The 2010 North Dakota State Bison football team represented North Dakota State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bison were led by eighth-year head coach Craig Bohl and played their home games at the Fargodome. They were a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They finished the season 9–5 overall and 4–4 in MVFC play to finish tied for third place. They received an at-large qualifier bid into the FCS playoffs, their first FCS playoff bid in school history since moving to Division I in 2004 and being eligible for the playoffs in 2008.[1]
| 2010 North Dakota State Bison football | |
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NCAA Division I Quarterfinal, L 31–38 vs. Eastern Washington | |
| Conference | Missouri Valley Football Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Sports Network | No. 9 |
| FCS Coaches | No. 9 |
| Record | 9–5 (4–4 MVFC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Brent Vigen (2nd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Pro-style |
| Defensive coordinator | Scottie Hazelton (1st season) |
| Base defense | 3–4 |
| Home stadium | Fargodome |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 19 Northern Iowa $^ | 6 | – | 2 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 17 Western Illinois ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 North Dakota State ^ | 4 | – | 4 | 9 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana State | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Dakota State | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Missouri State | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southern Illinois | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youngstown State | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Bison were not expected to make the playoffs but managed enough votes to get in. NDSU punched above their seeding when then beat Robert Morris, 43–17, in the First Round and knocked off #4 Montana State in the Second Round, 42–17. In the Quarterfinals, the Bison lost on a last second fumble against #5 seeded Eastern Washington, 38–31, in overtime during a snowy game in Spokane, Washington. The Bison were driving down the field and were on the 5-yard line when quarterback Brock Jensen ran and appeared to be down at the 1-yard line; the play was called a fumble and recovered by Eastern Washington.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 4 | 6:10 pm | at Kansas* | FCS | W 6–3 | 48,417 | [2] | ||
| September 11 | 6:30 pm | Northern Iowa | No. 21 |
| L 9–16 | 14,422 | [3] | |
| September 18 | 6:00 pm | Morgan State* | No. 23 | W 35–9 | 17,340 | [4] | ||
| September 25 | 6:10 pm | No. 21 South Dakota | No. 18 |
| W 38–16 | 18,248 | [5] | |
| October 2 | 1:00 pm | Western Illinois | No. 13 |
| L 16–28 | 18,701 | [6] | |
| October 9 | 4:10 pm | at Youngstown State | No. 18 | W 34–29 | 15,068 | [7] | ||
| October 16 | 2:00 pm | at Illinois State | No. 15 | L 24–34 | 10,131 | [8] | ||
| October 23 | 3:10 pm | Indiana State |
| W 27–15 | 15,245 | [9] | ||
| November 6 | 3:10 pm | Southern Illinois | No. 25 |
| W 20–6 | 12,834 | [10] | |
| November 13 | 3:10 pm | South Dakota State | No. 24 |
| W 31–24 | 17,037 | [11] | |
| November 20 | 1:00 pm | at Missouri State | No. 17 | L 0–3 | 4,837 | [12] | ||
| November 27 | 6:05 pm | Robert Morris* | No. 25 |
| W 43–17 | 12,202 | [13] | |
| December 4 | 12:05 pm | at No. 6 Montana State* | No. 25 |
| W 42–17 | 14,277 | [14] | |
| December 11 | 12:35 pm | at No. 1 Eastern Washington* | No. 25 |
| L 31–38 OT | 4,060 | [15] | |
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