Bison Open 10th FCS Postseason Saturday Hosting Nicholls in Second Round

FARGO, N.D. (GoBison.com) — Two-time defending national champion North Dakota State (12-0) returns the FCS playoffs for the 10th straight season this week. The Bison carry an FCS-record 33-game winning streak into a second round matchup with back-to-back Southland Conference champion Nicholls (9-4). Game time is 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700), where the Bison have won 25 straight.  Coverage available through ESPN3.com.

North Dakota State is the No. 1 overall seed for the FCS playoffs and would host through the semifinal round for the ninth straight year should the Bison advance. NDSU has been the No. 1 seed for five of its 10 FCS playoff appearances and was seeded No. 2 twice (2014, 2017) and No. 3 once (2015).

This is the third meeting between North Dakota State and Nicholls. NDSU leads the series 2-0 with a 24-14 victory in Thibodaux during NDSU’s inaugural season of Division I football in 2004. The Bison won 26-13 in the Fargodome in the 2005 season. NDSU is 12-1 against Southland Conference opponents including a 4-0 mark in the FCS playoffs against Sam Houston State in the 2012 and 2013 championships and 2014 and 2017 semifinals. NDSU’s only loss to a Southland Conference member was 48-45 at Sam Houston State in 2009.

The winner of this week’s game will face either Illinois State or eighth-seeded Central Arkansas in next week’s quarterfinal round.

(PHOTO: NDSU Sports Information)