FRISCO, Texas — North Dakota State had a “Hang Ten” effort Monday night at Toyota Stadium.
Senior quarterback Cam Miller had a masterful performance to lead the Bison to a 35-32 victory against Montana State for the NCAA Division I FCS championship before 18,005 fans.
“We’ve been tested and we’ve been in those moments,” Bison head coach Tim Polasek said in his postgame interview on ESPN. “It took a bunch of togetherness and toughness to close that game out.”
NDSU (14-2) earned an unprecedented 10th FCS national championship since 2011. The Bison are 10-1 in 11 title games during that run.
“Doing it with this group, pretty awesome,” said Polasek, in his first season as NDSU’s head coach. “They all stayed.”
North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller celebrates his 64-yard touchdown run against Montana State during the NCAA FCS championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
Miller also led the Bison to a national crown during the 2021 season and played in three FCS title games during his NDSU career. Miller had 45 career quarterback wins to rank fourth in FCS history.
“It means a lot,” Miller said. “I want to leave this place better than when I found it and I found it with a national championship and we’re going to leave it with a national championship,”
Miller completed 19 of 22 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 121 yards and two TDs on 18 attempts. The Bison built an 18-point halftime lead and held off a Montana State (15-1) rally in the second half.
“He’s played that kind of football all year in big moments,” Polasek said.
No. 2-seeded NDSU spoiled top-seeded Montana State’s attempt for a perfect season.
“We battled adversity and this team just continues to fight,” Miller said.
North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller soars on a 2-yard touchdown carry against Montana State during the NCAA FCS championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
Montana State got its offense rolling after halftime after scoring three points in the first half.
“Guys fought like crazy in that second half,” said Montana State head coach Brent Vigen. “It just didn’t happen for us.”
Bobcats running back Scottre Humphrey scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to cut the Bison lead to 21-10 with 8 minutes, 9 seconds to play in the third quarter.
Bobcats tight end Rohan Jones caught a 5-yard TD pass from quarterback Tommy Mellott to cut the NDSU lead to 21-18 with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter. Mellott also completed a 53-yard pass to tight end Ryan Lonergan to start the two-play scoring drive.
The Bison countered with a Joe Stoffel 1-yard touchdown catch from Miller for a 28-18 lead with 14:18 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Mellott answered with a 44-yard TD run that cut the Bison lead to 28-25 with 11:25 remaining in the fourth quarter. That capped a 75-yard drive in five plays.
Bison running back Marty Brown scored on a 3-yard TD run for a 35-25 lead with 2:41 remaining in the fourth quarter. That 66-yard drive took nine plays and proved to be the winning points. Brown rushed for 77 yards on 17 attempts.
Sophomore receiver Taco Dowler caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Mellott to cut the Bison lead to 35-32 with 1:09 remaining in the fourth quarter. NDSU recovered the ensuing onside kick and was able to run out the clock with a punt on fourth down on the final play of the game.
“Unfortunately, I think the better team lost,” Mellott said.
North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance (5) celebrates his touchdown reception against Montana State with his teammates during the NCAA FCS championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
Mellott completed 13 of 24 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 135 yards and one TD with 14 attempts.
The Bison offense was sharp in the first half.
Miller scored on a 2-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 Bison lead with 7:55 remaining in the first quarter. The 75-yard drive lasted 12 plays and took more than seven minutes. Miller completed 3 of 3 passes for 44 yards on the game’s opening drive.
Miller added a 64-yard TD run for a 14-0 lead with 1:51 remaining in the first quarter. Miller’s run capped a 92-yard drive that lasted five plays.
Montana State kicker Myles Sansted hit a 32-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-3 with 5:38 to play in the second quarter.
Bison receiver Bryce Lance capped the first half with a 1-yard touchdown catch for a 21-3 lead with 12 seconds remaining in the first half. That capped a 56-yard drive in 10 plays.
Lance finished with nine catches for 107 yards, including his one touchdown catch.
Miller had a big first half, completing 10 of 11 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 108 yards and two TDs on 11 attempts.
The Bison had 226 yards on 30 plays in the first half. NDSU limited the Bobcats to 108 yards on 30 plays in the first two quarters.
The Bison never trailed and that 18-point halftime cushion proved too much for Montana State to overcome.
“I absolutely love this football team,” Polasek said. “We were tested this year. … Never count out the heart of a Bison.”
