Aug 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; North Dakota State Bison mascot Thundar performs in the first half against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The 2025 FCS playoffs were set up to be a coronation for North Dakota State after it rolled through the regular season with a 12-0 record.

Instead, the Bison are out after just one game.

Despite picking off Tommy Rittenhouse five times, NDSU was stunned 29-28 by Illinois State in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota, ending the Bison's hopes of a second-consecutive national championship.

The loss snapped NDSU's 16-game win streak, the longest run at the FCS level, and was its first home playoff loss since 2016, when it fell to James Madison. The Bison entered the matchup as a 23.5-point favorite.

NDSU, which had earned a first-round bye, appeared to be on its way to a victory late in the fourth quarter, holding on to a 28-14 lead with three minutes remaining. But after a Redbirds touchdown with 2:44 left cut that lead in half, Illinois State sacked Bison quarterback Cole Payton and forced a fumble on the third play of the ensuing drive, which it recovered at the NDSU 23-yard line.

On a fourth-and-goal from the NDSU 6, Rittenhouse connected with Daniel Sobkowicz in the back of the end zone for a touchdown with one minute remaining.

Rather than tying the game with an extra point, coach Brock Spack opted to go for two, with his team successfully converting to take a one-point lead.

The Bison got to their own 44, but failed to convert a fourth-and-7 with seven seconds remaining to end the game.

NDSU had not only won all of its games this season, but also done so in dominant fashion. The Bison won their first 12 games by an average of 30.5 points, with only two of its victories decided by fewer than 17 points. That run included a 33-16 road win against Illinois State on Oct. 4.

The Redbirds entered the day with a 14-game losing streak vs. the Missouri Valley Football Conference, with their most recent victory coming all the way back in 2010.

Illinois State came into the matchup at just 9-4 and was not one of the 16 national seeds in the 24-team playoff field. With the win, the Redbirds advance to take on the winner of Saturday night's matchup between No. 8 UC Davis and No. 9 Rhode Island in the national quarterfinals.

NDSU had won 10 of the previous 14 FCS championships.

Despite the five interceptions, Rittenhouse threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns, all of which went to Sobkowicz. Victor Dawson added 137 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Redbirds. As surprising as the final score was, the Illinois State dominated the game, outgaining the Bison by a 422-179 margin.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No. 1 NDSU football stunned by Illinois State in 2nd round of FCS playoffs

Reporting by Craig Meyer, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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