NDSU uses late rally to secure fourth straight FCS championship

FRISCO, TEXAS – Four national championships. Three losses.

That is North Dakota State’s résumé the past four years after quarterback Carson Wentz scored a touchdown with 37 seconds left and linebacker Esley Thorton intercepted a pass to seal the Bison’s thrilling 29-27 victory over Illinois State on Saturday in the Football Championship Subdivision title game.

NDSU (15-1) is the first team to win four straight FCS titles. The Bison are 58-3 since the beginning of the 2011 season.

“It’s an amazing accomplishment,” said senior linebacker Carlton Littlejohn, a Minneapolis North product. “You never dream of coming to college and winning four straight national championships, only losing three games. That’s something you only dream about, something that happens in video games or something like that.”

This one was the most difficult title victory. It took late-game heroics from Wentz, Thornton and receiver RJ Urzendowski to overcome Redbirds quarterback Tre Roberson.

Roberson’s 58-yard TD sprint through a yawning hole in the Bison defense with 1:38 left gave the Redbirds a 27-23 lead and quieted about 17,000 NDSU fans who mostly filled Toyota Stadium. The normally stout NDSU defense didn’t have an answer for Roberson in the second half, and the transfer from Indiana and former Hoosiers starter finished with 161 rushing yards and three touchdown passes.

-------------------------------
Date:1/10/2015
Site:Frisco, TX
Stadium: Toyota Stadium
Attendance: 20,918
Kickoff Time:12:05 pm
End of Game:3:17 pm
Duration:3:12
Temperature: 34
Wind:SSE 7mph
Weather:Cloudy, cold
--------------------------------
BOX SCORE

CONTINUE READING