BOZEMAN — For the first time since 2016, the FCS championship game will not feature North Dakota State or South Dakota State.
Illinois State stunned top-seeded and previously unbeaten NDSU 29-28 Saturday at the FargoDome, eliminating the Bison from the playoffs in the second round. SDSU ended its season with a 50-29 loss at No. 3-seeded Montana.
The Redbirds, playing their Missouri Valley Football Conference foe for the second time this season, scored two touchdowns — and a game-clinching two-point conversion — in the final three minutes of the game to shock the Bison. Both TDs came on touchdown passes from Tommy Rittenhouse to Daniel Sobkowicz, the first coming with 2:44 remaining in the game and the second on a fourth-down play with just 1 minute left.
Rittenhouse found Scotty Presson Jr. for the deciding two-point conversion, and the upset was secured when NDSU turned the ball over on downs on its ensuing possession.
Illinois State's closing flurry also included a crucial sack-fumble of NDSU quarterback Cole Payton by the Redbirds' Jake Anderson.
The game started looking as if it would be business as usual for the mighty Bison. Payton connected with favorite target Bryce Lance for a 78-yard touchdown in the opening minutes, and Jackson Williams returned a punt 52 yards for another Bison score. They led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Illinois State got on the board early in the second quarter when Victor Dawson broke free for a 69-yard scoring run, but NDSU pushed the lead back to 21-7 when Nathaniel Staehling returned an interception 73 yards for a touchdown. Rittenhouse threw five picks on the day.
Rittenhouse and Sobkowicz connected for their first TD to end the first half and go into the break trailing 21-14.
After a scoreless third quarter, Barika Kpeenu found the end zone to put the Bison up 28-14. That's where the score would remain until the fireworks in the final minutes.
Rittenhouse finished the game 35-of-52 passing for 249 yards, three touchdowns and five INTs. Dawson had 137 rushing yards on 23 carries.
Payton completed just 4 of 12 passes for 101 yards and a TD for NDSU, which had struggled offensively. The Bison finished with 179 total yards (59 rushing) and had just six first downs. They lost two fumbles.
Illinois State dominated time of possessions — 42 minutes to 18 — and rolled up 422 total yards.
North Dakota State finishes its season with a 12-1 record. The Bison had advanced to at least the quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs every season since 2009. They've won 10 national championships in that time span, including last year's title.
Unseeded Illinois State (10-4), which won at No. 16-seeded Southeastern Louisiana in the first round of the playoffs, will go on the road for the third consecutive week in the quarterfinal round. The Redbirds will play the winner between No. 8 UC Davis and No. 9 Rhode Island.
Other second-round scores of the FCS playoffs:
No. 2 Montana State 21, Yale 13
No. 3 Montana 50, No. 14 South Dakota State 29
No. 4 Tarleton State 31, North Dakota 13
No. 12 Villanova 14, No. 5 Lehigh 7
No. 11 South Dakota 47, No. 6 Mercer 0
No. 7 Stephen F. Austin 41, No. 10 Abilene Christian 34
