FARGO, N.D. — Christian Watson scored long touchdowns on back-to-back touches early in the second quarter and two-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State blitzed Montana State 42-14 in a semifinal on Saturday for its 36th straight victory.
Trey Lance found Watson behind the defense along the left sideline for a 75-yard touchdown one play after the Bobcats tied the game at 7. After a three-and-out by Montana State, Watson went 70 yards on a reverse.
Lance threw for three touchdowns, including a 73-yard hookup with Dimitri Williams, and scored two rushing touchdowns.
The top-seeded Bison (15-0) were in the semifinals for the ninth straight year. They won eight and won the national championship each time.
Montana State (11-4) lost to NDSU 52-10 in the second round last year.
A week after being held to three field goals in a 9-3 quarterfinal win over Missouri Valley Conference rival Illinois State, the Bison scored on their opening drive, going 73 yards in 12 plays with Lance scoring on an 8-yard keeper. The Bobcats finally broke through with an eight-play, 8-yard drive with Travis Jonsen covering the final yard on a Wildcat formation play.
JAMES MADISON 30, WEBER STATE 14: Ben DiNucci threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and the Dukes (14-1) routed the Wildcats (11-4) in Harrisonburg, Virginia to reach the Football Championship Subdivision national championship game.
The Dukes led 24-7 at halftime, added two second-half field goals let their defense take care of the rest. They will face North Dakota State, 42-14 winners against Montana State earlier Saturday, for the national championship in Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 11.
BOCA BOWL
FAU 52, SMU 28: Chris Robison passed for 305 yards and two touchdowns and the Owls (11-3) scored two touchdowns in a 24-second span late in the first half to take control on the way to beating the Mustangs (10-3) in Boca Raton, Florida.
It was FAU’s first game since Lane Kiffin left the Owls to take over at Ole Miss – and the Conference USA champions, playing on their home field, didn’t miss a beat under interim coach Glenn Spencer.
NEW MEXICO BOWL
SAN DIEGO STATE 48, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 11: Ryan Agnew passed for 287 yards and three touchdowns, Jesse Matthews caught three passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns and the Aztecs (10-3) won a bowl game for the first time since 2016, beating the Chippewas in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Jordan Byrd ran for a career-high 139 yards and a touchdown to help the Aztecs cap their 10th straight bowl appearance with a victory. San Diego State opened 7-1 record, then dropped two of its last three conference games to fall out of contention for a Mountain West title game berth.
CURE BOWL
LIBERTY 23, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 16: Frankie Hickson picked up 120 yards rushing on 22 carries, Stephen Calvert went 16 of 35 passing for 270 yards and two touchdowns, and the Flames (8-5) beat the Eagles (7-6) in Orlando, Florida.
Hickson became the first Liberty running back since Rashad Jennings (2006-08) to have back to back seasons of 1,000-yards rushing.
CELEBRATION BOWL
NORTH CAROLINA A&T 64, ALCORN STATE 44: Kylil Carter passed for six touchdowns and the Aggies (9-3) racked up enormous offensive totals to beat the Braves (9-4) for their third consecutive HBCU national championship title.
Carter completed 18 of 30 passes for 364 yards, and added 96 on the ground. Korey Banks and Elijah Bell each caught a pair of scoring passes for NCA&T, which has beaten Alcorn State in three of the five Celebration Bowls – including two straight.
Alcorn State quarterback Felix Harper passed for 341 yards and three scores, but the Braves trailed 24-10 at halftime and NCA&T steadily stacked points from there.
CAMELLIA BOWL
ARKANSAS STATE 34, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 26: Layne Hatcher passed for 393 yards and four touchdowns, including a late 13-yarder to Jonathan Adams, and the Red Wolves (8-5) held to beat the Panthers (6-7) in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Red Wolves came back to life offensively for a final big drive, highlighted by All-American and game MVP Omar Bayless’s 52-yard catch down to the 12. Then they had two interceptions in the final minutes.
The Panthers converted a fourth-and-5 play with a pass to Austin Maloney, who matched the huge game of Bayless. But James Morgan’s overthrow on the next play was intercepted by Jeremy Smith, who returned it 21 yards into FIU territory.
DIVISION II
WEST FLORIDA 48, MINNESOTA STATE 40: Austin Reed broke the NCAA Division II championship game record for yards passing before halftime, throwing for 399 of his 523 yards as the Argonauts (13-2) beat the Mavericks (14-1) in McKinney, Texas.
Reed had to wait until the second half to break the record for touchdown passes, finishing with six after the redshirt freshman tied the previous mark with five in the first half.
Three of the scores went to Quentin Randolph, who ended up 16 yards short of the title game record with 254 yards receiving.
DIVISION III
NORTH CENTRAL 41, WISCOSIN-WHITEWATER 14: Ethan Greenfield ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns, Broc Rutter threw for 263 yards and two scores and the Cardinals (14-1) routed the Warhawks (13-2) on Friday night in Shenendoah, Texas for its first NCAA Division III championship.
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