STREAK OVER: North Dakota State Falls To James Madison in Semis

	No. 4 James Madison: 27  ​No. 1 North Dakota State: 17
	FCS SEMIFINALS

The last time this happened (Nov. 23, 1991), there was no internet to speak of, nobody outside of Arkansas had heard of the Clintons, and all of tonight's stars were a couple of years away from even being born.

Tonight, James Madison traveled to North Dakota State and knocked off the Bison on their home field in the postseason for the first time since Minnesota State-Mankato did it 25 years ago in the Division II playoffs. The home field wasn't even the dreaded FargoDome back then, mind you.

This year's version of the Bison was no slouch. It shut down the Big Ten's Iowa — which is in a Jan. 2 bowl game. It knocked off another FCS Semifinalist in Eastern Washington, and it was incredible in the FCS Playoffs.

A 22-game playoff win streak is also over for NDSU (11-2).

It was a signature win for the Dukes (12-1). And I'll go ahead and say it — the 2010 win over Frank Beamer's Virginia Tech team was a big one. The 2004 I-AA championship win was just as big.

But I'll say exactly what the entire FCS is thinking at this moment: This is infinitely more important. This is JMU's top win ever. And it puts the Dukes in the position of winning another FCS-level national title game in January. JMU senior RB Khalid Abdullah had a ton to do with it. 

"It's a brotherhood, I think some teams talk about it, but only some really do it," Abdullah said after the game when interviewed by ESPN. "We do everything together."

RELATED: HERO Sports senior writer Brian McLaughlin picked James Madison to win it all on Nov. 25

​James Madison ended North Dakota State's five-year run as FCS National Champions. The Bison will not take over the more-than-willing town of Frisco, Texas the first week after New Years Day — this time around, the town will be painted partially Purple and Gold, not Green and Gold.

No matter what though, the FCS brings Gold to the home of the FCS Title trophy. What's new?

True to form, the fully engaged and football-savvy North Dakota State crowd in the FargoDome gave a standing ovation to its own team and probably meant to send a message to James Madison too. The cerebral crowd that is so in tuned in that it becomes quiet as a mouse when its offense is on the field?

It was the same crowd that gave an ovation, a testament to a Midwestern personality — one that appreciates hard work and tenacity and doesn't have a place in its heart for flash without substance. Tonight, they saw a mirror image of themselves from the Shenandoah Mountain region of Virginia — and the Bison faithful applauded it. 

James Madison's Abdullah was incredible — and it's hard to think NFL Scouts didn't pick up on the senior tonight. He combined power and speed and vision and presence — and dominance. He was absolutely the player of the game, with 180 yards rushing and 51 yards receiving and a TD. He and quarterback Bryan Schor kept drives alive behind an incredible grinding offensive line.

James Madison's Curtis Oliver (26) was stoked about the big win (Credit – JMU Athletics Communications).

The JMU defense hit hard, with Dimitri Holloway going bonkers with 16 tackles. With the Dukes being held nearly to half of their average scoring output (49 points to 27), it was imperative the Defensive Dukes do the same — and they did. NDSU usually scores around 30 points a game, it was held to 17.

​The truth is, North Dakota State faced its twin tonight. It faced a fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference level foe that doesn't ply its trade in the Midwest, but in the Colonial Athletic Association — which is also pretty darned strong. Great run game. Great defense. Doesn't mess up on special teams.

A hitting team that stares right back at you during the critical junctures of a close game. It was a classic FCS matchup. 

North Dakota State won the clock (nearly 33 minutes time of possession), won the first-down battle (20 to 15) and yet were outgained 443 to 348 in the yardage department. Penalties plagued the Dukes, but in the end it didn't matter in the least. Turnovers weren't a factor at all, tough play was.

James Madison has gotten tough this year under first-year coach Mike Houston, who also turned The Citadel into a national contender instead of a perennial 2-9 type team.

His framework was still in action there this year in Charleston (S.C) as the Bulldogs went 10-2. This coaching chemist has a magic formula. He didn't have to run off half the team and wait three years for his plan's potency to kick in, he was able to win over the current studs from previous regimes. He easily swayed this intelligent group and they bought in early.

There's another game to be played, but some would argue tonight's was the real national title game.

But … tonight's wasn't the national title game.

See you in Frisco, folks.