12-31-2019, 08:29 AM
Frisco, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - The North Dakota State football dynasty was thought by many to be ending this season - that the Bison would be unable to roll over opponents anymore following the loss of a dominant senior class and their head coach after last season. What might have been overlooked is the Bison didnt need to just pound opponents into submission, they could have a new winning formula of dramatic finishes. The Bison completed a postseason of heart-stopping wins Saturday with an unprecedented fourth consecutive FCS national championship, rallying past Illinois State, 29-27, on quarterback Carson Wentzs 5-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds remaining as 20,918 watched in near disbelief at Toyota Stadium. Wentz, a redshirt junior, had served an apprenticeship under quarterback Brock Jensen in the first three title seasons. In following Jensen as the championship games most outstanding player, Wentz finished with 324 total yards (237 passing, 87 rushing) and both a touchdown run and pass, and the Bison (15-1) gained more than just bragging rights from fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champion Illinois State in the first national title game that matched two teams from the same FCS conference. It seemed only a punch in the face would end NDSUs historic run and Illinois State nearly had it when quarterback Tre Roberson ran for a 58-yard touchdown with 1:38 remaining to give the Redbirds a 27-23 lead. He had a similar scoring run late in a national semifinal at New Hampshire, and it was a knockout blow. But when a field goal wasnt going to be enough for NDSU, it dug for more resilience in its championship DNA. Wentz completed three passes to freshman wide receiver RJ Urzendowski on the final drive, including a 33-yarder to the Illinois State 5 as Redbirds safety DraShane Glass slipped to the turf with 50 seconds left. Following an NDSU timeout, the 6-foot-6 Wentz took a snap out of the shotgun, followed his left tackle and banged off a defender while lumbering into the Illinois State end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. The extra point was blocked to keep NDSU?s lead at 29-27. But on Illinois States desperate final drive, a Roberson pass to tight end James O?Shaughnessy bounded into the hands of Bison senior linebacker Esley Thornton at his teams 45, and the interception with 8 seconds left basically ended the game and kept the dynasty going. Incredibly, most members of the NDSU senior class finished their careers with more national titles than defeats as the Bison have gone a combined 58-3 over the last four years - this season under first-year coach Chris Klieman after he succeeded Craig Bohl. But Illinois State, fifth-seeded in the playoffs and making its first national championship game appearance, made the second-seeded Bison work to keep their historic run going. Illinois State led 7-3 after the first quarter and didnt go away after the Bison scored 17 unanswered points to grab a 20-7 advantage late in the third quarter. OShaughnessy, the Redbirds big-play tight end, sandwiched 41- and 3- yard touchdown receptions from Roberson around Adam Kellers third field goal of the game, and the Redbirds found themselves down only 23-21 with 8:05 left to play. When the Redbirds got the ball again, Roberson, who was at Indiana University while NDSU won its first three titles, ran the perfect delayed draw, as he often does, by faking a handoff to running back Marshaun Coprich, and racing along his teams sideline for his 58-yard touchdown. NDSU was penalized for a false start before the first play of its ensuing drive, but Wentz quickly provided the composure by completing two straight passes to Urzendowski. The Bison went 78 yards on six plays in 1 minute, 1 seconds, rallying the way they did in the fourth quarter against South Dakota State in the second round of the playoffs and then against Coastal Carolina in the quarterfinals. Different script but same championship result. NDSU built its 20-3 lead as Keller sandwiched 41-yard field goals around Wentz?s 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Luke Albers. John Crockett then scored on a 7-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. Wentz was 15-for-22 for 232 yards and rushed for 87 yards on 16 carries. Urzendowski finished with 100 yards on five receptions. Roberson was only 11-for-23 for 157 yards, but three passes went for touchdowns, including a 13-yarder to freshman wide receiver Jon-Marc Anderson to open the scoring in the first quarter. Coprich carried the ball 16 times for 106 yards to go over 100 yards for the 14th time in 15 games and finish the season with an FCS-high 2,274 yards. Billy Burch Jersey . - Tom Brady was upset that his New England Patriots hardly looked like a division champion in the first half. John Shea Crawford Jersey .C. -- Kevin Harvick won his first career pole at Darlington Raceway on Friday as he looks to chase his first Southern 500. https://www.cheapbruins.com/. 1. CAVALIERS: At 19-20, theyre a mess. Watched the game Tuesday night vs. Phoenix and their defence was poor (107 points and 52 per cent for Suns). Where is the high level play from Kyrie Irving and LeBron James (13 turnovers!)? Kevin Love looks like a man thats wondering what he got himself into. Hooley Smith Jersey . "We cannot stay the same way the whole season long," said Reyes. "This is not acceptable. Something needs to change because were a better team than what were showing right now. Its a long season and we just need to continue to push." Its been a frustrating week for the ballclub. Bun Cook Jersey . -- Barry Bonds is all set to return to the San Francisco Giants.NEW YORK -- Palace Malice, last years Belmont Stakes winner, won the $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap on Saturday at Belmont Park. The $1.5 million Belmont Stakes topped the richest day in New York racing. Total purses for the 13-race card were $8 million, including four stakes worth at least $1 million. Palace Malice, a 4-year-old trained by Todd Pletcher, drove through an opening on the rail to beat a determined Goldencents, last years Breeders Cup Dirt Mile winner, by a length. John Velazquez was aboard as Palace Malice continued his emergence as a leader in the older horse division. "Its pretty extraordinary to have a horse win the Belmont and come back a year later to win the Met Mile," Pletcher said. Palace Malice is 4 for 4 on the season and the latest victory was his sternest test so far. The race, the premier event on the undercard, attracted a deep and talented field of 12. Palace Malice paid $4.70 to win. The time was 1:33.56. The $1 million Ogden Phipps for fillies and mares drew only six runners yet it produced a thrilling finish as Close Hatches held off Princess of Sylmar by a head. It was the fifth win in the last six races for the 4-year-old trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Joel Rosario. The lone loss in that span was a second-place finish to Beholder in the Breeders Cup Distaff in November. Beholder ran fourth in the Phipps. Close Hatches paid $7.80 to win. The time was 1:40.55 for 1 1/16 miles. Real Solution beat Kaigun by 1 1/4 lengths in the $1 million Manhattan on the turf. The winner of last years Arlington Million on a disqualification, Real Solution improved to 5 for 13. Javier Castellano rode for trainer Chad Brown as Real Solution paid $13 to win. The time was 1:59.27 for 1 1/4 miles. Sweet Reason pulled a 9-1 upset in the $750,000 Acorn for 3-year-old fillies, beating Sweet Whiskey pay a half-length with Irad Ortiz Jr. riding for Leah Gyarmati. She paid $20.80 to win. TThe time was 1:34.dddddddddddd98 for a mile. My Miss Sophia, the 4-5 favourite, finished seventh. Coffee Clique edged Starthnaver by a nose in the $750,000 Just a Game Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf. The 4-year-old is unbeaten in three races this year for trainer Brian Lynch. Javier Castellano guided her through the mile in 1:32.52. Bayern rebounded from a ninth-place finish in the Preakness to romp by 7 1/2 lengths in the $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes for 3-year-olds. He obviously appreciated the reduction in distance from the 1 3/16 miles in the Preakness to seven furlongs for the Hall of Fame team of trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Gary Stevens. He paid $20.40 for his first stakes victory. Bayern did finish first in the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs, but was disqualified and placed second. The time was a dazzling 1:20.75. Top Fortitude was a distant second with Social Inclusion getting third to replicate his finish in the Preakness. Norumbega got up in the final strides for a 10-1 upset in the $500,000 Brooklyn Invitational run at the same 1 1/2 mile distance as the Belmont. The grey 4-year-old trained by Shug McGaughey and ridden by Joel Rosario edged Micromanage by a neck for his fourth victory in 13 starts Norumbega paid $22.40 for the upset score. The time was 2:27.13. Undrafted, owned by NFL star Wes Welker, roared through the lane to take the $300,000 Jaipur Invitational for grass sprinters. Undrafted beat Marchman by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:07.24 for the team of jockey Velazquez and trainer Wesley Ward. He paid $11.80 to win, the fourth victory in 14 starts for the 4-year-old gelding. Kid Cruz, once under consideration for the Belmont, found an easier and a shorter spot in the $150,000 Easy Goer Stakes for 3-year-olds. The colt trained by Linda Rice rallied from last for his fourth win in seven starts. He paid $8.90 to win with Ortiz aboard. The time was 1:41.12 for 1 1/16 miles. ' ' '