | Passing | Draylen Ellis | 17/25, 128 yds |
| Tennessee State | Rushing | Draylen Ellis | 11 car, 27 yds |
| Tennessee State | Receiving | Jalal Dean | 3 rec, 51 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 14/18, 181 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Nathan Hayes | 1 car, 51 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 7 rec, 106 yds, 2 TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | TNST | NDSU |
| 1st | 6:47 | 12 | 77 | 6:21 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 24-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 2:20 | 6 | 69 | 2:22 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 14-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 2nd | 9:37 | 4 | 4 | 2:02 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 3-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 21 |
| 2nd | 3:13 | 8 | 76 | 4:04 | NDSU | John Gores (#80) 12-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 28 |
| 2nd | 0:16 | 8 | 60 | 1:00 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 6-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 35 |
| 3rd | 8:33 | 4 | 7 | 2:02 | NDSU | 51-yard field goal by Eli Ozick (#38) | 0 | 38 |
| 4th | 13:32 | 4 | 30 | 1:30 | NDSU | Mekhi Collins (#15) 19-yard touchdown reception from Cole Payton (#9), Eli Ozick (#38) kick good | 0 | 45 |
| 4th | 10:46 | 3 | 57 | 1:00 | NDSU | Nathan Hayes (#12) 51-yard touchdown run, Eli Ozick (#38) kick good | 0 | 52 |
| 4th | 5:34 | 9 | 74 | 5:12 | TNST | 19-yard field goal by James Lowery (#99) | 3 | 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. | 3 | 52 |

#### East Tennessee State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 Bison | 14 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 38 |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
at William B. Greene Jr. Stadium, Johnson City, TN
* Date: September 14, 2024
* Game time: 4:30 pm
* Game weather: Clear; 79 °F (26 °C); Wind: E 10 mph
* Game attendance: 11,040
* Referee: Bruce Austin
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | East Tennessee State |
| First downs | 28 | 20 |
| Plays–yards | 78–481 | 54–383 |
| Rushes–yards | 44–231 | 38–270 |
| Passing yards | 250 | 113 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 21–34–0 | 6–16–1 |
| Time of possession | 36:41 | 23:19 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 21/33, 250 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | CharMar Brown | 11 car, 65 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Mekhi Collins | 4 rec, 67 yds |
| East Tennessee State | Passing | Jaylen King | 6/15, 113 yds, TD, INT |
| East Tennessee State | Rushing | Bryson Irby | 15 car, 147 yds, 3 TD |
| East Tennessee State | Receiving | Cameron Lewis | 5 rec, 73 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | ETSU |
| 1st | 9:58 | 9 | 82 | 4:57 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 18-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 1st | 5:32 | 10 | 75 | 4:26 | ETSU | Bryson Irby (#7) 3-yard touchdown run, Ewan Johnson (#15) kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 1st | 1:12 | 8 | 75 | 4:20 | NDSU | Joe Stoffel (#82) 5-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 7 |
| 2nd | 13:13 | 6 | 75 | 2:59 | ETSU | Ty Anderson (#10) 1-yard touchdown run, Ewan Johnson (#15) kick good | 14 | 14 |
| 2nd | 10:26 | 5 | 16 | 2:37 | NDSU | 54-yard field goal by Eli Ozick (#38) | 17 | 14 |
| 2nd | 8:55 | 5 | 75 | 1:31 | ETSU | Bryson Irby (#7) 61-yard touchdown run, Ewan Johnson (#15) kick good | 17 | 21 |
| 3rd | 8:21 | 14 | 75 | 6:39 | ETSU | Bryson Irby (#7) 10-yard touchdown run, Ewan Johnson (#15) kick good | 17 | 28 |
| 3rd | 1:08 | 13 | 57 | 7:06 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 1-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass incomplete | 23 | 28 |
| 4th | 8:39 | 4 | 63 | 2:23 | ETSU | Cameron Lewis (#0) 19-yard touchdown reception from Jaylen King (#2), Ewan Johnson (#15) kick good | 23 | 35 |
| 4th | 1:59 | 6 | 51 | 0:50 | NDSU | TK Marshall (#28) 3-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 30 | 35 |
| 4th | 0:50 | 6 | 58 | 1:07 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 11-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass to Bryce Lance (#5) good | 38 | 35 |
| "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. | 38 | 35 |

#### Towson

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. RV Tigers | 3 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 24 |
| No. 2 Bison | 3 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 41 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: September 21, 2024
* Game time: 1:00 pm
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 17,185
* Referee: Tyler Downs
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Towson | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 16 | 26 |
| Plays–yards | 51–366 | 72–407 |
| Rushes–yards | 24–204 | 52–188 |
| Passing yards | 161 | 219 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 16–27–1 | 17–20–0 |
| Time of possession | 20:07 | 39:53 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Towson | Passing | Carlos Davis | 14/24, 135 yds, INT |
| Towson | Rushing | Tyrell Greene Jr. | 5 car, 94 yds, TD |
| Towson | Receiving | Carter Runyon | 6 rec, 59 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 17/19, 219 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | CharMar Brown | 24 car, 126 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 5 rec, 63 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | TOW | NDSU |
| 1st | 8:45 | 10 | 57 | 6:12 | NDSU | 37-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 0 | 3 |
| 1st | 5:46 | 8 | 52 | 2:59 | TOW | 40-yard field goal by Keegan Vaughan | 3 | 3 |
| 2nd | 13:57 | 11 | 80 | 6:45 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 10 |
| 2nd | 5:26 | | | | NDSU | Punt returned 67 yards for touchdown by Jackson Williams (#81), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 17 |
| 2nd | 0:23 | 9 | 88 | 3:16 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 19-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 24 |
| 3rd | 5:33 | 8 | 74 | 3:36 | TOW | Nathan Kent 2-yard touchdown run, Keegan Vaughan kick good | 10 | 24 |
| 3rd | 1:09 | 9 | 83 | 4:17 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 3-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 10 | 31 |
| 4th | 12:00 | 10 | 65 | 4:09 | TOW | Carlos Davis 15-yard touchdown run, Keegan Vaughan kick good | 17 | 31 |
| 4th | 10:05 | 1 | 72 | 0:11 | TOW | Tyrell Greene Jr. 72-yard touchdown run, Keegan Vaughan kick good | 24 | 31 |
| 4th | 4:28 | 9 | 40 | 5:28 | NDSU | 34-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 24 | 34 |
| 4th | 1:04 | 7 | 20 | 1:47 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 24 | 41 |
| "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 | 41 |

#### Illinois State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 Bison | 7 | 7 | 21 | 7 | 42 |
| No. 18 Redbirds | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
at Hancock Stadium, Normal, IL
* Date: September 28, 2024
* Game time: 2:00 pm
* Game weather: Sunny; 73 °F (23 °C)
* Game attendance: 11,687
* Referee: Aaron Adams
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Illinois State |
| First downs | 29 | 12 |
| Plays–yards | 71–544 | 49–206 |
| Rushes–yards | 47–307 | 25–8 |
| Passing yards | 237 | 198 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 21–24–0 | 17–24–0 |
| Time of possession | 38:57 | 21:03 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 20/23, 216 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | CharMar Brown | 17 car, 100 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 8 rec, 65 yds, TD |
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 10/14, 132 yds |
| Illinois State | Rushing | Wenkers Wright | 9 car, 24 yds, TD |
| Illinois State | Receiving | Xavier Loyd | 3 rec, 52 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | ILST |
| 1st | 6:45 | 11 | 64 | 6:47 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 7-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2nd | 4:45 | 16 | 80 | 10:09 | NDSU | Mekhi Collins (#15) 11-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 2nd | 2:56 | 5 | 74 | 1:43 | ILST | Wenkers Wright (#32) 2-yard touchdown run, Ian Wagner (#31) kick good | 14 | 7 |
| 3rd | 10:55 | 7 | 69 | 4:01 | NDSU | Barika Kpeenu (#8) 40-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 21 | 7 |
| 3rd | 6:07 | 6 | 51 | 3:05 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 14-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 28 | 7 |
| 3rd | 1:51 | 4 | 48 | 2:25 | NDSU | Barika Kpeenu (#8) 9-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 35 | 7 |
| 4th | 11:27 | 4 | 97 | 2:18 | NDSU | Cole Payton (#9) 73-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 42 | 7 |
| 4th | 5:44 | 13 | 54 | 5:43 | ILST | 38-yard field goal by Ian Wagner (#31) | 42 | 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. | 42 | 10 |

#### North Dakota

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 7 Fighting Hawks | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| No. 2 Bison | 14 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 41 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: October 5, 2024
* Game time: 2:30 pm
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 18,723
* Referee: Gregory Gompf
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 14 | 25 |
| Plays–yards | 54–267 | 69–429 |
| Rushes–yards | 31–101 | 45–208 |
| Passing yards | 166 | 221 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 18–23–0 | 16–24–0 |
| Time of possession | 25:41 | 34:19 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota | Passing | Simon Romfo | 18/23, 166 yds, TD |
| North Dakota | Rushing | Gaven Ziebarth | 12 car, 65 yds |
| North Dakota | Receiving | Bo Belquist | 4 rec, 61 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 13/19, 168 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | CharMar Brown | 21 car, 83 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 2 rec, 50 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | UND | NDSU |
| 1st | 10:39 | 7 | 56 | 4:11 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 2-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 2:14 | 7 | 61 | 3:36 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 36-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 2nd | 10:38 | 11 | 75 | 3:36 | UND | Quincy Vaughn (#1) 1-yard touchdown run, CJ Elrichs (#53) kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd | 7:47 | 5 | 65 | 2:51 | NDSU | Chris Harris (#15) 16-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 7 | 21 |
| 2nd | 3:02 | 10 | 47 | 4:45 | UND | 45-yard field goal by CJ Elrichs (#53) | 10 | 21 |
| 2nd | 0:34 | 11 | 58 | 2:20 | NDSU | 34-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 10 | 24 |
| 3rd | 11:10 | 8 | 38 | 3:44 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 2-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 10 | 31 |
| 3rd | 3:02 | 9 | 85 | 4:59 | NDSU | Mekhi Collins (#16) 33-yard touchdown reception from Cole Payton (#9), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 10 | 38 |
| 4th | 12:33 | 1 | 5 | 0:04 | UND | Caden Dennis (#10) 5-yard touchdown reception from Simon Romfo (#6), CJ Elrichs (#53) kick good | 17 | 38 |
| 4th | 5:58 | 13 | 48 | 6:35 | NDSU | 45-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 17 | 41 |
| "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. | 17 | 41 |

#### Southern Illinois

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 Bison | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| No. RV Salukis | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Saluki Stadium, Carbondale, IL
* Date: October 12, 2024
* Game time: 2:00 pm
* Game weather: Cloudy; 82 °F (28 °C); Wind: NE 7 mph
* Game attendance: 9,610
* Referee: David Hergert
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Southern Illinois |
| First downs | 22 | 14 |
| Plays–yards | 67–363 | 50–187 |
| Rushes–yards | 42–163 | 23–35 |
| Passing yards | 200 | 152 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 19–25–0 | 15–27–1 |
| Time of possession | 35:29 | 24:31 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 18/24, 193 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | CharMar Brown | 20 car, 95 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 5 rec, 63 yds |
| Southern Illinois | Passing | Jake Curry | 15/27, 152 yds, INT |
| Southern Illinois | Rushing | Keontez Lewis | 2 car, 20 yds |
| Southern Illinois | Receiving | Allen Middleton | 5 rec, 60 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | SIU |
| 1st | 6:55 | 7 | 76 | 3:47 | NDSU | Barika Kpeenu (#8) 6-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2nd | 5:17 | 9 | 42 | 5:34 | SIU | 50-yard field goal by Paul Geelen (#97) | 7 | 3 |
| 2nd | 0:31 | 14 | 75 | 4:46 | NDSU | Chris Harris (#19) 11-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 3 |
| 3rd | 5:49 | 9 | 52 | 4:26 | NDSU | 34-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 17 | 3 |
| 4th | 4:09 | 11 | 87 | 7:03 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 9-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 24 | 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. | 24 | 3 |

#### South Dakota State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Jackrabbits | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| No. 2 Bison | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: October 19, 2024
* Game time: 7:00 pm
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 18,807
* Referee: Jason Perkins
* TV announcers (ESPN2): Jay Alter (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst)
| Statistics | South Dakota State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 17 | 17 |
| Plays–yards | 66–333 | 59–275 |
| Rushes–yards | 36–215 | 32–112 |
| Passing yards | 118 | 163 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 17–30–1 | 20–27–0 |
| Time of possession | 28:10 | 31:50 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| South Dakota State | Passing | Mark Gronowski | 14/21, 92 yds |
| South Dakota State | Rushing | Chase Mason | 5 car, 80 yds, TD |
| South Dakota State | Receiving | Griffin Wilde | 5 rec, 32 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 20/27, 163 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Barika Kpeenu | 6 car, 35 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | RaJa Nelson | 4 rec, 48 yds, 2 TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | SDSU | NDSU |
| 2nd | 6:03 | 13 | 69 | 7:08 | NDSU | RaJa Nelson (#3) 18-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 2nd | 4:43 | 3 | 75 | 1:20 | SDSU | Chase Mason (#7) 66-yard touchdown run, Hunter Dustman (#10) kick blocked | 6 | 7 |
| 2nd | 0:00 | 15 | 65 | 3:27 | SDSU | 42-yard field goal by Hunter Dustman (#10) | 9 | 7 |
| 4th | 1:49 | 10 | 92 | 5:25 | NDSU | RaJa Nelson (#3) 20-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller, 2-point pass incomplete | 9 | 13 |
| "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. | 9 | 13 |

#### Murray State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Bison | 21 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 59 |
| Racers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
at Roy Stewart Stadium, Murray, KY
* Date: October 26, 2024
* Game time: 1:00 pm
* Game weather: Cloudy; 66 °F (19 °C); Wind: NE 10 mph
* Game attendance: 6,133
* Referee: Aaron Adams
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Murray State |
| First downs | 23 | 19 |
| Plays–yards | 61–459 | 76–308 |
| Rushes–yards | 41–190 | 43–116 |
| Passing yards | 269 | 192 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 14–20–0 | 18–33–3 |
| Time of possession | 29:00 | 31:00 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Nathan Hayes | 9/15, 141 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | CharMar Brown | 13 car, 97 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 4 rec, 108 yds, 3 TD |
| Murray State | Passing | Jayden Johannsen | 13/22, 139 yds, 3 INT |
| Murray State | Rushing | Q'Darryius Jennings | 7 car, 36 yds |
| Murray State | Receiving | J'Kalon Carter | 4 rec, 70 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MUR | NDSU |
| 1st | 11:55 | 6 | 75 | 3:05 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 7-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 5:05 | 1 | 74 | 0:11 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 74-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 1st | 4:14 | | | | NDSU | Interception returned 34 yards for touchdown by Enock Sibomana (#14), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 21 |
| 2nd | 12:47 | 7 | 60 | 3:21 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 3-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 28 |
| 2nd | 8:32 | 10 | 69 | 4:15 | MUR | 24-yard field goal by James London (#83) | 3 | 28 |
| 2nd | 6:58 | 3 | 42 | 1:34 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 17-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 35 |
| 2nd | 0:53 | 7 | 80 | 2:08 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 6-yard touchdown reception from Nathan Hayes (#12), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 42 |
| 3rd | 13:16 | 5 | 30 | 1:38 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 49 |
| 3rd | 10:09 | 7 | 12 | 2:27 | NDSU | 31-yard field goal by Eli Ozick (#38) | 3 | 52 |
| 4th | 7:58 | 4 | -2 | 1:13 | MUR | 47-yard field goal by James London (#83) | 6 | 52 |
| 4th | 1:11 | 12 | 75 | 6:47 | NDSU | John Gores (#80) 9-yard touchdown reception from Nathan Hayes (#12), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 6 | 59 |
| "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 | 59 |

#### Northern Iowa

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 19 |
| No. 1 Bison | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: November 2, 2024
* Game time: 2:30 pm
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 14,528
* Referee: Jason Berg
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Northern Iowa | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 18 | 24 |
| Plays–yards | 58–344 | 58–422 |
| Rushes–yards | 26–74 | 37–189 |
| Passing yards | 270 | 233 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 22–32–0 | 18–21–0 |
| Time of possession | 28:46 | 31:14 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Northern Iowa | Passing | Matthew Schecklman | 22/32, 270 yds, 2 TD |
| Northern Iowa | Rushing | Tye Edwards | 12 car, 48 yds |
| Northern Iowa | Receiving | Sergio Morancy | 4 rec, 102 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 17/20, 216 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | CharMar Brown | 18 car, 124 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 4 rec, 77 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 | 14:44 | | | | NDSU | Kickoff returned 100 yards for touchdown by TK Marshall (#28), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 8:44 | 12 | 52 | 6:00 | UNI | 40-yard field goal by Caden Palmer (#95) | 3 | 7 |
| 1st | 0:58 | 13 | 74 | 7:40 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 5-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 14 |
| 2nd | 6:54 | 13 | 94 | 6:34 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 14-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 21 |
| 2nd | 1:47 | 7 | 80 | 2:57 | NDSU | Braylon Henderson (#1) 15-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 28 |
| 3rd | 12:48 | 2 | 48 | 0:40 | NDSU | Barika Kpeenu (#8) 6-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 3 | 35 |
| 3rd | 9:05 | 6 | 75 | 3:43 | UNI | Sergio Morancy (#21) 31-yard touchdown reception from Matthew Schecklman (#3), 2-point pass complete | 11 | 35 |
| 3rd | 1:52 | 9 | 55 | 4:18 | UNI | Sergio Morancy (#21) 9-yard touchdown reception from Matthew Schecklman (#3), 2-point pass complete | 19 | 35 |
| 4th | 12:59 | 7 | 75 | 3:43 | NDSU | Barika Kpeenu (#8) 11-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 19 | 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. | 19 | 42 |

#### Missouri State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| No. 1 Bison | 21 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 59 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: November 16, 2024
* Game time: 2:30 pm
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 14,679
* Referee: Jason Perkins
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | Missouri State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 22 | 27 |
| Plays–yards | 67–382 | 65–575 |
| Rushes–yards | 65–86 | 38–364 |
| Passing yards | 296 | 211 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 20–32–0 | 19–27–1 |
| Time of possession | 31:21 | 28:39 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Missouri State | Passing | Jacob Clark | 18/30, 247 yds, TD |
| Missouri State | Rushing | Jacardia Wright | 13 car, 68 yds, TD |
| Missouri State | Receiving | Hunter Wood | 4 rec, 73 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 17/24, 155 yds, 4 TD, INT |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Barika Kpeenu | 10 car, 169 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Chris Harris | 3 rec, 48 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MOST | NDSU |
| 1st | 13:14 | 2 | 52 | 0:19 | NDSU | Barika Kpeenu (#8) 52-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 10:48 | 5 | 13 | 2:12 | NDSU | Joe Stoffel (#82) 3-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 1st | 1:32 | 12 | 95 | 7:09 | NDSU | Jackson Williams (#81) 22-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 21 |
| 2nd | 8:16 | 9 | 80 | 4:09 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 4-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 28 |
| 2nd | 2:48 | 10 | 78 | 5:22 | MOST | Jacardia Wright (#9) 1-yard touchdown run, Yousef Obeid (#36) kick good | 7 | 28 |
| 2nd | 1:44 | 1 | 40 | 0:09 | MOST | Jayden Becks (#5) 40-yard touchdown reception from Hunter Wood (#2), Yousef Obeid (#36) kick good | 14 | 28 |
| 2nd | 0:08 | 11 | 65 | 1:36 | NDSU | Joe Stoffel (#82) 1-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 35 |
| 3rd | 13:03 | 4 | 75 | 1:57 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 48-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 42 |
| 3rd | 2:36 | 7 | 85 | 4:03 | NDSU | Barika Kpeenu (#8) 49-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 49 |
| 4th | 13:44 | 13 | 75 | 3:46 | MOST | Jmariyae Robinson (#0) 2-yard touchdown reception from Jacob Clark (#12), Yousef Obeid (#36) kick good | 21 | 49 |
| 4th | 11:16 | 8 | 58 | 2:28 | NDSU | 32-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 21 | 52 |
| 4th | 7:47 | 3 | 31 | 1:28 | NDSU | John Gores (#80) 27-yard touchdown reception from Nathan Hayes (#12), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 21 | 59 |
| "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 | 59 |

#### South Dakota

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Bison | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| No. 4 Coyotes | 7 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 29 |
at DakotaDome, Vermillion, SD
* Date: November 23, 2024
* Game time: 1:00 pm
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 9,062
* Referee: Aaron Adams
* TV: ESPN+
| Statistics | North Dakota State | South Dakota |
| First downs | 19 | 119 |
| Plays–yards | 69–340 | 60–391 |
| Rushes–yards | 47–166 | 30–119 |
| Passing yards | 174 | 272 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 10–22–0 | 18–30–0 |
| Time of possession | 30:46 | 29:14 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 10/22, 174 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Cam Miller | 19 car, 82 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | RaJa Nelson | 3 rec, 48 yds |
| South Dakota | Passing | Aidan Bouman | 18/30, 272 yds, 2 TD |
| South Dakota | Rushing | Travis Theis | 13 car, 66 yds, 2 TD |
| South Dakota | Receiving | Javion Phelps | 3 rec, 79 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | USD |
| 1st | 6:35 | 11 | 80 | 6:14 | USD | Travis Theis (#5) 6-yard touchdown run, Will Leyland (#15) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 2nd | 12:44 | 7 | 73 | 4:13 | USD | Travis Theis (#5) 14-yard touchdown run, Will Leyland (#15) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 2nd | 2:39 | 6 | 66 | 2:57 | NDSU | Braylon Henderson (#1) 23-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd | 0:26 | 9 | 83 | 1:17 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 3-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 14 |
| 3rd | 10:21 | 10 | 51 | 4:39 | USD | 37-yard field goal by Will Leyland (#15) | 14 | 17 |
| 3rd | 4:48 | 10 | 80 | 5:29 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 2-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 21 | 17 |
| 4th | 4:10 | 20 | 99 | 10:53 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 28 | 17 |
| 4th | 3:22 | 6 | 71 | 0:48 | USD | Jack Martens (#15) 410-yard touchdown reception from Aidan Bouman (#2), 2-point pass incomplete | 28 | 23 |
| 4th | 0:12 | 6 | 58 | 1:04 | USD | Javion Phelps (#8) 25-yard touchdown reception from Aidan Bouman (#2), 2-point pass incomplete | 28 | 29 |
| "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. | 28 | 29 |

### NCAA Division I playoffs
#### Abilene Christian (second round)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 15 Wildcats | 14 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| No. 3 Bison | 3 | 17 | 21 | 10 | 51 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: December 7, 2024
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 10,373
* Referee: Matt Overton
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Noah Reed (play-by-play), Craig Haubert (analyst)
| Statistics | Abilene Christian | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 16 | 19 |
| Plays–yards | 61–345 | 60–375 |
| Rushes–yards | 29–192 | 31–101 |
| Passing yards | 153 | 274 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 20–32–2 | 20–29–1 |
| Time of possession | 29:28 | 30:32 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Abilene Christian | Passing | Maverick McIvor | 20/32, 153 yds, TD, 2 INT |
| Abilene Christian | Rushing | Sam Hicks | 16 car, 153 yds, 2 TD |
| Abilene Christian | Receiving | JJ Henry | 7 rec, 70 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 20/29, 274 yds, 3 TD, INT |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | CharMar Brown | 16 car, 58 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 5 rec, 70 yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | ACU | NDSU |
| 1st | 8:52 | 12 | 72 | 6:08 | NDSU | 21-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 0 | 3 |
| 1st | 2:45 | 12 | 75 | 6:07 | ACU | JJ Henry (#4) 13-yard touchdown reception from Maverick McIvor (#1), Ritse Vaes (#48) kick good | 7 | 3 |
| 1st | 0:00 | 1 | 90 | 0:04 | ACU | Sam Hicks (#6) 90-yard touchdown run, Ritse Vaes (#48) kick good | 14 | 3 |
| 2nd | 10:35 | 4 | 1 | 0:57 | ACU | 29-yard field goal by Ritse Vaes (#48) | 17 | 3 |
| 2nd | 10:24 | | | | NDSU | Kickoff returned 100 yards for touchdown by Jackson Williams (#81), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 17 | 10 |
| 2nd | 5:58 | 6 | 25 | 2:18 | NDSU | 37-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 17 | 13 |
| 2nd | 0:21 | 9 | 66 | 2:28 | NDSU | RaJa Nelson (#3) 6-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 17 | 20 |
| 3rd | 10:38 | 4 | 28 | 1:47 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 17 | 27 |
| 3rd | 6:08 | 4 | 28 | 1:47 | NDSU | TK Marshall (#28) 30-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 17 | 34 |
| 3rd | 3:23 | 5 | 39 | 2:35 | ACU | Sam Hicks (#6) 3-yard touchdown run, Ritse Vaes (#48) kick good | 24 | 34 |
| 3rd | 0:40 | 5 | 75 | 2:43 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 36-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 24 | 41 |
| 4th | 11:11 | 10 | 75 | 4:29 | ACU | Rovaughn Banks Jr. (#3) 2-yard touchdown run, Ritse Vaes (#48) kick good | 31 | 41 |
| 4th | 3:34 | 4 | 3 | 1:42 | NDSU | 24-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 31 | 44 |
| 4th | 3:25 | | | | NDSU | Interception returned 31 yards for touchdown by Logan Kopp (#31), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 31 | 51 |
| "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. | 31 | 51 |

#### Mercer (quarterfinal)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 8 Bears | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 3 Bison | 14 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: December 14, 2024
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 10,353
* Referee: Kelly Holman
* TV announcers (ABC): Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst), Lauren Sisler (sideline)
| Statistics | Mercer | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 8 | 20 |
| Plays–yards | 51–195 | 67–392 |
| Rushes–yards | 31–109 | 41–133 |
| Passing yards | 86 | 259 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 10–20–1 | 16–26–2 |
| Time of possession | 24:22 | 35:38 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Mercer | Passing | Whitt Newbauer | 8/18, 90 yds, TD, INT |
| Mercer | Rushing | Dwayne McGee | 14 car, 59 yds |
| Mercer | Receiving | Kelin Parsons | 1 rec, 38 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 16/25, 259 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | CharMar Brown | 11 car, 58 yds |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Mekhi Collins | 4 rec, 119 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MER | NDSU |
| 1st | 12:03 | 4 | 50 | 1:57 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 40-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 9:31 | 2 | 74 | 0:30 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 4-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#7) kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 1st | 7:01 | 5 | 73 | 2:25 | MER | Kelin Parsons (#13) 38-yard touchdown reception from Whitt Newbauer (#8), Reice Griffith (#93) kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd | 12:01 | 6 | 55 | 2:52 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 34-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 7 | 21 |
| 2nd | 0:11 | 6 | 70 | 0:59 | NDSU | 38-yard field goal by Griffin Crosa (#39) | 7 | 24 |
| 4th | 1:57 | 11 | 54 | 5:59 | NDSU | Barika Kpeenu (#8) 1-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 7 | 31 |
| "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 | 31 |

#### South Dakota State (semifinal)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 Jackrabbits | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| No. 3 Bison | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
at Fargodome, Fargo, ND
* Date: December 21, 2024
* Game time: 11:00 a.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Indoors; 70 °F (21 °C)
* Game attendance: 17,849
* Referee: Jeff Page
* TV announcers (ABC): Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst), Taylor Davis (sideline)
| Statistics | South Dakota State | North Dakota State |
| First downs | 18 | 19 |
| Plays–yards | 66–333 | 56–329 |
| Rushes–yards | 40–129 | 37–150 |
| Passing yards | 204 | 179 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 14–26–0 | 13–19–0 |
| Time of possession | 29:39 | 30:21 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| South Dakota State | Passing | Mark Gronowski | 14/25, 204 yds, TD |
| South Dakota State | Rushing | Amar Johnson | 15 car, 77 yds, TD |
| South Dakota State | Receiving | Griffin Wilde | 4 rec, 66 yds |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 13/19, 179 yds, 3 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Cam Miller | 15 car, 93 yds, TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 6 rec, 125 yds, 3 TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | SDSU | NDSU |
| 1st | 9:34 | 7 | 80 | 3:41 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 21-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1st | 4:14 | 10 | 75 | 5:20 | SDSU | Mark Gronowski (#11) 1-yard touchdown run, Hunter Dustman (#10) kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 2nd | 11:29 | 11 | 86 | 6:06 | SDSU | Amar Johnson (#3) 39-yard touchdown run, Hunter Dustman (#10) kick good | 14 | 7 |
| 2nd | 1:57 | 7 | 23 | 3:22 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 2-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 14 |
| 4th | 12:56 | 3 | 70 | 1:18 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 47-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 21 |
| 4th | 8:20 | 10 | 90 | 4:30 | SDSU | Grahm Goering (#12) 14-yard touchdown reception from Mark Gronowski (#11), Hunter Dustman (#10) kick good | 21 | 21 |
| 4th | 4:02 | 8 | 75 | 4:18 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 10-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 21 | 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. | 21 | 28 |

#### Montana State (national championship)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 3 Bison | 14 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 35 |
| No. 1 Bobcats | 0 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 32 |
at Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
* Date: January 6, 2025
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. (CT)
* Game weather: Clear; 34 °F (1 °C); Wind: NW 7 mph
* Game attendance: 18,005
* Referee: Matt Overton
* TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst), Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
| Statistics | North Dakota State | Montana State |
| First downs | 18 | 19 |
| Plays–yards | 59–401 | 61–393 |
| Rushes–yards | 36–202 | 37–198 |
| Passing yards | 199 | 195 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 19–23–0 | 13–24–0 |
| Time of possession | 27:53 | 31:01 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cam Miller | 19/22, 199 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Rushing | Cam Miller | 18 car, 121 yds, 2 TD |
| North Dakota State | Receiving | Bryce Lance | 9 rec, 107 yds, TD |
| Montana State | Passing | Tommy Mellott | 13/24, 195 yds, 2 TD |
| Montana State | Rushing | Tommy Mellott | 14 car, 135 yds, TD |
| Montana State | Receiving | Ryan Lonergan | 1 rec, 53 yds |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NDSU | MTST |
| 1st | 7:55 | 12 | 75 | 7:05 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 2-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 1st | 1:51 | 5 | 92 | 3:05 | NDSU | Cam Miller (#7) 64-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 2nd | 5:38 | 17 | 61 | 11:13 | MTST | 32-yard field goal by Myles Sansted (#39) | 14 | 3 |
| 2nd | 0:12 | 10 | 56 | 0:47 | NDSU | Bryce Lance (#5) 1-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 21 | 3 |
| 3rd | 8:09 | 11 | 75 | 6:44 | MTST | Scottre Humphrey (#22) 1-yard touchdown run, Myles Sansted (#39) kick good | 21 | 10 |
| 3rd | 4:03 | 2 | 58 | 0:57 | MTST | Rohan Jones (# 5-yard touchdown reception from Tommy Mellott (#4), 2-point pass result | 21 | 18 |
| 4th | 14:18 | 8 | 75 | 4:45 | NDSU | Joe Stoffel (#82) 1-yard touchdown reception from Cam Miller (#7), Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 28 | 18 |
| 4th | 11:25 | 5 | 75 | 2:53 | MTST | Tommy Mellott (#4) 44-yard touchdown run, Myles Sansted (#39) kick good | 28 | 25 |
| 4th | 2:41 | 9 | 66 | 5:06 | NDSU | CharMar Brown (#25) 3-yard touchdown run, Griffin Crosa (#39) kick good | 35 | 25 |
| 4th | 1:09 | 10 | 73 | 1:26 | MTST | Taco Dowler (#14) 19-yard touchdown reception from Tommy Mellott (#4), Myles Sansted (#39) kick good | 35 | 32 |
| "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 | 32 |

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking ( ) = 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 | 2 (3) | 2 (11) | 2 (6) | 2 (5) | 2 (5) | 2 (10) | 2 (14) | 2 (8) | 1 (40) | 1 (43) | 1 (43) | 1 (42) | 1 (41) | 3 (2) | 1 (56) |
| Coaches | 2 | 2 (5) | 2 (2) | 2 (1) | 2 (1) | 2 (3) | 2 (3) | 2 (2) | 1 (24) | 1 (24) | 1 (24) | 1 (24) | 1 (23) | 4 | 1 (16) |