2017 North Dakota State Bison football team


The 2017 North Dakota State Bison football team represented North Dakota State University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Chris Klieman. The team played their 25th season in the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota as members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bison finished the season 14–1, 7–1 in MVFC play to win the MVFC championship for the seventh consecutive year. As a result, the Bison received the conference's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs as the No. 2 seed. In the playoffs, they defeated San Diego, Wofford, and Sam Houston State to advance to the National Championship game. There they defeated James Madison to win the school's sixth National Championship in seven years. The September 30 game against Missouri State was the 700th victory since the team's founding in 1894.

Previous season

The Bison finished the 2016 season 12–2, 7–1 in MVFC play to win a share of the MVFC championship for the sixth consecutive year. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated San Diego and South Dakota State before losing to James Madison in the semifinals, ending their five-year championship run.

Schedule

Recruiting class

Game summaries

Polls are based on the FCS STATS Poll

Mississippi Valley State

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at Eastern Washington

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Robert Morris

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Missouri State

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at Indiana State

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at Youngstown State

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Western Illinois

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Northern Iowa

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at South Dakota State

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South Dakota

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at Illinois State

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FCS Playoffs

San Diego–Second Round

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Wofford–Quarterfinals

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Sam Houston State–Semifinals

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James Madison–Championship

Ranking movements