The Matchup – No. 3 seed and designated visitor Eastern Washington (12-2) vs. No. 1 seed and designated home team North Dakota State (14-0)
Kickoff – noon ET Saturday at Toyota Stadium (20,500) in Frisco, Texas
Coverage – ESPN2
Series – North Dakota State leads 2-1 (last meeting: North Dakota State won 40-13 on Sept. 9, 2017 in Cheney, Washington)
Coaches – Eastern Washington: Aaron Best (19-6, two seasons); North Dakota State: Chris Klieman (68-6, five seasons)
5 Players to Watch – Eastern Washington: QB Eric Barriere (177 of 286, 2,252 yards, 24 TDs, 7 INTs; 90 carries, 603 yards, 7 TDs), RB Sam McPherson (186 carries, 1,352 yards, 12 TDs; 22 receptions, 178 yards, 1 TD), WR/PR Nsimba Webster (80 receptions, 1,287 yards, 11 TDs), LB Ketner Kupp (104 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1 INT, 3 PBU), PK/P Roldan Alcobendas (15 of 15 FGs, 68 of 69 PATs; 44.9-yard punting average); North Dakota State: QB Easton Stick (162 of 262, 2,554 yards, 26 TDs, 5 INTs; 99 carries, 556 yards, 14 TDs), RB Bruce Anderson (124 carries, 924 yards, 9 TDs), WR/PR Darrius Shepherd (57 receptions, 940 yards, 7 TDs; 15.6-yard punt return average), LB Jabril Cox (88 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 4 INTs), SS Robbie Grimsley (78 tackles, 6 INTs, 5 PBU)
The Skinny – Eastern Washington’s 50-19 semifinal-round win over Maine suggested it can stand up to the North Dakota State dynasty, which handled South Dakota State 44-21 in the other semifinal. EWU beat NDSU in the 2010 quarterfinals on the way to winning its only FCS national title. Since then, NDSU has won six of the last seven titles, including last season, to tie Georgia Southern for the most all-time. The Bison, who also have won eight straight Missouri Valley Football Conference titles, seek to send Klieman out with a win as he’s leaving to become Kansas State’s coach. He can tie Youngstown State’s Jim Tressel for the most FCS titles by a coach with a fourth in his five seasons. A winning formula would be familiar for the Bison: dominate game clock with the power run game, led by the offensive line and Anderson.Lance Dunn and Running Back U., win the battle of field position and smother an opponent with physical defense. Stick has a 48-3 record as a starter and is tied with former Bison great Brock Jensen for the most wins by an FCS quarterback. He leads the nation in passing efficiency (172.6) and the Bison are plus-17 in turnover margin while committing just nine turnovers in 14 games. Eastern Washington ranks No. 2 in the FCS in offensive yards per game (540.4) and No. 3 in points per game (44.5). Those numbers are even higher (556.9 and 49.3, respectively) during the Eagles’ seven-game winning streak. Best, the offensive line coach on the 2010 national champion, has helped develop a more balanced offense, which could trouble NDSU’s vaunted defense. Barriere is coming off a playoff-record seven touchdown passes in the semifinals. The run defense is good, not great, and will have to avoid wearing down as the game advances. But the Eagles have collected 23 takeaways during the winning streak. The availability of senior nose tackle Jay-Tee Tiuli, the Big Sky defensive player of the year, is unknown following his arrest for felony assault last month (the school suspended him for the semifinals).
Prediction – Determined to win for Klieman and a senior class that is 53-5 the last four seasons, North Dakota State can taste a record seventh FCS championship. The Bison’s strength at the line of scrimmage will be a difference maker as they become the fifth team to go undefeated and untied on its way to winning the FCS title. North Dakota State, 35-21.
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