Illinois State Redbirds vs North Dakota State Bison, FCS Championship Second Round

College Football

Illinois St

10-4

29-28

Final

N Dakota St

12-1

Fargodome

Drive chart

Drives

End of Game
Downs
Touchdown
Fumble
Touchdown
Punt

Team	1	2	3	4	T
ILST	0	14	0	15	29
NDSU	14	7	0	7	28

Who won: Illinois St 29-28

The Illinois State Redbirds beat the North Dakota State Bison 29-28 in FCS Championship Second Round on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at Fargodome. Tommy Rittenhouse led the Illinois St in passing yards (35/52, 249 YDS, 3 TD, 5 INT). Cole Payton led the N Dakota St in passing yards (4/12, 101 YDS, 1 TD).

Every player rated

Chirp Rating, 3.0 to 10.0

Team stats

ILSTNDSU

231st Downs6

6-183rd down efficiency2-13

4-64th down efficiency1-2

422Total Yards179

249Passing120

35/52Comp/Att6/19

4.8Yards per pass6.3

173Rushing59

39Rushing Attempts27

4.4Yards per rush2.2

4-21Penalties5-54

5Turnovers2

0Fumbles lost2

5Interceptions thrown0

42:01Possession17:59

Player of the game

Nathaniel Staehling

NDSU · 3 TKL, 2 INT, TD

8.4

Win probability

100%ILST final

ILSTNDSU

Tap or hover the line to see the play. Dots mark the biggest swings.

Play by play

Q4 0:00ILS
End of game
End of 4th quarter.
Q4 0:05
Stuffed for a loss of 4
Kneel down by #16 T.Rittenhouse at NDSU48 for loss of 4 yards
T. Rittenhouse · 7 CAR, 24 YDS · 1st & 10 · 1st & 10 at NDSU 44
Q4 0:07NDS
Pass incompletion
Shotgun #12 N.Hayes pass incomplete deep left to #3 R.Nelson thrown to ILS27, TURNOVER ON DOWNS
4th & 7 at NDSU 44
Q4 0:13
3 yd run
Shotgun #12 N.Hayes rush right for 3 yards gain to the NDSU44, out of bounds at NDSU44
N. Hayes · 1 CAR, 3 YDS · 3rd & 10 · 3rd & 10 at NDSU 41
Q4 0:20ILS
Timeout
Timeout Illinois State, clock 00:20
Q4 0:20
Incomplete to M. Collins
Shotgun #12 N.Hayes pass incomplete short right to #15 M.Collins thrown to ILS48 QB hurried by #13 P.Bauer
N. Hayes · 2/7, 19 YDS · 2nd & 10 · 2nd & 10 at NDSU 41
Q4 0:25
Incomplete to C. Williams
No Huddle-Shotgun #12 N.Hayes pass incomplete deep middle to #88 C.Williams thrown to ILS22
N. Hayes · 2/7, 19 YDS · 1st & 10 · 1st & 10 at NDSU 41
Q4 0:31
10 yd completion to R. Nelson
Shotgun #12 N.Hayes pass complete short right to #3 R.Nelson caught at NDSU41, for 10 yards to the NDSU41 (#24 D.Dubose), 1ST DOWN
N. Hayes · 2/7, 19 YDS · 4th & 1 · 4th & 1 at NDSU 31
Q4 0:37
Incomplete to R. Nelson
Shotgun #12 N.Hayes pass incomplete short middle to #3 R.Nelson thrown to NDSU40 broken up by #25 C.Wilson
N. Hayes · 2/7, 19 YDS · 3rd & 1 · 3rd & 1 at NDSU 31
Q4 0:41NDS
Timeout
Timeout North Dakota State, clock 00:41
Q4 0:41
9 yd completion to J. Williams
Shotgun #12 N.Hayes pass complete short left to #18 J.Williams caught at NDSU31, for 9 yards to the NDSU31, End Of Play
N. Hayes · 2/7, 19 YDS · 2nd & 10 · 2nd & 10 at NDSU 22
Q4 0:50
Incomplete to B. Lance
Shotgun #12 N.Hayes pass incomplete short right to #5 B.Lance thrown to NDSU32
N. Hayes · 2/7, 19 YDS · 1st & 10 · 1st & 10 at NDSU 22
Q4 0:53
Kickoff returned 21 yds
#31 M.Maldonado kickoff 64 yards to the NDSU01 #3 R.Nelson return 21 yards to the NDSU22 (#38 B.Cooper; #48 N.Kraus)
M. Maldonado · 0/0 FG
TOUCHDOWNQ4 1:00
Touchdown! 6 yd catch
D. Sobkowicz · 8 REC, 67 YDS
Shotgun #16 T.Rittenhouse pass complete short left to #2 D.Sobkowicz caught at NDSU00, for 6 yards to the NDSU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 01:00, 1ST DOWN #11 S.Presson Jr. pass attempt Successful
ILST 29 - 28 NDSU
Q4 1:08ILS
Pass incompletion
No Huddle-Shotgun #16 T.Rittenhouse pass incomplete short right to #5 V.Dawson thrown to NDSU06 QB hurried by #92 K.McCaslin
3rd & Goal at NDSU 6
Q4 1:28
4 yd completion to D. Sobkowicz
No Huddle-Shotgun #16 T.Rittenhouse pass complete short left to #2 D.Sobkowicz caught at NDSU06, for 4 yards to the NDSU06 (#0 J.Alexander)
T. Rittenhouse · 35/52, 249 YDS · 2nd & Goal · 2nd & Goal at NDSU 10
Q4 1:40
Incomplete to D. Sobkowicz
No Huddle-Shotgun #16 T.Rittenhouse pass incomplete short left to #2 D.Sobkowicz thrown to NDSU00
T. Rittenhouse · 35/52, 249 YDS · 1st & Goal · 1st & Goal at NDSU 10
Q4 1:43
13 yd run
Shotgun #5 V.Dawson rush middle for 13 yards gain to the NDSU10 (#1 D.Woolen), 1ST DOWN
V. Dawson · 23 CAR, 137 YDS · 2nd & 10 · 2nd & 10 at NDSU 23
Q4 1:49
Incomplete to V. Dawson
Shotgun #16 T.Rittenhouse pass incomplete short left to #5 V.Dawson thrown to NDSU21 QB hurried by #93 T.Anene
T. Rittenhouse · 35/52, 249 YDS · 1st & 10 · 1st & 10 at NDSU 23
Q4 1:51
Fumble! Turnover
Shotgun #9 C.Payton sacked for loss of 8 yards to the NDSU23 (#97 J.Anderson), fumble by #9 C.Payton recovered by ILS #97 J.Anderson at NDSU23, End Of Play
C. Payton · 4/12, 101 YDS · 3rd & 4 · 3rd & 4 at NDSU 31
Q4 2:00NDS
Timeout
Timeout North Dakota State, clock 02:00
Q4 2:30
5 yd run
#8 B.Kpeenu rush middle for 5 yards gain to the NDSU31 (#4 L.Brown)
B. Kpeenu · 16 CAR, 55 YDS · 2nd & 9 · 2nd & 9 at NDSU 26
Q4 2:39ILS
Timeout
Timeout Illinois State, clock 02:39
Q4 2:39
1 yd run
Shotgun #8 B.Kpeenu rush middle for 1 yard gain to the NDSU26 (#97 J.Anderson)
B. Kpeenu · 16 CAR, 55 YDS · 1st & 10 · 1st & 10 at NDSU 25
Q4 2:44
Kickoff, touchback
#31 M.Maldonado kickoff 65 yards to the NDSU00, Touchback
M. Maldonado · 0/0 FG