NDSU routs Georgia Southern to gain first Division I Title Game

North Dakota State quarterback Brock Jensen accounted for 231 total yards and wide receiver Warren Holloway scored twice to help host North Dakota State easily defeat Georgia Southern 35-7 in the two team’s semifinal contest in front of 18,108 inside the Fargodome.

By Kent Schmidt
CSN West Columnist
College Sporting News

“It’s great to be at home and soundly beat a good football team,” said NDSU head coach Craig Bohl.”Not only a good football team, but a great program.”

North Dakota State (13-1) held a 451-333 advantage in total offense in this game. The Bison also forced three turnovers and turned all into touchdowns.

Holloway opened the game’s scoring on a 19 yard reception from Jensen in the first quarter and then the second NDSU score on a 17 yard end-around run in the second quarter.

Jensen gave the Bison breathing room with a 55 yard touchdown run in the third quarter on a third down play to cap off a 96 yard drive. This drive started after NDSU linebacker Travis Beck recovered a fumble when the Eagles were threatening to score.

Running backs Sam Ojuri and D.J. McNorton each added touchdowns in the fourth quarter to put away any doubt in the outcome in this game.

Ojuri ran for 100 yards on 16 carries, McNorton had 94 yards on 13 carries, Jensen finished with 94 rushing yards and 137 passing.

Dominique Swope totaled 96 yards on the ground and scored on a 23 yard run for the Eagles (11-3) to tie the game at the time at 7-7 at the 3:58 mark of the second quarter.

Bison strong safety Colton Heagle, who has missed all the playoffs due to a broken thumb, led all defenders with 15 tackles and seemed to be the Bison defender that handled the Eagle triple option offensive attack the best.

The Bison limited the Eagles to just 2-of-5 on 4th down conversions. Georgia Southern was just 4-of-15 on third down.

“They played really hard and they are very physical,” Eagle quarterback Jaybo Shaw said. “We got in the Red Zone a couple times and we just couldn’t punch it in.”

The Bison will face Sam Houston State (14-0) for the national championship Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas. This is the first FCS title game appearance for NDSU, which moved up to Division I in 2004. It is also the first title game for the Southland’s SHSU.

This year’s national title game will be the first Division I championship game to pit two teams from west of the Mississippi River since 1984 when Montana State defeated Louisiana Tech.

It will be NDSU’s first national title game of any kind since the Bison played and the 1990 Division II national title.