North Dakota State Returns From Open Week to Host Delaware State Hornets

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FARGO, North Dakota  --  THIS WEEK: Three weeks removed from one of the biggest wins in program history against defending Big 12 champion Kansas State, ESPN's College GameDay is in Fargo this week as North Dakota State (2-0) returns from an open week to host Delaware State (0-2) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.  ESPN will broadcast live from downtown Fargo at the corner of Broadway and Third Avenue Saturday morning from 8-11 a.m.   Officially licensed merchandise is available at the NDSU Bookstore and Scheels.

TELEVISION COVERAGE SHIFTED:  Because of ESPN College GameDay's live broadcast Saturday, television coverage of NDSU's game vs. Delaware State has been shifted away from Fox College Sports over to ESPN3 and ESPN GamePlan.  The game will continue to be available statewide on the NBC North Dakota network.

TAILGATING HOURS MOVED UP:  Tailgating lots outside Gate City Bank Field will be opened two hours early to accommodate fans wishing to set up before ESPN's College GameDay.  Reserved tailgating lots will open at 7 a.m. Saturday and general admission lots will open at 7:30 a.m.

THE SERIES: This is the first meeting between North Dakota State and Delaware State.  NDSU is 1-0 against teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a 35-9 home win over Morgan State in September 2010.

LAST WEEK:  North Dakota State did not play last week after beating Division II Ferris State 56-10 at Gate City Bank Field on Sept. 7.  The Bison opened up a 35-0 lead in the second quarter and rolled for 293 yards of total offense before halftime.  Quarterback Brock Jensen went 19 of 23 passing for a career-high 259 yards and two touchdowns.  Fullback Andrew Grothmann scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Jensen and wide receiver Zach Vraa caught four passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.



COACHING WINS RECORD:  North Dakota State head coach Craig Bohl has a 91-32 (.740) record in his 11th season at the helm of the Bison and is tied for the NDSU record in coaching wins with Rocky Hager, who went 91-25-1 (.782) in 10 seasons from 1987-96.

NDSU All-Time Coaching Wins
1. Craig Bohl, 91-32 (2003-present)
     Rocky Hager, 91-25-1 (1987-96)
3. Ron Erhardt, 61-7-1 (1966-72)
4. Don Morton, 57-15 (1979-86)
     Casey Finnegan, 57-49-11 (1928-40)

GOOD COMPANY: In the past two-plus seasons, North Dakota State has the best winning percentage of any Division I school:

Win Percentage, Division I (2011-present)
1. North Dakota State (MVFC)        30-2    .938
2. Alabama (SEC)                              27-2    .931
3. Oregon (Pac-12)                           27-3    .900
4. Lehigh (Patriot)                            23-3    .885
5. LSU (SEC)                                      26-4    .867
6. Boise State (Mountain West)      25-4    .862
   Stanford (Pac-12)                          25-4    .862
8. Harvard (Ivy)                                 17-3    .850
9. Northern Illinois (MAC)               25-5    .833

WILLIAMS THIRD IN PICKS: North Dakota State's Marcus Williams has 19 career interceptions, which ranks third-best all-time on the MVFC list. Among active players, he currently leads all of FCS in career interceptions per game (0.43) and career interception return yards (409).

FCS Winning Streaks (dating back to last season)
1. North Dakota State (MVFC)        11
2. Towson (Colonial)                         7
3. Abilene Christian (Independent) 6
    North Carolina A&T (Mid-Eastern)            6
5. Northern Iowa (MVFC)                  5
6. McNeese State (Southland)          4
    Penn (Ivy)                                       4

ON THE ROAD: Following the season-opening win at Kansas State, North Dakota State has now won 13 straight games away from home (which includes two neutral-site games). The Bison last lost a road game in the season finale at Eastern Washington in the 2010 playoffs.

FOUR IN A ROW: North Dakota State is the first team in Missouri Valley Football Conference history to win a game against an FBS foe in four straight years (Kansas-2010; Minnesota-2011; Colorado State-2012; Kansas State-2013). No other MVFC team has won three in successive seasons.

NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK:  North Dakota State was named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America on Sept. 3 following its 24-21 win at Kansas State.  NDSU is just the second Football Championship Subdivision team to be recognized.  The other was Appalachian State in 2007 following its opening game win at No. 5-ranked Michigan.

COURTESY NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS