You suppose inexperienced and yellow with North Dakota State and maroon and silver with Montana, however every FCS program bleeds blue blood.
Two of the extra profitable packages in faculty soccer historical past, not to mention FCS historical past, will sq. off in a nationwide semifinal on Saturday, and the stakes have by no means been larger of their matchups. The winner will advance to the championship sport on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.
NDSU, which eradicated Montana within the second spherical of the 2015 and ’22 playoffs, is a nine-time FCS champion and a 10-time finalist, with every complete representing probably the most ever. Montana has captured two FCS titles and appeared within the title sport 5 different occasions, with the seven complete appearances tied for the third-most general.
Following is a capsule preview of the NDSU at Montana semifinal:
North Dakota State (11-3) at No. 2 Seed Montana (12-1)
Kickoff – 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Montana (ESPN2)
Collection – North Dakota State leads 6-4 (final assembly: NDSU 49-26 at dwelling in 2022 playoff second spherical)
Coaches – North Dakota State: Matt Entz (60-10, fifth season); Montana: Bobby Hauck (128-35, thirteenth season; 143-84 general)
3 Gamers to Watch – North Dakota State: QB Cam Miller (199 of 268, 2,531 yards, 18 TDs, 4 INTs; 645 rush yards, 13 TDs), LT Jalen Sundell (first-team All-MVFC), S Cole Wisniewski (81 tackles, 8 INTs, 5 cross breakups); Montana: QB Clifton McDowell (122 of 205, 1,701 yards, 12 TDs, 3 INTs; 734 rush yards, 9 TDs), WR/Returns Junior Bergen (49 receptions, 707 yards, 4 TDs; 723 kickoff/punt return yards, 3 TDs), LB Braxton Hill (106 tackles, 5 TFL, 6 QB hurries, 2 INTs, 1 fumble restoration)
Notable – Entz has introduced he’ll resign on the finish of the NDSU season to change into the assistant head coach for protection/linebackers coach at USC. It’s much like the departure of the 2 earlier Bison head coaches (Craig Bohl to Wyoming and Chris Klieman to Kansas State) throughout this system’s FCS dynasty. The best way the Bison blew out South Dakota 45-17 in a quarterfinal displays how they’ve scored probably the most factors within the FCS within the first quarter (162) and the primary half (319). Miller, who has a 31-8 profession document as a starter, leads the FCS in completion proportion (74.3) and has a ever-developing receivers unit, and Cole Payton comes off the bench to eat up speeding yards (573 with 12 TDs). The Bison convert 51 % of third down makes an attempt (No. 3 within the FCS), and the common jumps to 61 % on fourth downs. Wisniewski’s faculty record-tying eight interceptions mark the FCS excessive. Montana must deal with the dimensions of NDSU’s stout offensive line, with NT Alex Gubner (6-foot-3, 284 kilos) the most important common defender within the Grizzlies’ 3-3-5 base alignment. UM is 9-0 since McDowell turned the beginning quarterback, and he will get touches to a bunch of offensive weapons. Main rusher Eli Gillman (901 yards, 10 TDs), the 2023 Jerry Rice Award recipient because the nationwide freshman of the yr, has but to fireside in two playoff video games. Bergen was the standout of a 35-28 extra time win over Furman within the quarterfinals, accounting for 242 all-purpose yards and turning into the primary UM participant to attain on each a kickoff and punt return in the identical sport since 2002. The Grizzlies are 34-7 (.829) at dwelling in all-time playoff video games, whereas NDSU arrives for a 3rd straight street sport for the primary time since 2006.
Up Subsequent – The winner will play both No. 1 seed South Dakota State (13-0) or No. 5 seed UAlbany (11-3) the FCS championship sport on Jan. 7 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas (2 p.m. ET).
Prediction – North Dakota State 31, Montana 24 (2023 predictions: 4-0 final week; 130-56 general)
