North Dakota State Secures Bowl Eligibility with 31-17 Win Over Nevada
North Dakota State secured bowl eligibility in its first year in FBS by defeating Nevada 31-17 at the Fargodome, raising its record to 6-1. The victory came despite the Bison accumulating 11 penalties for 99 yards that repeatedly stalled drives.
The penalties proved costly throughout the afternoon, particularly on a third-quarter drive following an acrobatic interception by cornerback Marion Moore at the Nevada 36-yard line. Two false starts and a holding penalty turned a promising possession into a second-and-23 from the 38 and a third-and-17 from the 32. Drew Klein eventually kicked a 39-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-17, but the sequence prevented the Bison from putting the game out of reach earlier.
Defensive Streak Snapped and Roster Injuries Mount
Bianco scored on a 15-yard run early in the second quarter. The score marked the first touchdown allowed by the Bison defense in nearly a month, ending a streak of nine consecutive quarters without surrendering a touchdown. The last time the Bison defense gave up a touchdown was on Sept. 19 in the fourth quarter at Sacramento State, followed by a 28-0 shutout of Wyoming on Oct. 3 and a UNLV game where the only Rebels touchdown came on a pick-six.
Check out our highlights from last night’s matchup between Nevada and North Dakota State below 🏈👇https://t.co/jmY63nro0b
The 17 points scored by Nevada represented the most North Dakota State has allowed since a 39-32 victory over Air Force on Sept. 12. Nevada played without starting quarterback Carter Jones, who was listed as questionable after leaving the previous week’s win over UTEP with a right wrist injury. Bianco, a fifth-year player, stepped in to start for the Wolf Pack.
North Dakota State also sustained several roster hits during the contest. Tim Polasek stated after the game that defensive tackle Alijah Wayne suffered a torn ACL in practice during the week, downgrading him from out for the game to out for the season. Wayne served as the top backup at defensive tackle, averaging about 19 snaps per game. Running back DJ Scott missed the game with a shoulder injury suffered at UNLV, while running back Nyeoti Punni exited with an apparent shoulder injury after a fourth-quarter hit. Linebacker Ray James Jr. left with an upper-body injury on the final play of the first half, and running back Brady Wavrunek missed much of the game with an undisclosed injury.
Attendance Figures and Defensive Standouts
The game drew an announced crowd of 18,261 at the Fargodome. The figure marks the third time this season the Bison have attracted 18,000 or more fans, a milestone the program last reached in 2022.
Nevada’s defense kept the game competitive through heavy tackling workloads. Middle linebacker Jeremy Naborne-Owens finished with 13 tackles, and outside linebacker EJ Smith added 12 tackles for the Wolf Pack. Safety Darius Givance missed the contest for North Dakota State after sustaining a back injury early in the UNLV game.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was North Dakota State’s record after the win against Nevada?
North Dakota State improved its record to 6-1 overall with the 31-17 victory, securing bowl eligibility in the program’s first year in FBS.
How many penalties did North Dakota State commit against Nevada?
The Bison were flagged 11 times for 99 yards, which created significant obstacles for the offense throughout the game.
When was the last time the North Dakota State defense allowed a touchdown prior to this game?
Prior to A.J. Bianco’s second-quarter scoring run for Nevada, the Bison defense had not allowed a touchdown since the fourth quarter against Sacramento State on Sept. 19, spanning nine consecutive quarters without surrendering a touchdown.
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