One College Football Playoff pairing witnessed a shakeup. But this one arrived in the Fargodome — as powerhouse North Dakota State took a massive upset against Illinois State 29-28. And the Bison's loss comes nearly two weeks after locking in a seven-year contract for head coach Tim Polasek.
The Bison have built themselves as a longtime superpower in the CFB realm. NDSU is annually in contention for national titles at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. And they've become a heavyweight in the shadow of Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, etc.
The Redbirds, however, just pulled off the biggest upset in the FCS. Illinois State entered as a huge 23.5-point underdog and won off a two-point conversion try. But the Bison's season ends in stunning fashion.
How Illinois State stunned North Dakota State
The claim on the Redbirds' side is the campus produced future actors and actresses. Names like Gary Sinise, Jane Lynch, John Malkovich and Craig Robinson all attended ISU.
But even Hollywood never created this FCS upset script. Which included a comeback the Redbirds needed to pull off.
NDSU jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter including Jackson Williams returning a 48-yard punt for the touchdown. But Victor Dawson gashed the left side of the NDSU defense for a 69-yard touchdown rumble to spark the rally. Quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse then overcame a pick six by tossing a 8-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 21-7.
The Bison later led 28-14 after a Barika Kpeenu 4-yard rushing score. But Rittenhouse connected to Daniel Sobkowicz twice late on touchdowns of eight and six yards. Scotty Presson Jr. scored the deciding two-point try.
Again, Illinois State shook up the CFB landscape — including ending the Bison's home playoff streak that started in 2016. Chris Vannini of The Athletic was one in a state of shock too.
WOW. North Dakota State looked like one of the best FCS teams of all time this season. https://t.co/7HulhR3Ng2
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) December 6, 2025
Polasek surfaced for the Oregon State opening after Trent Bray got fired. He opted to stay put in Fargo. But now he and NDSU hit an uncharted territory — enduring an early playoff exit.
