SWC75
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CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
North Dakota State regained the FCS crown from James Madison - but just barely. It was an appropriately close game but not a pretty one to watch. The defenses dominated and made the other team’s offenses look bad. NDS’s first five possessions produced four punts and a fumble. Fortunately, on the first of those punts the Dukes were called for roughing the kicker, thus extending the drive. The determined Bison ran the ball down JMU’s throat and punched it into the end zone for a 7-0 lead. But much of the rest of the half consisted of the Bison fending off the Dukes in a series of drives deep into NDS territory. They held them to two field goals, then broke through with an interception and a 50 yard bomb for their second touchdown. A fumble produced a second field goal and a 17-6 halftime lead for State.
They didn’t score again but barely held on to win. Five punts in a row, none of them going very far, set up the Dukes time and again. They scored a touchdown on their first second half possession on a 33 yard drive after a long punt return. That ended the scoring for the day. They threw an interception on their second possession, then punted after gaining a net zero yards on their next two. The Bison finally got a drive going from their 34 to the JMU 21 but their field goal attempt was blocked . The Dukes responded with a drive 29 to the NDS 18, keyed by a fake punt. . On fourth down quarterback Bryan Shor was routed form the pocket and, trapped by the pass rushers and the sideline, launched a Hail Mary to the end zone that landed among a group of about 6-8 players, evenly split between the two teams. One of the JMU receivers had it in one hand but lost control coming down. Then he stuck out his other hand but the ball was battled away and landed on the turf. State now had to run out the clock with 58 seconds left but James Madison still had some time outs. The Bison didn’t go into the victory formation. They ran three running plays that gained nine yards. There were 4 seconds left and they had to call a time out to avoid a delay of game penalty.
Do you go for the first down? What if you don’t make it and the play takes less than 4 seconds? JMU would have had the ball on the NDS 34 with time for one more play. (It would have had to have been a second Hail Mary, as they were down by 4). Instead they decided to have the quarterback scramble backwards while counting 1,000 one….1,000 two….1,000 three….1,000 four…and hoping he doesn’t fall down or have someone break through to tackle him.
It worked and the Bison are the champs once again. But they have found a rival in James Madison, who beat them in the Fargo Dome 27-17 last year and had won 26 in a row going into this game. The yardage
Nearly equal: 264-241. The Dukes benefited from some short punts, (two different NDS punters averaged 33.7) but were -2 in turnovers. Both teams wanted to rush the ball but wouldn’t let the other team have any success doing it. JMU averaged 3.1 yards per carry, NDS 2.8. The Bison averaged 5.9 yards per passing attempt, JMU 4.6. I thought the Dukes were going to break through and take over the contest at some point but there were never able to do so and the Bison led wire to wire.
My overall impression was similar to when Mount Union, after years of dominating Division III, encountered Wisconsin-Whitewater, who even looked like them with similar uniform design and school colors. Those to wound up playing for the DIII title 9 times in 10 years. I hope NDS and JMU aren’t that dominant but that sort of rivalry might be brewing here.
North Dakota State vs. James Madison - Game Recap - January 6, 2018 - ESPN
Your 2017 Small College Football champions:
FCS: NORTH DAKOTA STATE 14-1 (581-174) rank: #4 record: 59-14 (14)
D2: TEXAS A&M - COMMERCE 14-1 (557-251) rank: #8 record: 11-5 (2)
D3: MOUNT UNION (Ohio) 15-0 (759-192) ranked: #2 record: 98-15 (13)
NAIA: ST. FRANCIS (Ind) 14-0 (613-241) ranked #1 record: 31-15 (2)
North Dakota State regained the FCS crown from James Madison - but just barely. It was an appropriately close game but not a pretty one to watch. The defenses dominated and made the other team’s offenses look bad. NDS’s first five possessions produced four punts and a fumble. Fortunately, on the first of those punts the Dukes were called for roughing the kicker, thus extending the drive. The determined Bison ran the ball down JMU’s throat and punched it into the end zone for a 7-0 lead. But much of the rest of the half consisted of the Bison fending off the Dukes in a series of drives deep into NDS territory. They held them to two field goals, then broke through with an interception and a 50 yard bomb for their second touchdown. A fumble produced a second field goal and a 17-6 halftime lead for State.
They didn’t score again but barely held on to win. Five punts in a row, none of them going very far, set up the Dukes time and again. They scored a touchdown on their first second half possession on a 33 yard drive after a long punt return. That ended the scoring for the day. They threw an interception on their second possession, then punted after gaining a net zero yards on their next two. The Bison finally got a drive going from their 34 to the JMU 21 but their field goal attempt was blocked . The Dukes responded with a drive 29 to the NDS 18, keyed by a fake punt. . On fourth down quarterback Bryan Shor was routed form the pocket and, trapped by the pass rushers and the sideline, launched a Hail Mary to the end zone that landed among a group of about 6-8 players, evenly split between the two teams. One of the JMU receivers had it in one hand but lost control coming down. Then he stuck out his other hand but the ball was battled away and landed on the turf. State now had to run out the clock with 58 seconds left but James Madison still had some time outs. The Bison didn’t go into the victory formation. They ran three running plays that gained nine yards. There were 4 seconds left and they had to call a time out to avoid a delay of game penalty.
Do you go for the first down? What if you don’t make it and the play takes less than 4 seconds? JMU would have had the ball on the NDS 34 with time for one more play. (It would have had to have been a second Hail Mary, as they were down by 4). Instead they decided to have the quarterback scramble backwards while counting 1,000 one….1,000 two….1,000 three….1,000 four…and hoping he doesn’t fall down or have someone break through to tackle him.
It worked and the Bison are the champs once again. But they have found a rival in James Madison, who beat them in the Fargo Dome 27-17 last year and had won 26 in a row going into this game. The yardage
Nearly equal: 264-241. The Dukes benefited from some short punts, (two different NDS punters averaged 33.7) but were -2 in turnovers. Both teams wanted to rush the ball but wouldn’t let the other team have any success doing it. JMU averaged 3.1 yards per carry, NDS 2.8. The Bison averaged 5.9 yards per passing attempt, JMU 4.6. I thought the Dukes were going to break through and take over the contest at some point but there were never able to do so and the Bison led wire to wire.
My overall impression was similar to when Mount Union, after years of dominating Division III, encountered Wisconsin-Whitewater, who even looked like them with similar uniform design and school colors. Those to wound up playing for the DIII title 9 times in 10 years. I hope NDS and JMU aren’t that dominant but that sort of rivalry might be brewing here.
North Dakota State vs. James Madison - Game Recap - January 6, 2018 - ESPN
Your 2017 Small College Football champions:
FCS: NORTH DAKOTA STATE 14-1 (581-174) rank: #4 record: 59-14 (14)
D2: TEXAS A&M - COMMERCE 14-1 (557-251) rank: #8 record: 11-5 (2)
D3: MOUNT UNION (Ohio) 15-0 (759-192) ranked: #2 record: 98-15 (13)
NAIA: ST. FRANCIS (Ind) 14-0 (613-241) ranked #1 record: 31-15 (2)
