NDSU Football Postseason History
- ️Thu Jul 18 2024
No other football program has won more national championships and playoff games in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision than North Dakota State. The Bison won their 10th FCS national championship in 14 years in 2024.
NDSU was the first college football program to win five straight national championships with titles in 2011 through 2015 with an overall record of 71-5 in that span including a 42-3 home record. After a semifinal loss to eventual national champion James Madison in 2016, the Bison reclaimed the top spot from 2017 through 2019.
North Dakota State has an 86-18 record all-time in 38 postseason appearances from 1964 to 2024. The Bison won three College Division national championships in 1965, 1968 and 1969 and five Division II titles in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990.
NDSU is 81-17 in the NCAA playoff format since 1973, and the Bison own the record for FCS playoff victories with a 51-5 mark, including a 38-1 record in the Fargodome.
1964 Mineral Water Bowl: NDSU 14, Western State (Colo.) 13
1965 Pecan Bowl: NDSU 20, Grambling 7
1967 Pecan Bowl: Texas-Arlington 13, NDSU 0
1968 Pecan Bowl: NDSU 23, Arkansas State 14
1969 Camellia Bowl: NDSU 30, Montana 3
1970 Camellia Bowl: NDSU 31, Montana 16
1976 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 10, Eastern Kentucky 7
1976 NCAA Semifinals: Montana State 10, NDSU 3
1977 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 20, Northern Michigan 6
1977 NCAA Semifinals: Jacksonville State 31, NDSU 7
1981 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 24, Puget Sound 10
1981 NCAA Semifinals: NDSU 18, Shippensburg State 6
1981 NCAA Championship: Texas State 42, NDSU 13
1982 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 21, Virginia Union 20
1982 NCAA Semifinals: UC Davis 19, NDSU 14
1983 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 24, Towson 17
1983 NCAA Semifinals: NDSU 26, UC Davis 17
1983 NCAA Championship: NDSU 41, Central State (Ohio) 21
1984 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 31, UC Davis 23
1984 NCAA Semifinals: NDSU 25, Nebraska-Omaha 14
1984 NCAA Championship: Troy 18, NDSU 17
1985 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 31, UC Davis 12
1985 NCAA Semifinals: NDSU 16, South Dakota 7
1985 NCAA Championship: NDSU 35, North Alabama 7
1986 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 50, Ashland (Ohio) 0
1986 NCAA Semifinals: NDSU 35, Central State (Ohio) 12
1986 NCAA Championship: NDSU 27, South Dakota 7
1988 NCAA First Round: NDSU 49, Augustana (S.D.) 7
1988 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 36, Millersville (Pa.) 26
1988 NCAA Semifinals: NDSU 42, Sacramento State 20
1988 NCAA Championship: NDSU 35, Portland State 21
1989 NCAA First Round: NDSU 45, Edinboro (Pa.) 32
1989 NCAA Quarterfinals: Jacksonville State 21, NDSU 17
1990 NCAA First Round: NDSU 17, Northern Colorado 7
1990 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 47, Cal Poly 0
1990 NCAA Semifinals: NDSU 39, Pittsburg State 29
1990 NCAA Championship: NDSU 51, Indiana (Pa.) 11
1991 NCAA First Round: Mankato State 27, NDSU 7
1992 NCAA First Round: NDSU 42, NE Missouri State 7
1992 NCAA Quarterfinals: Pittsburg State 38, NDSU 37 (OT)
1994 NCAA First Round: NDSU 18, Pittsburg State 12 (3 OT)
1994 NCAA Quarterfinals: North Dakota 14, NDSU 7
1995 NCAA First Round: NDSU 41, North Dakota 10
1995 NCAA Quarterfinals: Pittsburg State 9, NDSU 7
1997 NCAA First Round: NW Missouri State 39, NDSU 28
2000 NCAA First Round: NDSU 31, NW Missouri State 17
2000 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 43, Nebraska-Omaha 21
2000 NCAA Semifinals: Delta State 34, NDSU 16
2010 NCAA First Round: NDSU 43, Robert Morris 17
2010 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 42, Montana State 17
2010 NCAA Quarterfinals: Eastern Washington 38, NDSU 31 (OT)
2011 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 26, James Madison 14
2011 NCAA Quarterfinals: NDSU 24, Lehigh 0
2011 NCAA Semifinals: NDSU 35, Georgia Southern 7
2011 NCAA Championship: NDSU 17, Sam Houston State 6
2012 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 28, South Dakota State 3
2012 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 14, Wofford 7
2012 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 23, Georgia Southern 20
2012 NCAA Championship: NDSU 39, Sam Houston State 13
2013 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 38, Furman 7
2013 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 48, Coastal Carolina 14
2013 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 52, New Hampshire 14
2013 NCAA Championship: NDSU 35, Towson 7
2014 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 27, South Dakota State 24
2014 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 39, Coastal Carolina 32
2014 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 35, Sam Houston State 3
2014 NCAA Championship: NDSU 29, Illinois State 27
2015 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 37, Montana 6
2015 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 23, Northern Iowa 13
2015 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 33, Richmond 7
2015 NCAA Championship: NDSU 37, Jacksonville State 10
2016 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 45, San Diego 7
2016 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 36, South Dakota State 10
2016 NCAA Semifinal: James Madison 27, NDSU 17
2017 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 38, San Diego 3
2017 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 42, Wofford 10
2017 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 55, Sam Houston State 13
2017 NCAA Championship: NDSU 17, James Madison 13
2018 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 52, Montana State 10
2018 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 35, Colgate 0
2018 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 44, South Dakota State 21
2018 NCAA Championship: NDSU 38, Eastern Washington 24
2019 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 37, Nicholls State 13
2019 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 9, Illinois State 3
2019 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 42, Montana State 14
2019 NCAA Championship: NDSU 28, James Madison 20
2020 NCAA First Round: NDSU 42, Eastern Washington 20
2020 NCAA Quarterfinal: Sam Houston State 24, NDSU 20
2021 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 38, Southern Illinois 7
2021 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 27, East Tennessee State 3
2021 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 20, James Madison 14
2021 NCAA Championship: NDSU 38, Montana State 10
2022 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 49, Montana 26
2022 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 27, Samford 9
2022 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 35, Incarnate Word 32
2022 NCAA Championship: South Dakota State 45, NDSU 21
2023 NCAA First Round: NDSU 66, Drake 3
2023 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 35, Montana State 34 (OT)
2023 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 45, South Dakota 17
2023 NCAA Semifinal: Montana 31, NDSU 29 (2OT)
2024 NCAA Second Round: NDSU 51, Abilene Christian 31
2024 NCAA Quarterfinal: NDSU 31, Mercer 7
2024 NCAA Semifinal: NDSU 28, South Dakota State 21
2024 NCAA Championship: NDSU 35, Montana State 32