North Dakota State Bison

FCS Championship · Second Round

Ugh, no.

North Dakota State Bison lost to the Illinois State Redbirds

10-4 29 – 28

12-1

Final · Sat, Dec 6

Game Details

Fargodome (Fargo) · 10,464 fans · ESPN+

Highlights

Illinois State scores 2 late TDs to knock out top-ranked North Dakota State 29-28 in FCS playoff

Tommy Rittenhouse connected with Daniel Sobkowicz for two touchdown passes inside the final two minutes and overcame five interceptions to help No. 17 Illinois State upset top-ranked and previously unbeaten North Dakota State 29-28 on Saturday in...

Recap via ESPN

0:23 Cole Payton connects for 78-yard TD pass

0:23 Cole Payton throws 78-yard touchdown pass vs. Illinois State

0:50 Jackson Williams takes punt to the house for 52-yard North Dakota State TD

0:13 Picked! Donovan Woolen hauls in the interception

Clips play on ESPN

Fargodome · Fargo

Line Score

	1	2	3	4	T
ILST	0	14	0	15	29
NDSU	14	7	0	7	28

Win Probability · North Dakota State Bison

kickoffnow: 0%

Game Leaders

Illinois State Redbirds

Tommy Rittenhouse · 35/52, 249 YDS, 3 TD, 5 INTPassing Yards
Victor Dawson · 23 CAR, 137 YDS, 1 TDRushing Yards
Daniel Sobkowicz · 8 REC, 67 YDS, 3 TDReceiving Yards
Garret Steffen · 2Sacks
Mason Kaplan · 7Tackles

North Dakota State Bison

Cole Payton · 4/12, 101 YDS, 1 TDPassing Yards
Barika Kpeenu · 16 CAR, 55 YDS, 1 TDRushing Yards
Bryce Lance · 1 REC, 78 YDS, 1 TDReceiving Yards
Toby Anene · 1Sacks
Logan Kopp · 11Tackles

2026 Missouri Valley Football Conference Standings

Team
North Dakota
South Dakota State
Northern Iowa
Youngstown State
South Dakota
Southern Illinois
Illinois State
Indiana State
Murray State

2026 Mountain West Conference Standings

Team
North Dakota State
New Mexico
San José State
UNLV
Air Force
Wyoming
Northern Illinois
Nevada
UTEP
Hawai'i

Scoring

Q4 1:00

TD Daniel Sobkowicz 6 Yd pass from Tommy Rittenhouse (Tommy Rittenhouse Pass to Scotty Presson Jr. for Two-Point Conversion)29–28

Q4 2:44

TD Daniel Sobkowicz 8 Yd pass from Tommy Rittenhouse (Matt Maldonado Kick)21–28

Q4 12:38

TD Barika Kpeenu 4 Yd Run (Eli Ozick Kick)14–28

Q2 0:50

TD Daniel Sobkowicz 8 Yd pass from Tommy Rittenhouse (Matt Maldonado Kick)14–21

Q2 8:09

TD Nathaniel Staehling 73 Yd Interception Return (Eli Ozick Kick)7–21

Q2 11:21

TD Victor Dawson 69 Yd Run (Matt Maldonado Kick)7–14

Q1 4:40

TD Jackson Williams 52 Yd Punt Return (Eli Ozick Kick)0–14

Q1 12:39

TD Bryce Lance 78 Yd pass from Cole Payton (Eli Ozick Kick)0–7

Team Stats

Illinois State RedbirdsNorth Dakota State Bison

Offense

422 Total Yards 179

249 Passing Yards 120

173 Rushing Yards 59

23 First Downs 6

Efficiency

6-18 3rd Down 2-13

4-6 4th Down 1-2

35/52 Completions 6/19

Turnovers & Clock

5 Turnovers 2

4-21 Penalties 5-54

42:01 Possession 17:59

Box Score

Illinois State Redbirds ▾

Passing

Player	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT
Tommy Rittenhouse	35/52	249	4.8	3	5
Team	35/52	249	4.8	3	5

Rushing

Player	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Victor Dawson	23	137	6.0	1	69
Tommy Rittenhouse	7	24	3.4	0	9
Seth Glatz	7	18	2.6	0	5
Team	2	-6	-3.0	0	0
Team	39	173	4.4	1	69

Receiving

Player	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Daniel Sobkowicz	8	67	8.4	3	17
Scotty Presson Jr.	3	45	15.0	0	25
Dylan Lord	9	42	4.7	0	10
Eddie Kasper	6	38	6.3	0	16
Luke Mailander	3	32	10.7	0	15
Victor Dawson	3	19	6.3	0	15
Javon Charles	1	3	3.0	0	3
Seth Glatz	2	3	1.5	0	2
Team	35	249	7.1	3	25

Fumbles

Player	FUM	LOST	REC
Jacob Anderson	0	0	1
CJ Richard Jr.	0	0	1
Team	0	0	2

Defense

Player	TOT	SOLO	SACKS	TFL	PD	QB HUR
Mason Kaplan	7	3	0	1	0	0
Tye Niekamp	6	4	0	0	0	0
Garret Steffen	5	3	2	3	0	1
Jacob Anderson	4	3	1	1.5	1	0
Patrick Bauer	4	1	0.5	1	0	1
La'Shavion Brown	3	1	0	0	0	0
Reese Edwards	3	0	0.5	0.5	0	0
Shadwel Nkuba II	2	0	0	0	0	0
Brayden Jellison	1	1	0	0	0	0
Ben Wallace	1	1	0	0	0	0
Doreon Dubose	1	1	0	0	0	0
Dexter Niekamp	1	1	0	0	0	0
Cam Wilson	1	0	0	0	3	0
Christian Lorenzo	1	0	0	0	0	0
Nick True	1	0	0	0	0	0
Solomon Oduma	1	0	0	0	0	0
Nate Kraus	1	0	0	0	0	0
CJ Richard Jr.	1	0	0	0	0	0
Ben Cooper	1	0	0	0	0	0
Team	45	19	4	7	4	2

Kick Returns

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD
Mar'Quan Gary	2	39	19.5	22	0
Team	2	39	19.5	22	0

Punt Returns

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD
Eddie Kasper	3	26	8.7	21	0
Team	3	26	8.7	21	0

Kicking

Player	FG	PCT	LONG	XP	PTS
Matt Maldonado	0/0	0.0	0	3/3	3
Team	0/0	0.0	0	3/3	3

Punting

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	TB	In 20	LONG
Hayden Futch	3	139	46.3	0	0	48
Team	3	139	46.3	0	0	48

North Dakota State Bison ▾

Passing

Player	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD
Cole Payton	4/12	101	8.4	1
Nathan Hayes	2/7	19	2.7	0
Team	6/19	120	6.3	1

Rushing

Player	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Barika Kpeenu	16	55	3.4	1	11
DJ Scott	4	15	3.8	0	7
Nathan Hayes	1	3	3.0	0	3
Cole Payton	6	-14	-2.3	0	4
Team	27	59	2.2	1	11

Receiving

Player	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Bryce Lance	1	78	78.0	1	78
Carson Williams	1	22	22.0	0	22
RaJa Nelson	1	10	10.0	0	10
Jackson Williams	1	9	9.0	0	9
Barika Kpeenu	1	5	5.0	0	5
Owen Johnson	1	-4	-4.0	0	0
Team	6	120	20.0	1	78

Fumbles

Player	FUM	LOST
Cole Payton	1	1
Barika Kpeenu	1	1
Team	2	2

Defense

Player	TOT	SOLO	SACKS	TFL	PD	QB HUR	TD
Logan Kopp	11	9	0	1	0	0	0
Donovan Woolen	10	9	0	0	1	0	0
Toby Anene	6	4	1	1	3	1	0
Keenan Wilson	6	4	0	0	0	0	0
Jaylin Crumby	5	5	0	0	0	0	0
Darius Givance	5	3	0	0.5	0	0	0
Jaquise Alexander	3	3	0	0	1	0	0
Nathaniel Staehling	3	3	0	0	0	1	1
Jailen Duffie	3	3	0	1	0	0	0
Logan Larson	3	2	0	0	0	0	0
Anthony Chideme-Alfaro	2	1	0	0	0	0	0
Jack Iuliano	2	0	0	0.5	0	0	0
Ryan Jones	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
Trent Fraley	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Isiah St. Romain	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Taylen Eady	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Zach Vanderpool	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Alijah Wayne	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Jaxon Duttenhefer	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Victor Isele	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Matthew Stenbroten	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kelton McCaslin	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Jackson Williams	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Team	69	51	1	4	5	3	1

Interceptions

Player	INT	YDS	TD
Nathaniel Staehling	2	81	1
Anthony Chideme-Alfaro	1	21	0
Donovan Woolen	1	1	0
Taylen Eady	1	0	0
Team	5	103	1

Kick Returns

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG
RaJa Nelson	2	40	20.0	21
Jackson Williams	1	8	8.0	8
Team	3	48	16.0	21

Punt Returns

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD
Jackson Williams	2	53	26.5	52	0
Team	2	53	26.5	52	0

Kicking

Player	FG	PCT	LONG	XP	PTS
Eli Ozick	0/0	0.0	0	4/4	4
Team	0/0	0.0	0	4/4	4

Punting

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	TB	In 20	LONG
Aaron Bickerton	8	357	44.6	0	3	64
Team	8	357	44.6	0	3	64

Roster

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Upcoming

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North Dakota State Bison

Game Details

Highlights

On the Field LIVE

Line Score

Game Flow

Win Probability · North Dakota State Bison

Game Leaders

2026 Missouri Valley Football Conference Standings

2026 Mountain West Conference Standings

Scoring

Team Stats

Box Score

Roster

Schedule Add to calendar