On Monday night, North Dakota State defeated Montana State 35-32 to capture its 10th national championship and first since defeating the Bobcats in the championship game three years ago. North Dakota State held off a strong second-half comeback attempt from Montana State, which got within three points of the Bison but never took the lead. Montana State was in the midst of a perfect 15-0 season before Monday’s result.

A tale of two halves

The first half was all Bison style as North Dakota State took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Both scores were rushing touchdowns by quarterback Cam Miller, including a 64-yard touchdown run right down the middle of the field.

The Bison dominated the remainder of the first half and entered halftime with a 21-3 lead over the Bobcats. However, Montana State came out of halftime and quickly scored two touchdowns in the third quarter, ending with a two-point conversion to cut the lead to three heading into the fourth quarter.

Exceptional quarterback play characterized the fourth quarter. Both Walter Payton Award winner Tommy Mellott and finalist Cam Miller showed why they deserved the award. In the fourth quarter alone, Mellott ran for a touchdown and threw for another, while Miller threw for a touchdown. Jerry Rice Award winner CharMar Brown also rushed for a touchdown with 2:39 left in the fourth quarter, which proved to be the final blow that led to North Dakota State’s victory.

Crimes shine

Both teams ranked in the top 10 scoring offenses in the country, and neither team disappointed in that regard. The pregame over/under was 58.5 and the overhit total was 67. Montana State only punted twice the entire game and North Dakota State punted four times. The Bobcats tried twice on fourth down and had to settle for a field goal after an 11-minute drive in the second quarter.

North Dakota State outgained Montana State 401 to 393 yards. Both teams had a balanced attack with 202 yards on the ground and 199 yards through the air for North Dakota State and 198 yards on the ground and 195 yards through the air for Montana State. Neither offense resulted in turnovers, but the Bison committed 9 penalties compared to Montana State’s 2.

Look ahead

This game marked the end of an era as the NCAA announced that the FCS championship game would be held in Nashville next year after 15 years in Frisco. Frisco has seen North Dakota State repeat as champions 10 times during that span and also featured Cam Miller defeating Tommy Mellott twice in four years (once as a freshman starter and once as a senior starter). Both Bison and Bobcats hope to continue competing at the highest level. However, both teams will be replacing players in key starting positions. North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller and Montana State offensive lineman Marcus Wehr will play in the 2025 Shrine Bowl. Tommy Mellott will also be leaving the Bobcats after this season. Ultimately, this game marked not only the end of an era in Frisco, but also a fitting conclusion to an unforgettable rivalry that saw Cam Miller once again defeat Tommy Mellott on the championship stage.