35 - 0 Early In Third Period, NDSU: Game Day: Montana Vs NDUS; National Championship; Frisco, TX; 11:00 A.M. CT; ESPN2

NFL:

Chiefs vs Broncos, this afternoon, 3:30 p.m.

Cowboys vs Eagles, this evening, 7:15 p.m. 

************************

NDSU - Montana game underway. Frisco, TX. Toyota Stadium. We've been there many times.

Montana State with first drive; turned over to NDSU.

NDSU's first drive: underway. Right now, NDSU is looking good. Penalty brings back a nice run.

Stadium: filled with cowboy hats! More than I've ever seen at a Dallas Cowboys game. 

NDSU just scored first touchdown, mostly running. Nine minutes into first quarter. NDSU, if this keeps up, the game will be over by the end of the first quarter. But Montana surprised a lot of folks getting to this championship game. 

Montana State: teams' second drive.  Ends in failed three-point field goal try from about the 35-yard line.

NDSU's second drive, begins at 3:18 in first quarter. Good running game; nice passing game for NDSU. Third play: long running gain after long pass play (second play). Another eight-yard gain, fourth play. Short run play to get the first down; on the 18-yeard line in the "red zone." Sixth play: eight-yard run. End of first quarter. First play, second quarter, touchdown. 14 - 0 at 14:56 in second quarter. 

Montana State with third possession. Takes "fair catch" -- had the entire field open. Took it on the ten-yard line, but there must have been a penalty or I missed it. Montana starts at 25-yard line. 

Short possession ends with punt to NDSU, early in second quarter. Kobe Johsnon, on a 70-yard run for a touchdown at 10:50 second quarter, now 21 - 0. NDSU with nearly 200 yards rushing early in second quarter. NDSU averages 425 yards per game. 

Montana State with fourth possession. North Dakota has scored a touchdown on each of its three possessions. 

NDSU: eight titles since 2011. 

Will they do it again?

First play for Montana from #12 is intercepted by NDSU. After the interception, unsportsmanlike penalty -- excessive celebration on #2 -- and penalized fifteen yards. Not smart.

NDSU, fourth possession, after an interception. First play, long run; second play, spectacular catch for a short gain. Third play on this drive: failed to make first down. NDSU will punt.

Montana, fifth possession after stopping NDSU at midfield. Announcers wanted NDSU to go for first down on 4th and two.

Reminder: Montana's starting quarterback sustained injury, first play in the game. Now, #12 is the quarterback is T. Rovig. Wow, talk about a lot of different quarterbacks over the past year or so for Montana State. T. Rovig was the starter, a junior for twelve games; then in the playoffs, Mellott or McKay. Mellott, a freshman, fourth string quarterback when the playoffs started (?), is injured in opening play and T. Rovig back to quarterback. 

Fifth possession for Montana State continues. Out to mid-field. Long pass -- would have been a touchdown for Montana State -- broken up by NDSU. Second and ten at midfield. Same play; same results. 3rd and ten from midfield. Defensive interference, comes close, but no call. Montana will punt away for fourth time. 

Five:twenty six, second quarter, NDSU starting on the 15-yard line. Will probably play conservatively through the rest of the second quarter. Critical third down play successful, and out to 25-yard line. Every time it looks like NDUS is in trouble, manage to convert to first down. Now looking at possible targeting by Montana player. I don't see it; it was a hard, hard hit, but not targeting. Tough call for replay official. I think they let it go; no-call. Yes, no targeting. Second down and two yards. Straight-ahead run, first down. Under a minute to go, all time outs left, from the six-yard line, second and two.

Will it be a four-TD game at the half?

Trick  play. Fourth touchdown. Six-yard run. I assume teams do this all the time, but I had not seen it before. Quarterback lines up behind center, and then as call begins, quarterback runs to left, and direct snap to running back about six yards behind quarterback. Running back Hunter Luepke. 

Start of the second half.

NDSU: first possession. Already out to mid-field. Drive continues. Another first down on first-and-ten. Another touchdown, Josh Babicz, 35-yard reception. 12:34 in third quarter. 35 - 0.

Last first half possession by Montana ends with punt to NDSU with six seconds left. 

28 - 0 at the half.  

No shut-out. Montana State, 3-point field goal. 

So, with two-and-a-half quarters gone, the game is over.