North Dakota State made the most of its one-shot opportunity Saturday, but the University of Central Arkansas made the Bison work for it.
Quarterback Trey Lance accounted for 292 yards of offense and four touchdowns as the three-time defending Football Championship Subdivision champions overcame a fourth-quarter deficit for the first time in two years to outlast the Bears 39-28 at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D.
Lance, 6-4, 226 pounds, completed 15 of 30 passes for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns, and he rushed 15 times for 143 yards and 2 additional scores for the Bison, who won in their only game scheduled for this fall.
North Dakota State extended its FCS-record winning streak to 38 games.
"I told [UCA Coach Nathan Brown] out there after the game and before the game that I have the utmost respect for their program and their willingness to play us," said North Dakota State Coach Matt Entz, whose team hadn't trailed in the final quarter of a game since Oct. 6, 2018, against Northern Iowa. "They play extremely hard. They had a great plan, and we knew they were talented.
"We talked about it with our football for the last seven weeks that they were going to be some dynamic playmakers out there in purple and white."
UCA (2-2) got 226 yards passing and three touchdowns from quarterback Breylin Smith to stay close with North Dakota State, which has won its past 29 games at home. Wide receiver Lajuan Winningham caught two of Smith's scoring tosses, including an 11-yarder that gave the Bears a 28-25 lead with 10:35 left in the game.
But the visitors didn't have enough to hold on.
"I think we played hard, and I think we left some opportunities out there," Brown said. "[North Dakota State] is disciplined, they're a good football team.
"If that's the best the FCS has to offer, I like where we're at in our progression. We've got a chance -- if we can channel this in the right way moving forward -- to be a really good football team.
"You're playing a team that plays one game, this is their Super Bowl, this is their showcase game. And really, to be honest with you, we had every chance in the world to win it. It's just unfortunate."
UCA held the Bison to 129 yards of offense in the first half, sacking Lance twice and forcing him into a fumble that resulted in a field goal. But the Bears' defense could only do so much against the sophomore, who began to show why he's a projected first-round NFL Draft pick in the second half.
Of his 143 yards on the ground, 110 came during the final two quarters. Lance did have his streak of 306 pass attempts without an interception ended by UCA defensive back Nick Nakwaasah in the third quarter, but his 23-yard touchdown toss to fullback Hunter Luepke with 7:35 remaining in the game gave the Bison the lead for good.
UCA ambushed North Dakota State in the first quarter courtesy of its defense.
Linebacker Darin Davenport stripped the ball from Lance, and defensive tackle A'Javius Brown recovered it at the Bison 14. Hayden Ray later connected on a 33-yard field to give the Bears a 3-0 lead.
Ray later pushed UCA's advantage to 6-0 with 11:53 to go in the second quarter with his 41-yarder.
The Bison moved 75 yards in seven plays on their next possession, with Lance finding tight end Josh Babicz for a 13-yard touchdown. The drive was aided by a targeting call and subsequent ejection of Bears' safety Cameron Godfrey.
North Dakota State went ahead 10-6 with 2:32 remaining in the half when kicker Jake Reinholz ended a nine-play, 50-yard march with a 27-yard field.
Lance struck quickly in the second half when he broke through the middle of the line, stiff-armed a defender and sprinted 54 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the third quarter. Nathan Goldade's two-point conversion run put the Bison up 18-6.
The Bears countered by scooting 75 yards in five snaps, the drive ending when Smith delivered a 22-yard scoring toss to receiver Tyler Hudson.
UCA's defense stepped up again on North Dakota State's next trip when Nakwaasah picked off a Lance pass and returned it 16 yards to the Bison 43. Four plays later, Smith hooked up with Winningham across the middle for a 3-yard touchdown to give the Bears a 20-18 lead with 9:44 left in the quarter.
Lance answered with a 14-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter to put North Dakota State ahead, but the Bears responded with Winningham's touchdown to grab their fourth-quarter lead.
"We made some good adjustments at halftime," Brown said. "We didn't do enough in the first half to keep them off balanced."
On third and 5, Lance was stopped a yard and a half short of a first down, but UCA defensive back Robert Rochell was flagged for a personal foul. On the next play, Lance hit Luepke for a 23-yard go-ahead touchdown. Luepke closed out the victory with a 13-yard run with 1:51 remaining.
"We practiced hard this week," Brown said. "There's no moral victories in this. We're mad. We think we should've had a shot to win it.
"I'd love [it] if this was a normal year to have a shot to come back up in the playoffs."