The North Dakota State football team finished the first 16-0 season in modern college football history with a 28-20 victory over No. 2-ranked James Madison University in the Division I FCS Championship game Saturday afternoon.
NDSU senior James Hendricks scored a pivotal touchdown on a 20-yard fake field goal run, and later sealed the victory with an interception on the goal line in the closing seconds.
One day after winning the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the FCS, NDSU redshirt freshman quarterback Trey Lance was named the championship game’s Most Outstanding Player after rushing for 166 yards on 30 carries. He also completed 6-of-10 passes for 72 yards.
It was NDSU’s eighth national title in nine seasons – the most championships by any school in Division I FCS history. The 2019 Bison became the sixth team to finish an undefeated season as the national champions, joining the 2013 and 2018 NDSU squads.
In all, it was the 16th football national title in school history. NDSU ran its winning streak to 37 games – tied for the third-longest in the history of Division I college football.
