2022 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

The 2022 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game played to determine a national champion in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) for the 2021 FCS season. It was contested at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on January 8, 2022,^[4] with kickoff at 12:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m. locally) and televised on ESPN2.^[2] It was the culminating game of the 2021 FCS Playoffs.

North Dakota State Bison

The participants of the 2022 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game were the finalists of the 2021 FCS Playoffs.

North Dakota State finished their regular season with a 10–1 record (7–1 in conference), losing only to South Dakota State.^[5] The Bison were the second-seed in the tournament and received a first-round bye; they then defeated Southern Illinois, East Tennessee State, and James Madison to reach the championship game.

North Dakota State had previously won the FCS Championship Game eight times, most recently the January 2020 edition following the 2019 season.

Montana State Bobcats

Montana State finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (7–1 in conference), losing only to Wyoming (an FBS team) and Montana.^[5] The Bobcats were the eighth-seed in the tournament and received a first-round bye; they then defeated UT Martin, Sam Houston State, and South Dakota State to reach the championship game.

Montana State had previously played in one FCS Championship Game, winning against Louisiana Tech in the 1984 edition following the 1984 season, when the conference was still known as NCAA Division I-AA and the championship game was played in December.

Game summary

Montana State's starting quarterback, Tommy Mellott, sustained an ankle injury during the opening drive of the game and was sidelined for the remainder of the contest.^[6] North Dakota State scored four unanswered first-half touchdowns, taking a 28–0 lead en route to a 38–10 final and the program's ninth FCS title in 11 seasons.^[6] Fullback Hunter Luepke of North Dakota State rushed for three touchdowns and was named most valuable player.^[6]

2022 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 8 Montana State	0	0	3	7	10
No. 2 North Dakota State	7	21	10	0	38

at Toyota Stadium • Frisco, Texas

Date: January 8, 2022
Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m. CST)
Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 48 °F (9 °C) • Wind: SE 9 mph (14 km/h)
Game attendance: 18,942
Referee: Nolan Dumas
TV: ESPN2
Box score

Game information
First quarter 6:48 NDSU – Hunter Luepke 8-yard rush, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:01. NDSU 7–0 Second quarter 14:56 NDSU – Hunter Luepke 11-yard rush, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:22. NDSU 14–0 10:50 NDSU – Kobe Johnson 76-yard rush, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:50. NDSU 21–0 0:32 NDSU – Hunter Luepke 6-yard rush, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 14 plays, 85 yards, 4:54. NDSU 28–0 Third quarter 12:34 NDSU – Josh Babicz 35-yard pass from Cam Miller, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 5 plays, 65 yards, 2:26. NDSU 35–0 7:43 MTST – Blake Glessner 26-yard field goal. Drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 4:51. NDSU 35–3 0:38 NDSU – Jake Reinholz 37-yard field goal. Drive: 7 plays, 29 yards, 3:35. NDSU 38–3 Fourth quarter 5:08 MTST – Lance McCutcheon 28-yard pass from Tucker Rovig, Blake Glessner kick good. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 4:43. NDSU 38–10

Game information

First quarter

6:48 NDSU – Hunter Luepke 8-yard rush, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:01. NDSU 7–0

Second quarter

14:56 NDSU – Hunter Luepke 11-yard rush, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:22. NDSU 14–0
10:50 NDSU – Kobe Johnson 76-yard rush, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:50. NDSU 21–0
0:32 NDSU – Hunter Luepke 6-yard rush, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 14 plays, 85 yards, 4:54. NDSU 28–0

Third quarter

12:34 NDSU – Josh Babicz 35-yard pass from Cam Miller, Jake Reinholz kick good. Drive: 5 plays, 65 yards, 2:26. NDSU 35–0
7:43 MTST – Blake Glessner 26-yard field goal. Drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 4:51. NDSU 35–3
0:38 NDSU – Jake Reinholz 37-yard field goal. Drive: 7 plays, 29 yards, 3:35. NDSU 38–3

Fourth quarter

5:08 MTST – Lance McCutcheon 28-yard pass from Tucker Rovig, Blake Glessner kick good. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 4:43. NDSU 38–10

Statistics

Statistics	MTST	NDSU
First downs	17	23
Plays–yards	65–335	66–506
Rushes–yards	34–156	53–380
Passing yards	179	126
Passing: comp–att–int	15–31–1	9–13–0
Time of possession	26:12	33:48

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
MTST	Passing	Tucker Rovig	13/28, 156 yards, TD, INT
	Rushing	Isaiah Ifanse	18 carries, 84 yards
	Receiving	Lance McCutcheon	5 receptions, 106 yards, TD
NDSU	Passing	Cam Miller	9/13, 126 yards, TD
	Rushing	Kobe Johnson	4 carries, 106 yards, TD
	Receiving	Christian Watson	4 receptions, 61 yards

v t e Montana State Bobcats football
Venues	Gatton Field (1930–1971) Van Winkle Stadium (1972) Bobcat Stadium (1973–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Montana
Culture & lore	Spirit of the West Marching Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906–1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

v t e North Dakota State Bison football
Venues	Dacotah Field (1910–1992) Fargodome (1993–present)
Bowls & rivalries	North Dakota: Nickel Trophy South Dakota State: Dakota Marker
Culture & lore	Thundar "On Bison" Gold Star Marching Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
National championship seasons in bold

2022 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

North Dakota State Bison

Montana State Bobcats

Game summary

Statistics

References

External links

Related Articles

v t e NCAA Division I Football Championship Game
1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011* 2012* 2013* 2014* 2015* 2016* 2017* 2018* 2019* 2020* 2021† 2022* 2023* 2024* 2025*
Games through 2009 were played in December. Subsequent games have been played in January (*) or May (†).