North Dakota State is already in the midst of one record-breaking streak with five straight Football Championship Subdivision.
But the Bison narrowly missed making another type of history on Sunday, one that would have, arguably, topped their literal handful of national championships.
Following Saturday’s 23-21 upset of then-No. 13 Iowa, North Dakota State just missed the cut at joining Sunday’s AP poll, garnering 74 points, good enough for 28th place in a 25-team poll.
The Bison would’ve been the first team to join the poll had they received enough votes to make the cut. As it stands, their 74 points are the most ever for an FCS team. All told, ten FCS teams have earned votes in the AP poll, dating back to Appalachian State’s stunner of then-No. 5 Michigan on the opening Saturday of the 2007 season.
It’s unlikely North Dakota State will rise any higher than 28th from here on out. The Bison have no more FBS opponents left on their 2016 schedule.
While they won’t see a number next to their name at the FBS level, the Bison can take solace in this: they earned 42 more points in this week’s poll than Notre Dame.