Dunn fuels North Dakota State rout in FCS second round

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NDSU RB follows blockers and scores TD

North Dakota State's Lance Dunn bursts through the hole and finds daylight, scoring a 46-yard touchdown.

Dec 2, 2018, 03:52 am

(STATS) -- Defending champion North Dakota State doesn't appear to be bothered by the strength of teams that stand between it and another FCS national title.

Not if the unbeaten Bison continue to play like they're, um, invincible.

Their playoff run began with a 52-10 second-round thumping of Montana State as Lance Dunn rushed for four first-half touchdowns, the Bison finished with 407 yards on the ground and they scored on their first six possessions.

The strength of teams on the Missouri Valley champ's side of the 24-team bracket appeared high on Selection Sunday even though the Bison (12-0) are a veteran team capable of navigating the field for a second straight and record seventh FCS title. Up next is a visit by No. 8 seed Colgate (10-1), which eliminated James Madison 23-20 in the second round, in a national quarterfinal next Saturday.

Montana State (8-5) kicked a field goal to cap the game's first drive before North Dakota State went on its first-half offensive explosion. Dunn had touchdown runs of 1, 11, 1 and 46 yards, Bruce Anderson scored from 32 yards out and Cam Pedersen kicked a 27-yard field goal as the Bison went ahead 38-3 by halftime.

North Dakota State had three running backs go over 100 yards for the first time since 1996: Dunn (127), Anderson (118) and Ty Brooks (103). Brooks and Adam Cofield rushed for second-half touchdowns and the Bison averaged 9.2 yards per carry.

Montana State quarterback Troy Anderson rushed for 129 yards -- his ninth game over the century mark -- scoring on a 51-yard run. He finished the season with 1,412 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground.