There are many numbers and statistics that represent how dominant North Dakota State has been this year. Offense, defense, special teams, turnover margin, time of possession … you name it and the Bison are doing well in all categories, as expected for a 9-0 football team.
One of the more impressive figures is what has helped NDSU make it through the season unscathed.
[divider]
MORE FCS FOOTBALL:
FCS Home | FCS Rankings
Compare FCS Teams | Compare FCS Players
[divider]
The Bison have outscored Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents 72-7 in the fourth quarter.
- 7-0 SDSU
- 28-0 UNI
- 10-0 WIU
- 0-7 Ill. St.
- 17-0 USD
- 10-0 YSU
While NDSU has had just one Valley game decided by one possession or less, there have been close games heading into the final quarter. South Dakota State held a 17-14 lead after three quarters, Northern Iowa led 31-28 and Youngstown State had it tied 7-7.
The Bison outscored all three of those opponents 45-0 in the fourth.
NDSU has gotten out to fast and dominating starts in some games, such as Illinois State and South Dakota, but its offense is designed more for the second half and especially the fourth quarter.
The Bison have a bruising ground game where chunks of yards get bigger as the game wears on. Being more physical and in better shape is a point of pride for this team. It's not rare in this run of national championships that a team sticks around for three quarters, but gets dominated in the fourth.
That has carried over in 2018 and is more apparent than ever. A 72-7 advantage is just ludicrous.
SUBSCRIBE: HERO Sports FCS Podcast
There's been a lot of talk as to who can hang with and push NDSU come playoff time. It's no secret the formula to beating the Bison: match their physicality on both sides of the line of scrimmage. (And having a mobile quarterback is basically a must.)
But the physicality has to be matched for all four quarters. That's where NDSU separates itself from a great team to an unstoppable team.
There are certainly teams out there who pose a threat to NDSU. UC Davis runs the type of offense that has given the Bison fits in recent years (see 2016 EWU and 2016, 2017 SDSU). Kennesaw State has the offensive speed and defensive skill to make it a close game (see Charleston Southern 2016). SDSU seems to be closing the gap every year with the Bison. And of course, James Madison is looking to catch fire in the playoffs again and has shown the ability to match up well with NDSU and do it for all four quarters.
The question in 2018 is even if these teams can go toe-to-toe with the Bison, can they do it for a full game?
[divider]
NEXT: Is JMU Still Elite?
RELATED: Easton Stick Chasing All-Time Wins Record
