Top 25 countdown (games in the D1 era)

[MankatoBison]

#25

October 10th, 2015: Northern Iowa @ North Dakota State

This was Carson Wentz's only 300+ yard passing game of his NDSU career. There were 5 lead changes in the 4th quarter alone with the final coming with 35 seconds left on the infamous drop in the bucket from Wentz to freshman Darrius Shepherd in the left corner of the south endzone. Two fun facts on this game/play; on the play Wentz actually lines up (in shotgun) behind the right guard briefly before realizing it and shifting to his left to get behind Center Austin Kuhnert - Darrius Shepherd came into this game with a shoulder injury where he could only play one half after getting a pain killing shot for the injury... Chris Klieman and the Bison staff decided to use that in the 2nd half and Shepherd delivered catching two tough TD passes including the game winner in tight double coverage. The game was the 2015 homecoming game, ESPN's Sportscenter on the Road came to town and broadcast from inside the Fargodome that morning, and the Bison avenged a 2014 loss at the UNI-Dome that snapped a then FCS record 33 game win streak. It moved the #2/#3 Bison to 4-1 in the 2015 season.

Game highlights:


Game box score: https://gobison.com/sports/football/.../boxscore/6284

Game replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUw2MYK31H8


As a side note for today's post these are my honorable mention games that just missed my top 25:
Colorado State (2012)
Kansas (2010)
SDSU playoffs (2018)
Montana playoffs (2015)
UNI playoffs (2015)

This game was absolutely bonkers. I watched it on my phone at my nieces Bday party. Holy frick that game was incredible

[Professor Chaos]

#24

November 10th, 2007: North Dakota State @ Cal Poly

This was a game that most of us had to catch on the radio and have Scotty describe it to us since it was before the days of widespread streaming services that carried these kind of games. Cal Poly's David Fullerton picked off Bison QB Steve Walker's pass and returned it for a touchdown to give Cal Poly a 28-9 lead over the 9-0 Herd with only 10 minutes left to play. Walker, in one of the most memorable of the numerous comeback victories he engineered (teaser that there's probably more to come from this man later in the countdown), led the Bison all the way back with TDs on 3 of their next 4 drives including a miracle 80 yard TD pass to Kole Heckendorf with less than a minute to play for the go-ahead score. The win preserved a perfect season for one more week and moved the #1/#2 Bison to 10-0.

Game highlights: (tough to find any video of this game so here's the best I can do)


Game box score: https://gobison.com/sports/football/.../boxscore/1400

Game replay: Not available that I'm aware of.


Previously highlighted games:
25. UNI (2015) 1/27
HM. Montana (2003) 1/27

[EC8CH]

Remember listening to that one on my AM radio.

[heffray]

Don't look now but they have a greatest playoff loss thread going over there.

Lol. That’s hilarious. Hard to pick between Nichols and Richmond... what to do what to do...

[heffray]

#24

November 10th, 2007: North Dakota State @ Cal Poly

Great pick. Loved this game... That was the most Walker-to-Heckendorfy Walker-to-Heckendorf ever...

[MankatoBison]

#24

November 10th, 2007: North Dakota State @ Cal Poly

This was a game that most of us had to catch on the radio and have Scotty describe it to us since it was before the days of widespread streaming services that carried these kind of games. Cal Poly's David Fullerton picked off Bison QB Steve Walker's pass and returned it for a touchdown to give Cal Poly a 28-9 lead over the 9-0 Herd with only 10 minutes left to play. Walker, in one of the most memorable of the numerous comeback victories he engineered (teaser that there's probably more to come from this man later in the countdown), led the Bison all the way back with TDs on 3 of their next 4 drives including a miracle 80 yard TD pass to Kole Heckendorf with less than a minute to play for the go-ahead score. The win preserved a perfect season for one more week and moved the #1/#2 Bison to 10-0.

Game highlights: (tough to find any video of this game so here's the best I can do)

Game box score: https://gobison.com/sports/football/.../boxscore/1400

Game replay: Not available that I'm aware of.


Previously highlighted games:
25. UNI (2015) 1/27
HM. Montana (2003) 1/27

We were deer hunting I believe, and we were listening to it on the AM radio in our hunting shack- I was maybe 13 or 14 and we turned it off with 3-4 mins left in the 4th quarter, totally dejected......
I turned on the radio probably 15 mins later to find out we won, lol. I was so damn happy haha

[tcbison]

The NDSU vs. Cal Poly game I was tracking it on the ESPN app while playing poker with some friends. It wasn't looking good and then all of a sudden the app updated and it went from the 20 yard line to a TD. I couldn't believe it! Checking out the replay it was one of the best Scotty Miller calls ever.

[EC8CH]

The NDSU vs. Cal Poly game I was tracking it on the ESPN app while playing poker with some friends. It wasn't looking good and then all of a sudden the app updated and it went from the 20 yard line to a TD. I couldn't believe it! Checking out the replay it was one of the best Scotty Miller calls ever.

Scotty top 5 list for sure. Almost happy my only option was the radio back then. I also had radio as my only option for the K-State win but I'm sure we'll get to that in due time on this thread....

[Professor Chaos]

#23

September 15th, 2007: Sam Houston State @ North Dakota State

This was probably the most anticipated home game of the D1 era at the time with #14/#16 Sam Houston State led by Oklahoma transfer QB Rhett Bomar coming to the Fargodome to face the #4/#5 Bison. It didn't disappoint but despite controlling the game for the majority of the contest the Bison found themselves down 4 points with just 24 seconds to play as QB Steve Walker and the offense took the field at their own 46 yard line. 3 plays, 17 seconds, and two 27 yard completions to Kole Heckedorf later they had taken a lead in maybe the most improbable comeback win ever pulled off in the Fargodome. Any Bison fan that left their seat early in that game thinking it was a sure loss has likely never done so since. The win moved NDSU to 2-0 in the young 2007 season.

Game highlights:


Game box score: https://gobison.com/sports/football/.../boxscore/1396

Game recap: https://gobison.com/news/2007/9/15/9387.aspx

Game replay: Not available that I can find but I can get the biggest play.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTx__3AIusw


Previously highlighted games:
24. Cal Poly (2007) 1/28
25. UNI (2015) 1/27
HM. Montana (2003) 1/27

[heffray]

#23

September 15th, 2007: Sam Houston State @ North Dakota State

Walker to Heckendorf never disappoints...