Top 25 countdown (games in the D1 era)

[Professor Chaos]

#18

January 5th, 2019: North Dakota State vs Eastern Washington (FCS Championship Game)

This was the culmination of a dynasty within the dynasty since we knew it was the last game on the sideline for head coach Chris Klieman among others he was taking with him to K-State and we knew it was the last game for a fantastic group of seniors, many of whom stuck with the program during their recruitment while the previous coaching change was happening, like the FCS' all-time winningest QB Easton Stick. The Eagles put up a good fight against a Bison team that hadn't really been tested at all in the playoffs that year and pulled to within 7 with 2 minutes to play but Stick sealed it with a long TD run cementing himself as one of the all-time Bison greats. This was NDSU's FCS record 7th national title (in only 8 years) finishing a perfect 15-0 for the 2nd time in their D1 history. Although the mood was typically celebratory as the game and season ended with another title it was dulled a bit as we said goodbye to coaches and players that had contributed and accomplished so much during their time with the program.

Game highlights:


Game box score: https://gobison.com/sports/football/.../boxscore/9724

Game recap: https://gobison.com/news/2019/1/5/fo...mpionship.aspx

Bisonville GDT: http://www.bisonville.com/forum/show...-Championship)

Game replay: The full replay (link) is currently blocked on YouTube due to copyright but there is a condensed version available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6rLgXiVo-U

[Professor Chaos]

For some reason I can't get all the previous game links in the above post:

Previously highlighted games:
19. CMU (2007) 2/2
20. UNI (2013) 2/1
21. Montana St (2010) 1/31
22. SDSU playoffs (2014) 1/30
23. SHSU (2007) 1/29
24. Cal Poly (2007) 1/28
25. UNI (2015) 1/27
HM. Montana (2003) 1/27

EDIT: Going forward I'll just link all the previously highlighted games in the first post of the thread.

[heffray]

#18

January 5th, 2019: North Dakota State vs Eastern Washington (FCS Championship Game)

That’s 2 coaches in a row now who have accepted another job prior to the end of the season, and decided to stick around and finish a perfect season with a large group of seniors. That’s good shit right there.

[Herd]

I wonder how MAC teams would do against NDSU today...

MAC teams are very quick . . . . . . . to say NO on the PhNOe. Yes, we will never know.

[IzzyFlexion]

An interesting tidbit from the Central Michigan game:

Steve Walker threw a touchdown pass on the first AND last plays of the 2nd quarter. (Jangula, then Heck)

[Professor Chaos]

#17

January 4th, 2014: North Dakota State vs Towson (FCS Championship Game)

Similar to the last game on the countdown this game was a bittersweet culmination as we watched an outstanding group of seniors play their final game along with head coach Craig Bohl and numerous assistants coach their last game at NDSU; both groups at the forefront of transforming NDSU into the premier program in the FCS. The game itself was rather uneventful and is remembered moreso for the horrendous condition of the turf (and I'll never forget Grant Olson working his way back to play on a torn ACL less than 2 months out from the injury). Towson hung fairly tough early behind their all-everything RB Terrance West but their potential go-ahead FG late in the 2nd quarter was blocked by Colten Heagle and returned by Kyle Emanuel deep into Towson territory and the Bison never looked back from there. In front of the most NDSU heavy crowd of any game in Frisco one of the best Bison teams ever constructed cruised to a 35-7 victory and completed a perfect 15-0 season for the first time in their D1 history winning their 3rd straight national title.

Game highlights: Nothing on YouTube so this is best I can find (from NCAA.com)
https://www.ncaa.com/video/football/...a-state-towson

Game box score https://gobison.com/sports/football/.../boxscore/6394

Game recap: https://gobison.com/news/2014/1/4/FB_0104141956.aspx

Bisonville GDT: http://www.bisonville.com/forum/show...-Championship)

Game replay:



The full list of games with links is in the first post of the thread.

[Professor Chaos]

An interesting tidbit from the Central Michigan game:

Steve Walker threw a touchdown pass on the first AND last plays of the 2nd quarter. (Jangula, then Heck)

I think you're thinking of a different game against a MAC opponent that we'll see in this thread very soon.

[heffray]

#17

January 4th, 2014: North Dakota State vs Towson (FCS Championship Game)

This one is actually one of my least favorite National Championship games, so uneventful. I remember a Towson player flipping off the crowd at the end of the game. Stay classy Towson.

[OrygunBison]

This one is actually one of my least favorite National Championship games, so uneventful. I remember a Towson player flipping off the crowd at the end of the game. Stay classy Towson.

I thought the bird was presented by a member of the SHSU diaper wearing runner ups.

I remember being a bit annoyed at this one because of the tone of many of our fans. It seemed like everyone was so sure that it was the end of a run. I really thought we had at least one more year of amazing talent on the roster. (Admittedly, I didn't recognize what was to come...)

[Professor Chaos]

I thought the bird was presented by a member of the SHSU diaper wearing runner ups.

I remember being a bit annoyed at this one because of the tone of many of our fans. It seemed like everyone was so sure that it was the end of a run. I really thought we had at least one more year of amazing talent on the roster. (Admittedly, I didn't recognize what was to come...)

Yeah, that 2014 team was still incredibly loaded. It was the 2015 team that had to rely a lot on underclassmen again... I remember in that sweet playoff victory over Montana in 2015 every player that scored was a freshman (including the kicker) until CJ Smith's pick 6 to put the cherry on top of that beatdown.

And yeah, I know there was the infamous finger by a SHSU player (I think it was after title #1) but there probably was one from Towson as well... if I recall correctly there was a lot of "look at me!" antics from that team.