FCS Championship 2016: Date, Start Time, TV Info for NDSU vs. Jacksonville State

The North Dakota State Bison won the FCS Championship in 2011—and no one else has since.

However, if the No. 3 team in the country wants to win its fifth-straight title, it's going to have to beat the No. 1 team in the land.

The Jacksonville State Gamecocks come in with a 13-1 record in their first appearance in the championship game.

Head coach John Grass watched film of past North Dakota State games when he took over as head coach in 2014, per Tyler Greenawalt of NCAA.com.

“I wanted to see how the best did it,” Grass said. “I wanted to see where the bar was.”

It looks like that strategy may have paid off, as he has his team one win away from a championship.

What: NCAA Division I Football Championship

When: Jan. 9

Where: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas

Time: 12 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN2

The Defending Champs vs. The Upstarts

North Dakota State may come into the game ranked lower, but rest assured Grass will not be overlooking the Bison, per Greenwalt: 

"

I studied that film inside and out and to kind of see where the direction, where you needed to be at in recruiting and what type caliber athletes you needed to compete at this level, because they are the standard. You've got to go through North Dakota State to win a National Championship. I think that's where the bar is at right now.

"

The Bison have overcome adversity this season to get where they are. Star quarterback Carson Wentz was lost for the season after he broke his wrist in an Oct. 17 loss to the South Dakota Coyotes.

The senior had completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 1,454 yards, 16 touchdowns and just two interceptions prior to the injury. The Bison had lost their second game in a season for the first time since 2010, and head coach Chris Klieman said many wrote off his team, per Greenwalt.

“People thought, well, the Bison are probably done,” Klieman said. “Then when Carson Wentz got hurt, I would have said most people didn't think this team probably was going to maybe even get to the playoffs, let alone make a run.”  

Boy, were they wrong.

North Dakota State hasn't lost in eight games since, despite playing with a freshman at quarterback, Easton Stick, who has filled in admirably with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions.

The two teams feature different styles—at least in the playoffs—and one will have to break in order to crown a champion.

Team	W-L	Points Per Game	Points Allowed Per Game	Overall Record
NDSU	3-0	31.0	8.7	12-2
Jacksonville State	3-0	53.7	27.7	13-1

Jacksonville State has been bullying opponents in the playoffs with plays like this during its 62-10 victory over Sam Houston State in the semifinals, per FCS Football:

While the Gamecocks have been lighting up the scoreboard, it might not be as easy to do against the Bison, per FCS Football:

No matter what happens, as FCS Football shows here, it should be a good game considering the success each head coach brings to the table:

With one day left until game time, final practices and preparations are being made, but Klieman said once the ball is kicked off, it will come down to nothing more than who wants it the most at that moment, per Greenwalt.

“All those things are little things that maybe take some of the nerves away. But it's going to play no factor once we kick that thing off at 11 o'clock [CT] against a great football team."

For Grass, he's just glad his team has a chance to make history, per Greenwalt.

“We're excited about an opportunity to play in this game and have the opportunity to play for a National Championship,” Grass said. “It's going to be a great game.”