NDSU Football: Dukes Expect A Dog Fight Despite Bison Injuries

NDSU's Jalaan Wimbush and Jaylen Allison left the semifinal against Sam Houston State with injuries

FRISCO, T.X. —The Bison Cornerbacks are not as fresh as they would like to be heading into Saturday’s FCS championship game.

Jalaan Wimbush and Jaylen Allison left the semifinal against Sam Houston State with injuries. It appears as though Wimbush will play in Saturday’s matchup against James Madison, but Allison’s status is still up in the air.

Although the Dukes predominantly rush the ball, JMU Quarterback Bryan Schor still has 26 passing touchdowns on the season. In a game that boasts two of the top offenses in the FCS, one home run play can make all the difference.

“They’re talented,” said Riley Stapleton, a Wide Receiver for JMU. “They don’t make mistakes. They’re in the right place when they’ve got to be there. Whether they’re injured or not, their backups are the exact same as their starters. They don’t make mistakes. They’re a physical, hard-nosed football team. Their corners are going to come down and hit you. They’re not afraid to play and get up in your face.”

“In this game there’s two really good defenses,” said Schor. “North Dakota State has a very talented defense, and I like to think that we have a good defense as well. I think offenses being good on third down will be an important part of this game.”

Both NDSU and James Madison are in the top 10 nationally in third down defense.