2016 — The Ten-Win Year

North Dakota State's 2016 season (12-2) is a middle chapter: table-stakes progress, no crown in the ledger, the program still writing the book.

Record 12-2
Final Result 12-win season
AP Final — post-bowls
SP+ +1.9 last-week
Era —
The Shape — week-by-week · cumulative W–L below
W vs Char Sou 24-17 W vs East Was 50-44 W @ Iowa 23-21 W vs Illi Sta 31-10 W @ Miss Sta 27-3 L vs Sout Sta 17-19 W @ West Ill 21-13 W @ Nort Iow 24-20 W vs Youn Sta 24-3 W vs Indi Sta 41-17 W @ Sout Dak 28-21 W vs San Die 45-7 W vs Sout Sta 36-10 L vs Jame Mad 17-27 CFP
Defining Moments
The Statement

The 2016 season's largest margin: North Dakota State 45, San Diego 7. A 38-point win — the year's high-water mark.

The Setback

The season's deepest loss: North Dakota State 17, James Madison 27. A 10-point margin the season is remembered by.

The Postseason

The season's last act: North Dakota State fell to James Madison 17-27 in the postseason.

"Go Bison"
— North Dakota State fanbase voice · 2016· synthesized
What It Meant

2016 is a middle chapter for North Dakota State — neither a crown year nor a crisis. It is the kind of season that fills the ledger between the named ones and gives the arc its shape.