FCS Championship Preview Of Montana State Vs. North Dakota State

by · Forbes
FRISCO, TX - JANUARY 08: The National Champion trophy is seen before the game between the South ... [+] Dakota State Jackrabbits and the North Dakota State Bison in the Division I FCS Football Championship held at Toyota Stadium on January 8, 2023 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)NCAA Photos via Getty Images

After a relatively chalky playoff unfolded in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), No. 1 Montana State will take on No. 2 North Dakota State in the FCS Championship today at 6pm CT in Frisco, Texas. The NCAA announced that this will be the fifteenth and final championship game hosted at Toyota Stadium ahead of expected renovations. The two teams met three years ago in the FCS Championship game where North Dakota State defeated Montana State 38-10.

Who Is Playing

The top-seeded and undefeated Montana State Bobcats will play the perennial powerhouse and second-seeded North Dakota State Bison

Montana State Bobcats

FILE - Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott throws the ball during the first half of an NCAA ... [+] college football game in Portland, Ore., Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer, File)Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Record: 15-0

Final FCS Coaches Poll Ranking: 1

Notable Home Game Results: Defeated Idaho 38-7, defeated Montana 34-11

Notable Road Game Results: Defeated New Mexico 35-31, defeated UC Davis 30-28

Award Winners: The Montana State Bobcats are led by Walter Payton Award-winning quarterback Tommy Mellott (who narrowly beat out North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller for the award. Coach Brent Vigen won the Eddie Robinson Award.

North Dakota State Bison

FILE - North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller (7) passes during the first half of the FCS ... [+] Championship NCAA college football game against South Dakota State, Jan. 8, 2023, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, file)Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Record: 13-2

Final FCS Coaches Poll Ranking: 4

Notable Home Game Results: Defeated South Dakota State 13-9, defeated Mercer 31-7

Notable Road Game Results: Lost to Colorado 31-26, Lost to South Dakota 29-28

Award Winners: Running back CharMar Brown was awarded the Jerry Rice Award which recognizes the top freshman FCS player in the nation.

What To Watch For:

Quarterback Play

Interestingly, this year’s championship matchup will feature the exact same starting quarterbacks for each team as their championship matchup three years ago — a rarity in the age of NIL and the transfer portal. Quarterback Tommy Mellott has been instrumental in Montana State’s undefeated success, showcasing dual-threat capabilities with 29 touchdown passes against only 2 interceptions. The Bisons are led by quarterback Cam Miller has demonstrated efficiency and poise, boasting a 31:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and throwing for over 3,000 yards this season. Both quarterbacks are looking to show why they were finalists for the Walter Payton Award.

Scoring

The Bobcats and Bison are ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in scoring offense, respectively this season. They are also both highly efficient with Montana State scoring in 96.8% of attempts and North Dakota State scoring in 93.0% of attempts. This would normally indicate a lot of action on the scoreboard. However, these two teams also boast the No. 6 (Montana State) and No. 10 (North Dakota State) scoring defenses in the country meaning points could be at a premium. The over/under currently stands at 58.5 total points according to ESPN Bet.

09 JAN 2016: The North Dakota State Bisons celebrate winning the game between the North Dakota State ... [+] Bison and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at the FCS Championship at Toyota Stadium in Frisco,Texas. North Dakota beats Jacksonville State for its fifth straight championship 37-10. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire) (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

History

The Bison are regulars in Frisco, TX. Between the 2011 and 2021 seasons, North Dakota State won 9 championships — more than any other FCS program. This year’s game is a rematch of the 2021 FCS Championship, where North Dakota State defeated Montana State 38-10, in their most recent championship victory. Montana State is seeking its first FCS title since 1984. Last year, North Dakota State was defeated in the title game by South Dakota State.

How To Watch

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN and streamed online on the ESPN+ platform.

Betting Odds

Montana State is currently the 3.5-point favorite to win tonight with a Moneyline of Montana State (-170) and North Dakota State (+145). This places the implied probabilities of winning at 63% for the Bobcats and 41% for the Bison.

Takeaway

This year’s FCS championship game has all the makings of a thriller. Two top-seeded teams and a tight spread indicate that we are in for a competitive matchup with all the dressings of recent award winners and historical implications. In Frisco tonight, two FCS powerhouses will collide, and when the dust settles, one will etch their name into the annals of championship history.