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Easton Stick leads North Dakota State over Jackrabbits, into FCS title game

North Dakota State quarterback Easton Stick led the Bison back to the FCS national title game with a victory over South Dakota State on Friday in Fargo, North Dakota. (Charlie Neibergall / AP)
Associated Press

FARGO, N.D. – Quarterback Easton Stick ran for 169 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another score to help North Dakota State defeat rival South Dakota State 44-21 in the FCS semifinals Friday night.

Bruce Anderson added two rushing touchdowns for the top-seeded Bison (14-0), who will seek their seventh FCS title in the last eight years. They’ll play the winner of Saturday’s semifinal between Maine (10-3) and Eastern Washington (11-2) in Cheney.

North Dakota State led 14-7 at intermission and won a shootout in the second half.

Stick finished with 316 total yards. Anderson and fellow running back Seth Wilson combined for another 165 yards rushing.

Taryn Christion threw for a pair of touchdowns for South Dakota State (10-3), and Pierre Strong Jr. ran for 135 yards and one score.

The victory capped a whirlwind week for the Bison football program, which lost head coach Chris Klieman to Kansas State and promoted defensive coordinator Matt Entz to the top job. Klieman will coach the Bison in the Jan. 5 title game in Frisco, Texas.

The Jackrabbits are 0-4 against the Bison in the playoffs.