How Bison went from question marks to title rings
Cam Miller, Bryce Lance and an improved defense keyed the run to Frisco
BY JEFF KOLPACK
The Forum
FARGO — All that remained at Toyota Stadium in the couple of hours after North Dakota State hoisted a 10th NCAA Division I FCS national championship trophy were a few maintenance workers and piles of green and gold confetti on the grass football field. After two years away from that kind of happenstance, the Bison were back on top.
When NDSU flew to the University of Colorado for the season opener, with Tim Polasek being in his first year as a head coach, several matters had to go NDSU’s way to reach Frisco, much less defeat previously undefeated and No. 1-ranked Montana State 35-32.
It starts with Polasek, who didn’t act and run a program like a rookie coach.
His three biggest question marks heading into the season were replacing the three interior offensive line positions to complement All-Americantype tackles Grey Zabel and Mason Miller, a playmaking wide receiver and a running back. Add to that the Bison lost two All-American candidates before the season started.
Receiver Eli Green went into the transfer portal and safety Cole Wisniewski had foot surgery in August and never did play a game, then went into the portal himself after the regular season.
It was apparent before the Bison went into the Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule that those three issues were answered.
Center Trent Fraley, a transfer from Marshall, established himself as the guy in the middle. He was flanked by redshirt freshman Griffin Empey at left guard and firstyear starter Jake Rock at right guard.
Junior Bryce Lance came into the season with one career catch. It didn’t take long for him to establish as Cam Miller’s go-to guy. Redshirt freshman Marty Brown became a regular in the backfield starting with the Tennessee State game.
But NDSU did have its ace in the hole back from last year in Miller, who turned in one of the more prominent seasons in Bison football history. Here is how NDSU turned from a preseason playoff contender into a national champion: Miller Time
The most important position in football, when played right, requires a combination of intelligence, poise, a strong arm and decision making. Never is that more evident than on third down and like the Bison QBs of old, like Brock Jensen, Carson Wentz, Easton Stick and Trey Lance, Miller was money on third down.
NDSU finished the year converting 54% on third downs. Nothing daggers a defense like giving up a
rushing to East Tennessee State in the third game of the season and a couple of long runs in a home win over Towson University, there were question marks to the Bison defense. Plus, Grant Olson was in his first year as a defensive coordinator.
Was this team built defensively to make a run at a conference title and a run in the playoffs?
the defense; they got better as the season progressed.
Immaculate receptions
Lance’s first three years at NDSU were spent in the background, first redshirting in 2021 and playing special teams in the next two seasons. He barely saw the field as a receiver last season with his first and only career catch going for 7 yards.
first down on third. Nothing hinders a defense more than an accurate quarterback and Miller for most of the season led the FCS in completion percentage.
In the title game against the Bobcats, he was 19 of 22, with one incompletion coming on a stout play by an MSU defensive back and another going off the hands of Brown. So, in four quarters, he really had only one true incompletion.
That’s pinpoint accuracy in the biggest game of the season. Miller may have finished second in the balloting for the Walter Payton Award, but he was the most valuable player in the title game and it wasn’t even close.
“With Cam’s continued improvement, I thought we had a shot (at the title),” Polasek said. “I really did. He was playing at such a high clip.”
Miller finished the season 258 of 351 passing for 3,251 yards and 33 touchdowns. He leaves the program as the all-time total offense yardage leader and broke Wentz’s school season records for completions of 228 and 3,111 passing yards set in 2014.
“It’s never been about proving people wrong,” Miller said. “It’s about proving myself right and I am the quarterback that people say that I am and the quarterback that I think I am.”
Keeping up with the Joneses
The Bison gave up 31 points to Colorado. Considering the Buffaloes had the eventual Heisman Trophy winner in Travis Hunter and a firstround NFL draft pick in quarterback Shedeur Sanders, among other weapons, that wasn’t a cause for concern.
But giving up 270 yards
Improvement came in steady doses once league play started. NDSU had to retool its secondary with the loss of Wisniewski and periodic injury issues, like losing strong safety Sam Jung. The Bison lost defensive end Dylan Hendricks, their best pass rusher from a year ago, to a season-ending ACL.
Moreover, young safeties like Darius Givance and Ryan Jones looked overwhelmed at Colorado, among other early points in the season.
“OK, these pieces are going to have to start coming along,” Polasek said. “I would just go to our assistant coaches and said stay ready, be improvement oriented.”
The Bison didn’t flinch. Givance and Jones were difference makers by the time the playoffs rolled around. Jones was all over the field in the semifinal win over South Dakota State and the title game against MSU. If there was an award for most improved player since late August, it would be Jones. In a sense, he was a symbol of
Count having a firstyear offense coordinator in Jake Landry in this discussion, there was nothing in his resume that would have predicted this season’s totals: 75 receptions (two short of Warren Holloway’s single-season record), a school-record 17 touchdown catches and 1,071 yards. He had a defensedeflating nine catches for 107 yards and a TD against Montana State. That doesn’t include the wow plays. His onehanded grab in the fourth quarter was the game winner against SDSU in the semifinals. Against the Bobcats, his diving catch with 14 seconds left in the first half at the 1-yard line led to a Millerto-Lance TD one play later and a 21-3 halftime lead. His diving catch of a 38-yard, third-and-6 deep ball from Miller on the last play of the third quarter helped stop Bobcat momentum, and led to a Bison 28-18 lead.
“I just knew I had to go
David Samson / The Forum
North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance signals for a first down after a big reception against Montana State during the NCAA FCS championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Jan. 6.
THE FANS
ANALYSIS
make a play,” Lance said.
“For Cam to trust me with that throw, it meant a lot.” In one season, Lance went from understudy to one of the most productive receiving seasons in Bison history.
“I think I grabbed him in like practice three and said, you have all-league skills here,” Polasek said. “Let’s start getting north and south a little faster after a catch. Let’s start playing this game
some genius, he just stood out.”
NDSU lost Zach Mathis to the CFL after last season. It lost Green. Don’t forget the other parts of the Bison receiving corps. Junior RaJa Nelson had his best season despite fighting through injuries, turning in key plays when he played. His snaring of a high Miller pass on thirdand-6 with four minutes left in the game against MSU kept a drive alive that led to a Brown TD run and a 35-25 lead.
“Unbelievable play,”
Hard to believe in a historical sense, but NDSU arguably had the best receiving corps in the FCS.
It was not only a productive year on the field for the passing game, but also in the booth with Landry and quarterbacks coach Randy Hedberg pushing the right buttons.
“It starts at the top with all of our coaches and our coordinators,” Lance said. “Just the faith they had in me, the belief they had in me starting from spring ball. That meant the world to me.”
year. Not with a recordsetting quarterback.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at jkolpack@forumcomm.com. Twitter@KolpackInForum
David Samson / The Forum
North Dakota State’s Trent Fraley and Cam Miller check protections against Montana State during the NCAA FCS championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas,
North Dakota State fans ready for kickoff against Montana State during the NCAA FCS championship game on Monday.
Photos by David Samson / The Forum
North Dakota State fans get fired up for the final quarter against Montana State during the NCAA FCS championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Jan. 6.
North Dakota State fans celebrate the win over Montana State after the NCAA FCS championship game.
North Dakota State fans ready to greet the team for the NCAA FCS championship game.
North Dakota State fans ready to greet the team for the NCAA FCS championship game.
North Dakota State’s Jordan Kalvoda does a kick before the Bison team members arrive for the NCAA FCS championship game at Toyota Stadium.
North Dakota State’s Marty Brown grinds out a tough carry against Montana State’s Rylan Ortt during the NCAA FCS title game.
North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance reels in a bomb against Montana State’s Simeon Woodard during the NCAA FCS championship game.
Photos by David Samson / The Forum
North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller celebrates his 64-yard touchdown run against Montana State during the NCAA FCS championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Jan. 6.
North Dakota State’s Joe Stoffel scores past Montana State’s Rylan Ortt on Monday.
North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller loses his helmet after scoring against Montana State on Monday.
North Dakota State’s Braylon Henderson fires up his teammates before play against Montana State in Frisco.
North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller celebrates the win over Montana State in Frisco.
North Dakota State players celebrate their win over Montana State after the NCAA FCS championship game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Monday.
Photos by David Samson / The Forum
North Dakota State team members celebrate
North Dakota State kicker Griffin Crosa hams it up on stage after the win over Montana State in the NCAA FCS championship game.
North Dakota State head coach Tim Polasek points to Cam Miller after his Most Outstanding Player Award after the win over Montana State.