2022 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

This article is about the FCS (Division I-AA) championship game. For the FBS (Division I-A) championship game, see 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship.

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.

2022 NCAA Division I Football Championship
FCS National Championship Game
Montana State Bobcats North Dakota State Bison (12–2) (13–1) Big Sky Missouri Valley 10 38 Head coach:  Brent Vigen Head coach:  Matt Entz STATS Seed 7 8 STATS Seed 3 2
1 2 3 4 Total Montana State 0 0 3 7 10 North Dakota State 7 21 10 0 38
Date	January 8, 2022
Season	2021
Stadium	Toyota Stadium
Location	Frisco, Texas
MVP	Hunter Luepke (FB, North Dakota State)[1]
Favorite	North Dakota State by 7[2]
Referee	Nolan Dumas (Southland)[3]
Attendance	18,942
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN2
Announcers	Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Jay Walker (analyst), Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
International TV coverage
Network	Canada: TSN2 Brazil: ESPN Brazil
Announcers	Matheus Pinheiro (play-by-play) and Weinny Eirado (analyst)
NCAA Division I Football Championship  < 2021 2023 >

Teams

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

North Dakota State Bison

Main article: 2021 North Dakota State Bison football team

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.

Further information: NCAA Division I Football Championship § Champions

Montana State Bobcats

Main article: 2021 Montana State Bobcats football team

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

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