List of North Dakota State Bison football seasons
North Dakota State University first fielded a football team in 1894, among the first 70 universities in the nation to do so. The first game North Dakota State Farmers (until they adopted the Aggies mascot in 1902) played was against future rival, University of North Dakota Flickertails (until they adopted the Fighting Sioux mascot in 1930), North Dakota State won the game 20–4.[1]
North Dakota State officially joined the North Central Conference in 1922 as a founding member. They stayed a member of this conference until 2004 when they moved to Division I (FCS).
The Bison have amassed a 725–372–34 (.656) record since 1894 and have won 15 National Championships, 7 as a member of Division I FCS, and 8 as a member of Division II. NDSU has won 34 Conference Championships, and only have 3 losing seasons since 1964. They have won 7 out of the last 8 FCS National Championships, the most in FCS history.
North Dakota State has won more games than any other FCS school founded after 1876.
Eddie Cochems, known as the 'father of the forward pass', coached North Dakota State from 1902–1903, leading them to a 9–1 record and outscoring their opponents 499–49 in two seasons. It is said he experimented with the forward pass at NDSU, but it was not officially legal until 1906.
Seasons
National champions  |
Conference champions * | Postseason appearance  |
Bowl game berth ^ |
| Season | Head coach | Conference Affiliation | Season results | Playoff or Bowl result | Final ranking | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conference finish | Division finish | Wins | Losses | Ties[2] | STATS Poll[3] | Coaches Poll[4] | |||||
| North Dakota State Bison | |||||||||||
| 1894 | Henry Luke Bolley | No Affiliation | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1895 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1896 | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1897 | — | — | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1898 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1899 | — | — | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1900 | Jack Harrison | — | — | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1901 | — | — | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1902 | Eddie Cochems | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1903 | — | — | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1904 | A. L. Marshall | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1905 | — | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1906 | Gil Dobie | — | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1907 | — | — | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1908 | Paul Magoffin | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1909 | Arthur Reuber | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1910 | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1911 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1912 | — | — | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1913 | Howard Wood | — | — | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | ||
| 1914 | — | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1915 | Paul Davis | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1916 | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1917 | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1918 | No Football (Spanish flu) | ||||||||||
| 1919 | Stanley Borleske | — | — | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1920 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1921 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1922 | Joe Cutting | North Central Conference | 5th | — | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1923 | Stanley Borleske | 7th | — | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1924 | 4th | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1925 | Ion Cortright | T-1st | — | 5 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | ||
| 1926 | 6th | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1927 | 5th | — | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1928 | Casey Finnegan | 3rd | — | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1929 | T-3rd' | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | |||
| 1930 | 2nd | — | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1931 | T-2nd | — | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1932 | 1st | — | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1933 | 2nd | — | 3 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | |||
| 1934 | T-2nd | — | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | |||
| 1935 | T-1st | — | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1936 | 3rd | — | 4 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1937 | T-2nd | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1938 | T-2nd | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1939 | 7th | — | 1 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1940 | 7th | — | 1 | 8 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1941 | Stan Kostka | 4th | — | 2 | 7 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1942 | Robert Lowe | 5th | — | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1943 | No Football (World War II) | ||||||||||
| 1944 | No Football (World War II) | ||||||||||
| 1945 | Robert Lowe | N/A | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1946 | Stan Kostka | 2nd | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947 | 4th | — | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1948 | Howard Bliss | T-4th | — | 3 | 7 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1949 | 7th | — | 0 | 9 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1950 | Mac Weskunas | 7th | — | 2 | 7 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1951 | 6th | — | 1 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1952 | 2nd | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1953 | 4th | — | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1954 | Del Anderson | 6th | — | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
| 1955 | 7th | — | 0 | 9 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1956 | Les Luymes | T-4th | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1957 | Bob Danielson | 7th | — | 0 | 8 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1958 | 6th | — | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1959 | T-2nd | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1960 | T-2nd | — | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | |||
| 1961 | 6th | — | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1962 | 7th | — | 0 | 10 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1963 | Darrell Mudra | 4th | — | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1964 | T-1st | — | 10 | 1 | — | Won Mineral Water Bowl | — | — | |||
| 1965 | 1st | — | 11 | 0 | — | Won Pecan Bowl | — | — | |||
| 1966 | Ron Erhardt | 1st | — | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1967 | 1st | — | 9 | 1 | — | Lost Pecan Bowl | — | — | |||
| 1968 | 1st | — | 10 | 0 | — | Won Pecan Bowl | — | — | |||
| 1969 | 1st | — | 10 | 0 | — | Won Camellia Bowl | — | — | |||
| 1970 | 1st | — | 9 | 0 | 1 | Won Camellia Bowl | — | — | |||
| 1971 | 2nd | — | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1972 | 1st | — | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1973 | Ev Kjelbertson | 1st | — | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974 | 1st | — | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1975 | ? | — | 2 | 7 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1976 | Jim Wacker | 1st | — | 9 | 3 | — | Lost NCAA Division II Semifinal | — | — | ||
| 1977 | 1st | — | 9 | 2 | 1 | Lost NCAA Division II Semifinal | — | — | |||
| 1978 | T-3rd | — | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1979 | Don Morton | T-2nd | — | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | |||
| 1980 | T-2nd | — | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1981 | 1st | — | 10 | 3 | — | Lost NCAA Division II Championship | — | — | |||
| 1982 | 1st | — | 12 | 1 | — | Lost NCAA Division II Semifinal | — | — | |||
| 1983 | T-1st | — | 12 | 1 | — | Won NCAA Division II Championship | — | — | |||
| 1984 | T-1st | — | 11 | 2 | — | Lost NCAA Division II Championship | — | — | |||
| 1985 | Earle Solomonson | 1st | — | 11 | 2 | 1 | Won NCAA Division II Championship | — | — | ||
| 1986 | 1st | — | 13 | 0 | — | Won NCAA Division II Championship | — | — | |||
| 1987 | Rocky Hager | T-2nd | — | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988 | 1st | — | 14 | 0 | — | Won NCAA Division II Championship | — | — | |||
| 1989 | T-2nd | — | 8 | 3 | 1 | Lost NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | — | — | |||
| 1990 | 1st | — | 14 | 0 | — | Won NCAA Division II Championship | — | — | |||
| 1991 | 1st | — | 7 | 3 | — | Lost NCAA Division II First Round | — | — | |||
| 1992 | 1st | — | 10 | 2 | — | Lost NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | — | — | |||
| 1993 | T-3rd | — | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1994 | 1st | — | 9 | 3 | — | Lost NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | — | — | |||
| 1995 | T-2nd | — | 10 | 3 | — | Lost NCAA Division II First Round | — | — | |||
| 1996 | 5th | — | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1997 | Bob Babich | T-2nd | — | 9 | 3 | — | Lost NCAA Division II First Round | — | — | ||
| 1998 | 4th | — | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | ||||
| 1999 | 3rd | — | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2000 | 2nd | — | 12 | 2 | — | Lost NCAA Division II Semifinal | — | — | |||
| 2001 | 3rd | — | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2002 | 9th | — | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2003 | Craig Bohl | T-2nd | — | 8 | 3 | — | — | 10 | 22 | ||
| North Dakota State moved to Division I-FCS | |||||||||||
| 2004 | Craig Bohl | Great West | 3rd | — | 8 | 3 | — | Ineligible | 23 | 23 | |
| 2005 | 3rd | — | 7 | 4 | — | Ineligible | |||||
| 2006 | 1st | — | 10 | 1 | — | Ineligible | 5 | ||||
| 2007 | 2nd | — | 10 | 1 | — | Ineligible | 9 | 9 | |||
| 2008 | Missouri Valley | T-4th | — | 6 | 5 | — | — | - | - | ||
| 2009 | 7th | — | 3 | 8 | — | — | - | - | |||
| 2010 | T-3rd | — | 9 | 5 | — | Lost NCAA FCS Quarterfinals | 9 | 9 | |||
| 2011 | T-1st | — | 14 | 1 | — | Won NCAA Division I Championship | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2012 | 1st | — | 14 | 1 | — | Won NCAA Division I Championship | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2013 | 1st | — | 15 | 0 | — | Won NCAA Division I Championship | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2014 | Chris Klieman | T-1st | — | 15 | 1 | — | Won NCAA Division I Championship | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2015 | T-1st | — | 13 | 2 | — | Won NCAA Division I Championship | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2016 | T-1st | — | 12 | 2 | — | Lost NCAA FCS Semifinals | 3 | 3 | |||
| 2017 | 1st | — | 14 | 1 | — | Won NCAA Division I Championship | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2018 | 1st | — | 15 | 0 | — | Won NCAA Division I Championship | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2019 | Matt Entz | 1st | — | 16 | 0 | — | Won NCAA Division I Championship | 1 | 1 | ||
| Total | |||||||||||
| 5 | 1 | (.833) | (Bowl Games) 1964-1972 | ||||||||
| 35 | 13 | (.711) | (D-II Playoffs) 1973-2003 | ||||||||
| 40 | 2 | (.952) | (D-I FCS Playoffs) 2008-Present | ||||||||
| 741 | 371 | 34 (.661) | (all games) | ||||||||
Postseason facts
Years in Postseason: 33
DII Post-Season Record: 35-13 (.729)
DI Post-Season Record: 36-2 (.947)
OVERALL PLAYOFF RECORD: 71-15 (.826)
Championships
National Championships: 16 (1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 2011-2015, 2017-2019)
National Runner-Up: 3 (1967, 1981, 1984)
National 3rd Place: 6 (1970, 1976, 1977, 1982, 2000, 2016)
- Championships and placings prior to 1973 were determined by AP or UPI polls. Championships and runner-up finishes after that were through the NCAA playoff format. Third-place finishes after 1973 were the result of semifinal losses in the playoff system.
References
- http://www.inforum.com/news/3825829-throwback-thursday-first-bison-football-team
- Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
- Since the 1978 split in divisions, the NCAA, or more recently, The Sports Network Archived 2011-05-03 at the Wayback Machine Poll, now known as the STATS Poll has been the major poll at the FCS level. No polls for North Dakota State are available prior to 2004 when the Bison began I-AA play. Polls are released prior to the playoffs.
- The FCS Coaches Poll Archived 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine was introduced in 2007. Therefore, polls for prior seasons do not exist. Polls are released prior to the playoffs