Bison Stick it to Eagles for 7th FCS championship

Associated Press

FRISCO, TEXAS

Saturday produced a perfect ending for North Dakota State coach Chris Klieman and quarterback Easton Stick, and yet another championship for the Bison.

Stick had three touchdown runs and threw for two more scores and the Bison beat Eastern Washington 38-24 for their record seventh FCS title, the fourth in five years with Klieman as head coach before he takes over at Kansas State.

“It was a special journey — 15-0, end it with a national championship. ... The story’s complete,” said Klieman, 69-6 as head coach and part of all of those titles, three as defensive coordinator. “That’s something that movies are made out of, dreams are made out of, books are written about.”

North Dakota State (15-0) has won all seven FCS titles over the past eight seasons.

Stick, who succeeded Carson Wentz as NDSU’s quarterback, threw for 198 yards and ran for 121 in his 49th victory to become the winningest FCS quarterback.

Stick leaves with school records for total yards (11,216), passing yards (8,693) and 129 total touchdowns (88 passing, 41 rushing) — the last score a title-sealing 46-yard run with 1:16 left.

“This place is special,” Stick said. “Quarterback’s a unique position. You’re only as good as players you’re surrounded with. ... I’m so thankful for every guy I played with because as a freshman you come in and you just want to be a part of it.”

As a redshirt freshman three years ago, Stick was 8-0 starting when Wentz was hurt. That included three playoff games before Wentz returned for the championship game only a few months before the Philadelphia Eagles made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft.

Eastern Washington (12-3) got to 17-10 with a 2-yard touchdown reception on a fake field goal in the final minute of the first half. Holder and backup quarterback Gunner Talkington took the snap and was still on his knee when he shuffled the ball to a sweeping Jayce Gilder, who dived into the end zone.

The second half began with the teams combining for three turnovers and three long touchdowns in less than 4 1/2 minutes. All of the scores, including Stick’s TD passes of 23 and 78 yards to Darrius Shepherd , came in a span of four plays over 68 seconds.

“A five-minute frenzy,” Eastern Washington coach Aaron Best said.

“It was so back and forth. It was pretty crazy,” said Sam McPherson, who had a 75-yard TD run on Eastern Washington’s only play between Stick’s two TD passes . “It was wild for sure. It definitely got us up, got us down.”

There were interceptions on consecutive plays before Eastern Washington turned it over again when Talkington, playing with starter Eric Barriere out a series while getting his throwing hand looked at, fumbled when being sacked by Stanley Jones. That set up the 23-yard pass Stick threw to Shepherd beyond the reach of three defenders.