In FCS title game, NDSU has score to settle with James Madison

FRISCO, Texas – The way James Madison coach Mike Houston sees it, North Dakota State's FCS dominance isn't quite over, even though his Dukes ended the Bison's five-year title run in the semifinals last season.

Houston speaks from experience with his team a win from an undefeated season as the defending champion. The final opponent in the pursuit of a second straight crown: North Dakota State on Saturday in the FCS championship game.

"I don't know that you'll ever see that again," Houston said. "It's almost an absurd achievement. And the fact that they made it to the semifinals last year, and they're back in the finals this year, I mean really you're talking about a seven-year run where there's just complete dominance week in and week out."

James Madison (14-0) ended North Dakota State's 22-game postseason winning streak in Fargo last season, and survived a 31-28 scare in the quarterfinals against Weber State this season.

The Bison (13-1) have cruised by an average margin of 36 points in the playoffs, perhaps with their eyes on a rematch .

"Not at first. I kind of put it behind me," said running back Bruce Anderson, who has taken the lead role with an injury to Lance Dunn. "But as we got closer, especially after we beat Sam Houston, I was looking forward to playing James Madison."

It's a rematch of experienced quarterbacks as well, with James Madison senior Bryan Schor trying to extend the second-longest FCS winning streak, currently at 26 games.

"To consistently come back here, now that we've done it two years now, is really hard," said Schor, who threw for three touchdowns in last year's victory over the Bison. "And they've done it for, what, six now? It's pretty incredible what they've done."

Easton Stick is starting his first title game for North Dakota State as a junior but has plenty of postseason experience, including 2015 when he won three playoff games before Carson Wentz returned from injury. Wentz was the No. 2 overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles four months later.

Stick couldn't beat James Madison with his arm when the Dukes slowed North Dakota State's run-first offense last season. But he has 10 TD passes in three playoff games with three more touchdowns on the ground this season.