League-Leading Bison, Jacks Meet Saturday in 13th Annual Dakota Marker Game

Saturday, October 15

Fargo, N.D.

2:30 p.m.

North Dakota State Athletics

South Dakota State

Photo by: Carrie Snyder

League-Leading Bison, Jacks Meet Saturday in 13th Annual Dakota Marker Game

10/10/2016 5:10:00 PM | Football

Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video
NDSU Notes | SDSU Notes | MVFC Notes

THIS WEEK: North Dakota State and South Dakota State square off as Missouri Valley Football Conference co-leaders for the first time since 2012 when the top-ranked Bison (5-0, 2-0 MVFC) host the 11th-ranked Jackrabbits (3-2, 2-0 MVFC) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, in the 13th annual Dakota Marker game at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700).

TELEVISION: KVLY and the NBC North Dakota network will have live coverage with Brian Shawn calling the play-by-play, Lee Timmerman color analyst, and Beth Hoole reporting from the sidelines. ESPN3 will carry the telecast on WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app.

RADIO: Coverage begins at 2 p.m. on KPFX-FM 107.9 The Fox and the Peterson Farms Seed Bison Radio Network with Jeff Culhane calling the play-by-play, NDSU and Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Phil Hansen as color analyst, and NDSU's Jeremy Jorgenson reporting from the sideline. Extended coverage on 107.9 The Fox includes "Bison Game Day" from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and "Bison Hotline" for 2 hours following the network broadcast with hosts Keith Brake, Chris Hanson and former NDSU safety Christian Dudzik.

ONLINE: NDSU All Access live video streaming for home games is by subscription on GoBison.com/allaccess. Audio streaming of the Bison Radio Network broadcast for every NDSU football game is available free of charge. Live stats for NDSU home games are available on BisonStats.com. Follow @NDSUfootball on Twitter for game updates.

THE SERIES: This is the 105th meeting between North Dakota State and South Dakota State dating back to 1903, a series that is the 14th most played among FCS schools. NDSU has won eight straight and holds a 59-40-5 advantage overall. The Bison have a 35-14-3 advantage at home and have won 27 of the last 28 in Fargo including a 13-1 mark in the Fargodome. SDSU's 25-24 win in Fargo in 2008 was the Jacks' first road win in the series since 1962.

LEAGUE LEADERS: This is the second time in nine years of Missouri Valley Football Conference play that NDSU and SDSU have met as co-leaders in the conference, not including league-opening games in 2013 and 2015. The Bison and Jacks entered the 2012 game in Fargo tied with 5-1 league records and NDSU clinched a share of the league title with a 20-17 victory.

DAKOTA MARKER: NDSU and SDSU have played for the Dakota Marker annually since 2004 when both teams began Division I competition. The trophy is a 75-pound model replica of the original quartzite monuments that were 7 feet tall and 10 inches square and placed at half-mile intervals along the border in the summers of 1891 and 1892. NDSU has won six straight Dakota Marker games and leads the series 8-4. Five of the 12 games have been decided by seven points or less.

LAST YEAR: North Dakota State held South Dakota State to minus-4 yards rushing and rolled to a 28-7 win in last year's conference opener. NDSU allowed just 58 total yards in the first half and took a 28-0 lead early in the third quarter. Carson Wentz was 19 of 27 passing for 183 yards and one TD while rushing seven times for 54 yards and a score. Tre Dempsey led the Bison defense with six tackles and Greg Menard had 2.5 sacks.

BISON SHUT DOWN MISSOURI STATE: North Dakota State scored 14 points off four turnovers and held Missouri State to 30 rushing yards in last week's 27-3 victory. King Frazier rushed 19 times for 126 yards and two scores as the Bison outgained MSU 428-176 in total yardage and rushed for 269 yards against the No. 5 rushing defense in FCS. The Bison had 11 tackles for loss including sacks by Greg Menard and Jarrod Tuszka.

CASHING IN ON TURNOVERS: North Dakota State is third in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with a +4 turnover margin behind South Dakota State (+7) and Northern Iowa (+5) and the Bison and Jackrabbits have been turning those opportunities into points. NDSU has a 41-3 advantage over opponents in points off turnovers this season, while SDSU has outscored opponents 49-7 off turnovers compared to UNI with a 16-13 edge over its opponents.

NO-RUSH ZONE: North Dakota State has allowed just 101 rushing yards in its last three games against Iowa (34), Illinois State (37) and Missouri State (30) and the Bison are now ranked fourth in the FCS in rushing defense at 75.2 yards per game and have allowed only four rushing touchdowns. Take away the 169 yards by Charleston Southern's option offense in the season-opener, and the Bison defense is averaging just 51.7 rushing yards allowed over the past four contests. SDSU is averaging 121.8 rushing yards per game.

STREAKING AGAIN: NDSU's current 14-game winning streak is already the second longest in Missouri Valley Football Conference history behind NDSU's 33-game streak that spanned the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons. The previous MVFC mark was 13 straight wins by Western Kentucky (2002-03) and Northern Iowa (2006-07). NDSU's 14-game active streak is tops in the FCS ahead of 6-0 Chattanooga and second in Division I behind Alabama (18).

REMAINING UNBEATENS: NDSU is one of 16 Division I teams still unbeaten, including four others in the FCS: Chattanooga (6-0) and The Citadel (5-0) in the Southern Conference, Sam Houston State (5-0) in the Southland Conference, and Harvard (4-0) in the Ivy League.

RANKED OPPONENTS: North Dakota State opened the season with four straight wins over Top 25 competition, including the 11th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes in FBS. It was the first time since 2008 that NDSU has played four straight Top 25 teams in the regular season. NDSU has played as many as six ranked teams in the regular season (2014). South Dakota State is 11th this week and NDSU's next three opponents are all in the Top 25.

BIG PLAY RJ: Wide receiver RJ Urzendowski leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference and is fourth in the FCS in yards per reception with a 23.33 average through five games. Urzendowski's 65-yard TD reception against Illinois State is NDSU's longest play of the year, and he has four of NDSU's seven longest plays, including a 47-yard TD catch against Charleston Southern and receptions of 43 yards against Missouri State and 42 against Eastern Washington.

ANDERSON KICK RETURN CAREER LEADER: NDSU sophomore Bruce Anderson is the FCS active career leader in kickoff returns with a 31.5 average. Anderson has 25 career returns for 787 yards and two touchdowns. He had 585 yards and a school-record 36.56 yards per return last year, including 100- and 97-yard touchdowns in the NCAA playoffs.

PUNT COVERAGE LEADS FCS: North Dakota State's punting average of 34.5 would be NDSU's lowest since 1994, but the Bison coverage team still leads the FCS in punt return defense with only one opponent punt return going for minus-4 yards. Junior punter Jackson Koonce has punted 24 times with 15 fair catches and seven punts inside the 20. He is averaging 35.1 yards per punt with a long of 48 last week at Missouri State.

AP TOP 25 VOTES: North Dakota State received an FCS-record 74 votes in the AP Top 25 poll after beating 11th-ranked Iowa. The Bison tied for 27th in the voting and dipped to 28th, 29th and 29th the past three weeks. NDSU received votes after the 2011, 2012 and 2013 national championships and the first 10 weeks of the 2014 season after beating Iowa State.

SUCCESS VS. THE FBS: North Dakota State has a 9-3 record against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents and has won six in a row against FBS foes since 2010 with wins at Kansas (6-3), Minnesota (37-24), Colorado State (22-7), Kansas State (24-21), Iowa State (34-14) and 11th-ranked Iowa (23-21). NDSU did not play an FBS opponent in 2015 and does not have any other FBS opponents scheduled until Oregon in 2020 and Colorado in 2024. NDSU's first three FBS wins were against Ball State (2006), Central Michigan (2007) and Minnesota (2007).

BACK-TO-BACK OVERTIMES: After not playing a home overtime game in the history of NDSU football, the Bison started the season with back-to-back OT home wins over Charleston Southern (24-17) and Eastern Washington (50-44). NDSU scored on its first offensive play in both games, getting a 25-yard run from King Frazier and a 25-yard run from Lance Dunn. NDSU is the first Valley Football team to open a season with back-to-back OT wins.

FOURTH QUARTER MARCH: North Dakota State held the ball for 10:45 and outgained Iowa 126 to minus-9 in the fourth quarter of NDSU's come-from-behind 23-21 victory. The Bison pulled within 21-20 with a 15-play, 80-yard drive that took 8:39 off the clock before getting a three-and-out on defense to set up the game-winning field goal drive. The 15-play march was reminiscent of NDSU's 18-play, 80-yard, 8:30 game-winning drive at Kansas State in 2013.

CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The following players have earned Missouri Valley Football Conference player of the week awards this season:
        — Nick DeLuca, Defensive...After missing the second half of the season opener with a shoulder separation, made a game-high 15 tackles in the win over Eastern Washington...Also scored on a 40-yard interception return.
        — Zack Johnson, Offensive Line...Six knockdowns with zero hurries or sacks allowed in 73 snaps against Charleston Southern...Graded out at 98.6% on assignment and led the Bison line in finish (88%) and technique (76%).
        — MJ Stumpf, Defensive...Made three tackles and scored on a 21-yard interception return in the victory at Iowa...Downed a punt at the Iowa 2 to set up one of five three-and-outs...Part of a defensive unit that held Iowa to 34 yards rushing in the game and minus-7 after halftime.
        — Cam Pedersen, Special Teams...Converted 2 of 2 PAT kicks and made a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the fourth quarter to give NDSU a 23-21 win at Iowa one week after a game-tying 28-yarder to force overtime in the win over Eastern Washington.
        — Landon Lechler, Offensive Line...Five knockdowns with zero quarterback hurries or sacks in 70 snaps against Iowa...Led the Bison with a 100% assignment grade, 88% finish and 85% technique.

MENARD ON WATCH LIST: North Dakota State junior defensive end Greg Menard is on the watch list for STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year, which was won in 2014 by NDSU defensive end Kyle Emanuel. Menard was STATS FCS All-America third team last year when he ranked second in the MVFC with 10.0 sacks and an additional 15 quarterback hurries.

DeLUCA OUT FOR SEASON: Senior middle linebacker Nick DeLuca had a season-ending shoulder surgery following the Week 3 win at Iowa and can apply for a medical hardship to return to the Bison in 2017. DeLuca was the only FCS player on the watch list for the 32nd annual Butkus Award, honoring the nation's best collegiate linebacker, and also was on the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year watch list. He was first-team all-conference and runner-up for Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2015.

PLANK STEPS IN AT LINEBACKER: North Dakota State junior Matt Plank made a career-high six tackles — all in the second half — filling in at middle linebacker after an injury to starter Nick DeLuca in the 24-17 overtime win over sixth-ranked Charleston Southern. Plank assisted on a tackle for loss and was part of a defensive effort that held CSU to 2 of 12 on third down and 263 total yards, nearly 100 yards under its average from a year ago.

BISON CHEW UP CLOCK: North Dakota State led the nation in time of possession with an average of 36:39 last year and the Bison have only been out-clocked once in the last 36 games (South Dakota, 2015). The Bison held the ball for 43:47 against Western Illinois last year, the most time of possession in NDSU's 12 seasons of Division I football.

FRAZIER LEADS DEEP RUSHING ATTACK: North Dakota State has had a 1,000-yard rusher for 13 straight seasons after King Frazier's 1,158 yards last season as a junior. Frazier leads a group of four returning running backs who each had at least 90 carries last year. He averaged 94.0 yards over the final eight contests last season including back-to-back 100-yard games in the NCAA playoffs against Northern Iowa (107) and Richmond (121). He has five career 100-yard games including a career-high 177 yards at Southern Illinois last year and a season-high 126 at Missouri State this year.

BISON AT HOME: North Dakota State is 51-4 at home since 2010. The Bison have won 53 of the last 54 home games over non-conference opponents including 44 straight since a 2003 loss to UC Davis. NDSU is 14-2 at home all-time against FCS Top 10 teams.

COACHING STAFF INTACT: After having at least one new assistant coach every year since beginning Division I play in 2004, North Dakota State has the same full-time coaching staff for the third straight season under head coach Chris Klieman. NDSU made two changes to support staff adding former Bison defensive back Bryan Shepherd as defensive assistant and former Wisconsin-Stout assistant Kody Morgan in the offensive quality control position.

13-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: North Dakota State won its 13th football national championship last season. NDSU claimed three College Division national championships in 1965, 1968 and 1969, five Division II titles in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990, and is the first team in college football history to win five straight national championships with FCS titles in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

MOST WINS IN DIVISION I FOOTBALL: NDSU has a record of 76-5 since the beginning of the 2011 national championship season. The Bison went 14-1, 14-1, 15-0, 15-1 and 13-2 for the most wins in Division I football in that five-year span. Fifteen FCS programs have multiple 10-win seasons since 2011, and only four have reached the 10-win mark at least three times—NDSU (5), Sam Houston State (4), Eastern Washington (3) and Jacksonville State (3).
            Most Wins Since 2011, Division I
            76 - North Dakota State
            68 - Alabama
            62 - Clemson
            62 - Florida State
            61 - Ohio State
            61 - Sam Houston State

VALLEY FOOTBALL PRESEASON PICKS: North Dakota State had five players picked to the preseason all-Missouri Valley Football Conference team: running back King Frazier, offensive guard Zack Johnson, defensive end Greg Menard, linebacker Nick DeLuca, and free safety Tre Dempsey. NDSU long snapper James Fisher, defensive tackle Nate Tanguay and strong safety Robbie Grimsley earned honorable mention. NDSU was picked to win the league ahead of Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Illinois State and Youngstown State.

#PROBISON: North Dakota State has nine former players active in the NFL and two others in the CFL. Four Bison from last season are still with NFL teams including No. 2 overall draft pick Carson Wentz, fifth-round pick Joe Haeg, and undrafted free agents Andrew Bonnet and CJ Smith. On the sidelines, former Bison safety/punter (1984-1988) and longtime assistant coach (1996-2005) Gus Bradley is in his fourth season as the Jaguars' head coach.

NFL Players	Year	Team
Andrew Bonnet, FB	1st	Philadelphia Eagles (practice squad)
John Crockett, RB	2nd	Green Bay Packers
Kyle Emanuel, LB	2nd	San Diego Chargers
Joe Haeg, OL	1st	Indianapolis Colts
Ramon Humber, LB	8th	Buffalo Bills
CJ Smith, CB	1st	Philadelphia Eagles (practice squad)
Billy Turner, OL	3rd	Miami Dolphins
Carson Wentz, QB	1st	Philadelphia Eagles
Marcus Williams, CB	3rd	New York Jets
CFL Players	Year	Team
Brock Jensen, QB	2nd	Ottawa Redblacks
Ryan Smith, WR	3rd	Winnipeg Blue Bombers

NATIONAL EXPOSURE: North Dakota State has become a well-known name in college football thanks to its run of five straight national championships and several appearances on national television. NDSU hosted ESPN's College GameDay in 2013 and 2014, SportsCenter on the Road in 2015, and the Bison have played 16 games on ESPN (five), ESPN2 (10) or ESPNU (one) since 2011. The Bison have also won games at Minnesota (2011) on the Big Ten Network and at Kansas State (2013) and Iowa State (2014) on Fox Sports 1.