College Football

North Dakota State vs. Kansas State final: FCS Bison shock Cats (but it’s not that shocking)

North Dakota State is literally the last team you want to open your season against. Here’s why.

Aug 31, 2013, 3:55 AM UTC

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas State, reigning Big 12 co-champion, was beaten by North Dakota State, reigning FCS champion, 24-21. This is the fourth straight season in which the Bison have beaten a FBS team, and K-State is already the fourth FBS team to lose to a FCS team in 2013 (UConn, Georgia State, and South Alabama).

NDSU jumped to an early lead on a Brock Jensen touchdown pass to Ryan Smith, with K-State finally putting together three scores in a row by the third quarter. The Bison added 10 points in the third, including another Jensen touchdown strike, then held on a crucial drive into NDSU territory late in the fourth.

Down 21-17 with four minutes to go, the Bison drove 59 yards to reach the red zone with two minutes left. And they did it without resorting to the air -- at one point on that drive, with time melting, North Dakota State ran three straight runs. On the night, the Bison ran for a majestic 217 yards (127 of it by Sam Ojuri) on 2012’s No. 21 FBS rushing defense, according to raw yardage.

With 28 seconds left, Jensen ran some sort of pinwheeling barrel roll machination into the end zone.

I don’t know what in the world this was supposed to be, but it worked:

The score capped an eight-minute, soul-sucking drive. Video of that monstrosity:

A pick of a Jake Waters heave sealed it.

The Wildcats had everything to lose in the game, with even a win over an FCS team sure to be ignored by pollsters. Beating even one of the best FCS teams ever is still just beating a FCS team. Likewise, losing to one of the best FCS teams ever is still losing to a FCS team.

New K-State quarterback Waters was solid until the end, going 21 of 28 for 280 yards until the final drive. Wildcats receivers Tyler Lockett and Tramaine Thompson topped 100 yards each. But the Wildcats turned the ball over twice and converted only two of 10 third downs. Not exactly Bill Snyder hallmarks.

This game was scheduled in 2011, right after NDSU had beaten Kansas and reached the FCS quarterfinals.

The Bison have lost two games by a total of six points since the year 2010. This is Snyder’s first season-opening loss in decades.

That's four straight years with a FBS win for the Bison. On North Dakota State's 2014 schedule: Iowa State. #DOOOOOM
— Jason Kirk (@JasonKirkSBN) August 31, 2013