FARGO, N.D. — During North Dakota State’s debut in the FBS, Nathan Hayes threw for a pair of touchdowns on 14-of-22 passing, while Myles Mitchell contributed 74 rushing yards over 11 attempts to secure a dominant 33-7 win against Jacksonville State.
The Bison, a highly decorated program transitioning from the FCS with 10 national championships under their belt, thrilled a home crowd of 18,573 at the Fargodome. After entering halftime locked in a 7-7 tie, North Dakota State dominated the remainder of the contest with 26 consecutive points.
“I am trying my best to hold it together right now, and I have to,” an emotional NDSU head coach Tim Polasek remarked to CBS Sports on the field following the game. “I am incredibly eager to navigate this transition to the next level. This represents our very first step. For the city of Fargo and our school, this transition could be monumental, and we are thrilled for what lies ahead this year.”
A bad snap recovered by Blake Schiltz in the end zone resulted in a touchdown for North Dakota State, while kicker Drew Klein added to the tally by hitting field goals of 34, 44, and 42 yards during the matchup.
NDSU thoroughly dominated the stat sheet, outgaining Jacksonville State 373 yards to 170, while holding the ball for the vast majority of the game as the Gamecocks had possession for under 24 minutes. Aside from a single interception thrown by Hayes, the Bison offense executed smoothly, moving the chains for 20 first downs.
“He performed exceptionally well,” Polasek noted regarding his signal-caller. “He had one minor mistake when pinned back deep, but otherwise he was extremely precise. I sensed before kickoff that his passing would be spot-on and that he was fully prepared. … I was particularly pleased with our execution at the end of the matchup, as he managed the game well and read the defensive pressures to adjust our running plays.”
As new members of the Mountain West Conference, the Bison are scheduled to face FCS opponent Fordham next week, prior to starting their conference slate on September 12 against Air Force.
“Our defensive unit put on a strong performance and met the challenge,” Polasek commented on the team’s defensive display. “We still have fundamental areas where we can improve. … However, shutting down their rushing attack is a strategy we hope to replicate throughout the season.”
For Jacksonville State, quarterback Caden Creel finished the night completing 12 of 23 attempts for 85 yards alongside one interception. Third downs proved to be a struggle for the Gamecocks, who converted only 2 of their 10 opportunities during the defeat.
This report contains contributions from the Associated Press.
