Same story
- Updated: August 29, 2026
Nearly 10 years after North Dakota State dominates Jax State in FCS national final, the Bison does it again in their meeting as FBS programs.
NDSU 33, Jax State 7
Editor’s note: Complete statistics can be found on this link.
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
New chapter, same story for Jacksonville State and North Dakota State.
Reminiscent of the Bison’s handling of Jax State in the FCS national final 10 years ago, the newly minted FBS version of NDSU dominated fourth-year FBS Jax State 33-7 on Saturday in the Fargo Dome.
The game marked the season opener for both teams and NDSU’s FBS opener, as a football-only member of the Mountain West Conference.
The Bison won 10 national titles in their final 15 seasons in FCS, including their 37-10 victory over Jax State in the national final to conclude the 2015 season.
Jax State (0-1) began its transition to FBS in the 2022 season and began play in Conference USA in 2023. The Gamecocks have acquitted themselves in FBS with three bowl appearances, two bowl victories and a CUSA title,
Jax State has won nine games in each of its past four seasons, but NDSU appears to have started its FBS life still a rung or two up the ladder. The Bison outgained the Gamecocks 373-170 Saturday.
Second-year Jax State coach Charles Kelly called it “a good, old-fashioned butt whipping.”
“They were very detailed with what they did, and we were not,” Kelly said during his postgame interview on the Gamecock Sports Network. “When you do those things, and you don’t execute, you turn the ball over, you miss tackles, you bust plays, that’s what’s going to happen. …
“You’ve got to own it, and I take full responsibility for that. I didn’t have our team ready to play, and I own that.”
Jax State also suffered key injuries, with linebackers Mac Sanders and Walker O’Steen leaving the action. No word on the severity of their injuries after the game.
Jax Sfate committed two turnovers, most notably a third-quarter snap mishap that resulted in Blake Schlitz’s recovery in the end zone for a Bison touchdown and a 27-7 lead.
NDSU had a near 13-minute edge in time of possession.
“We’ve got a lot of football left in this season,” Kelly said. “I still like these players, but you can’t put yourself in those situations and expect to beat a team like this.”
Game updates
FIRST QUARTER
–NDSU gets on the board first with Nathan Hayes’ 6-yard TD pass to Reis Kessel. PAT good at 10:09. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:51. NDSU 7, JAX STATE 0
–Caden Creel keeps, 8-yard TD run at 4:16. PAT is good. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 2:35. NDSU 7, JAX STATE 7
SECOND QUARTER
–Drew Klein 34-yard field goal at 10:46. Drive: 14 plays, 49 yards 8:23. NDSU 10, JAX STATE 7
–Hayes throws a 44-yard TD pass to Jordan McCants at 0;18. PAT good. Drive: 8 plays, 88 yards, 1:24. NDSU 17, JAX STATE 7
THIRD QUARTER
–Klein hits a 44-yard field goal at 7:02. Drive: 7 plays, 30 yards, 4:15. NDSU 20, JAX STATE 7
–Snap mishap for Jax State, into the end zone. Blake Schlitz recovers for a TD at 6:41. PAT good. NDSU 27, JAX STATE 7
FOURTH QUARTER
–Add a 42-yard field goal for Klein at 13:33. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:15. NDSU 30, JAX STATE 7
–Klein with a 48-yard field goal at 2:20. Drive: 11 plays, 35 yards, 7:10. NDSU 33, JAX STATE 7
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