Fargo, ND (SportsNetwork.com) - North Dakota State began its quest for a third straight FCS national championship with a 38-7 second-round drubbing of Furman Saturday at the Fargodome.
North Dakota State held a slim 10-7 halftime lead before it opened the floodgates in the second half. The Bison scored four second-half touchdowns and shut out the Paladins the rest of the way to remain perfect on the season and advance to the quarterfinals yet again.
North Dakota State (12-0), the top overall seed out of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, will host Coastal Carolina next Saturday. Coastal Carolina (12-2) advanced with a second-round upset over eighth-seeded Montana.
Bison quarterback Brock Jensen completed 15-of-25 pass attempts for 249 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 86 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
Sam Ojuri carried the ball 15 times for 75 yards and a touchdown in the win.
Senior cornerback Marcus Williams helped the Bison pad the lead with a third- quarter interception of Furman quarterback Reese Hannon. Williams picked off Hannon at the North Dakota State 39-yard line and returned the ball 61 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bison a 31-7 lead with 5:33 remaining in the third period.
Bison receiver Zach Vraa was the game's leading receiver. The junior hauled in five receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown.
North Dakota State is now 4-0 all-time against Southern Conference teams in the playoffs. The Bison also improved to a perfect 8-0 at home in the program's FCS playoff history.
Jensen improved on his all-time FCS win total as a quarterback. The senior has 45 career wins.
Furman had won six of its previous seven games. The Paladins ended the season with an 8-6 record.
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