North Dakota St. Beats South Dakota State 44-21; Clinches Spot in FCS Title Game

North Dakota State quarterback Easton Stick had 147 rushing yards and three touchdowns in addition to 169 passing yards and another score as top-seeded NDSU beat No. 5-seeded South Dakota State 44-21 in the Division I-FCS football semifinals at the FargoDome in Fargo, North Dakota, on Friday.

NDSU running back Bruce Anderson added 93 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns.

Running back Pierre Strong Jr. had 135 rushing yards and one touchdown for the Jackrabbits, who finished their season with a 10-3 record.

SDSU hung with NDSU for one half, as the Bison led just 14-7 heading into halftime. A game closely resembling the Bison's 21-17 win over NDSU earlier this year wasn't out of the question.

However, a Seth Wilson 78-yard run to start the second half set the tone for NDSU. Anderson then scored the first of his three touchdowns on a one-yard run, but SDSU bounced back with a Taryn Christion touchdown pass to Blake Kunz.

However, Anderson then scored on consecutive drives to help give NDSU a 35-14 lead. Christion then found Cade Johnson for a 52-yard score, but NDSU closed the game with nine straight points.

Ultimately, Stick simply couldn't be stopped, and that was the story of NDSU's 14th win this season. Of note, his touchdown run to give the Bison a 13-7 lead was arguably his highlight of the game:

Dane Brugler of The Athletic even touted his potential NFL prospects prior to NDSU's 35-0 quarterfinal win over Colgate on Saturday:

NDSU now has a chance to win its seventh FCS championship in eight seasons. 

Either No. 7 Maine or No. 3 Eastern Washington will attempt to stop the Bison from accomplishing that feat. EWU is the host for the second semifinal, which is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.

NDSU's dominance during this particular season stands out in the midst of its championship run. Before the game, NDSU ranked 20th in the Sagarin ratings, which lumps FBS and FCS teams together on one list. NDSU's highest mark on that list occurred at the conclusion of the 2013 season, when the 15-0 Bison finished 17th. NDSU can match or surpass that No. 17 ranking with another win, however.

The Bison's next stop is Frisco, Texas, the home of the FCS championship. That contest will take place on Saturday, January 5, at noon ET.