The 2011 North Dakota State Bison football team represented North Dakota State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bison were led by ninth year head coach Craig Bohl and played their home games at the Fargodome. They are a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 14–1, 7–1 in MVFC play to share the conference title with Northern Iowa.

The Bison received the conference's automatic bid into the FCS playoffs, their second FCS playoff bid in school history, where they advanced to the National Championship Game and defeated Sam Houston State to win their first FCS National Championship and their first national championship since 1990 when they won the Division II championship.

Schedule

Rankings

Personnel

Game summaries Lafayette

Statistics LAFNDSU First downs 8 18 Total yards 198 416 Rushing yards 54 180 Passing yards 144 236 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 27:55 32:05 Team Category Player StatisticsLafayette Passing Ryan O'Neil 15/20, 144 yards, TD Rushing Ross Scheuerman 8 rushes, 46 yards Receiving Mitchell Bennett 3 receptions, 45 yards, TDNorth Dakota State Passing Brock Jensen 15/22, 197 yards, 2 TD Rushing D. J. McNorton 13 rushes, 80 yards, 3 TD Receiving Warren Holloway 6 receptions, 147 yards, 2 TD

Saint Francis (PA)

Statistics STFNDSU First downs 15 17 Total yards 182 394 Rushing yards 66 233 Passing yards 116 161 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 37:31 22:29 Team Category Player StatisticsSaint Francis Passing John Kelly 8/17, 62 yards, 2 INT Rushing Kyle Harbridge 14 rushes, 41 yards Receiving Ryan Laduke 5 receptions, 42 yardsNorth Dakota State Passing Brock Jensen 11/13, 139 yards, 2 TD Rushing Sam Ojuri 12 rushes, 165 yards, TD Receiving Warren Holloway 4 receptions, 73 yards, TD

At Minnesota

Statistics NDSUMINN First downs 17 18 Total yards 336 292 Rushing yards 139 168 Passing yards 197 124 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 31:21 28:39 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota State Passing Brock Jensen 16/21, 197 yards Rushing D. J. McNorton 13 rushes, 92 yards, TD Receiving Ryan Smith 4 receptions, 74 yardsMinnesota Passing Max Shortell 4/8, 71 yards, TD, INT Rushing Duane Bennett 13 rushes, 74 yards Receiving Eric Lair 2 receptions, 41 yards, TD

Illinois State

Statistics ILSTNDSU First downs 21 16 Total yards 397 331 Rushing yards 127 124 Passing yards 270 207 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 30:44 29:16 Team Category Player StatisticsIllinois State Passing Matt Brown 31/48, 270 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Ashton Leggett 16 rushes, 73 yards Receiving Lechein Neblett 9 receptions, 78 yardsNorth Dakota State Passing Brock Jensen 15/22, 207 yards, TD Rushing D. J. McNorton 17 rushes, 56 yards, TD Receiving Warren Holloway 6 receptions, 70 yards

At No. 20 Southern Illinois

Statistics NDSUSIU First downs 9 17 Total yards 210 297 Rushing yards 60 128 Passing yards 150 169 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 28:28 31:32 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota State Passing Brock Jensen 13/23, 150 yards, TD, INT Rushing D. J. McNorton 13 rushes, 31 yards Receiving Ryan Smith 3 receptions, 70 yardsSouthern Illinois Passing Kory Faulkner 16/28, 169 yards, 3 INT Rushing Jewel Hampton 23 rushes, 120 yards Receiving Cam Fuller 2 receptions, 59 yards

Missouri State

Statistics MOSTNDSU First downs 19 26 Total yards 363 428 Rushing yards 141 212 Passing yards 222 216 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 22:30 37:30 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri State Passing Trevor Wooden 18/25, 222 yards, 2 TD Rushing Vernon Scott 13 rushes, 66 yards Receiving Ian Starnes 5 receptions, 79 yards, TDNorth Dakota State Passing Brock Jensen 19/23, 211 yards, 3 TD Rushing D. J. McNorton 14 rushes, 92 yards, 2 TD Receiving Warren Holloway 6 receptions, 109 yards, 2 TD

At South Dakota State

Statistics NDSUSDSU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota State Passing Rushing Receiving South Dakota State Passing Rushing Receiving

No. 2 Northern Iowa

Statistics UNINDSU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Iowa Passing Rushing Receiving North Dakota State Passing Rushing Receiving

At No. 21 Indiana State

Statistics NDSUINST First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota State Passing Rushing Receiving Indiana State Passing Rushing Receiving

Youngstown State

Statistics YSUNDSU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsYoungstown State Passing Rushing Receiving North Dakota State Passing Rushing Receiving

At Western Illinois

Statistics NDSUWIU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota State Passing Rushing Receiving Western Illinois Passing Rushing Receiving

No. 17 James Madison (FCS Second Round)

Statistics JMUNDSU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsJames Madison Passing Rushing Receiving North Dakota State Passing Rushing Receiving

No. 6 Lehigh (FCS Quarterfinals)

Statistics LEHNDSU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsLehigh Passing Rushing Receiving North Dakota State Passing Rushing Receiving

No. 3 Georgia Southern (FCS Semifinals)

Statistics GASONDSU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Rushing Receiving North Dakota State Passing Rushing Receiving

Vs. Sam Houston State (FCS Championship Game)

Statistics SHSUNDSU First downs 12 9 Total yards 210 235 Rushing yards 95 115 Passing yards 115 120 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 33:05 26:55 Team Category Player StatisticsSam Houston State Passing Brian Bell 12/31, 115 yards, 2 INT Rushing Tim Flanders 21 rushes, 84 yards Receiving Torrance Williams 3 receptions, 53 yardsNorth Dakota State Passing Brock Jensen 10/20, 120 yards, TD, INT Rushing D. J. McNorton 14 rushes, 39 yards Receiving D. J. McNorton 2 receptions, 35 yards, TD

References