FRISCO, Texas — Carson Wentz didn’t come all the way to Texas to be the quarterback for the end of North Dakota State’s run of FCS championships.
Faced with that unsettling possibility, Wentz answered with a dramatic history-making drive.
Wentz ran 5 yards for the winning touchdown about a minute after Tre Roberson’s 58-yard run put Illinois State ahead, and the Bison became the first team to win four straight FCS titles with a thrilling 29-27 victory Saturday.
“Right when that clock hit zero, I had so many emotions I couldn’t say anything,” Wentz said. “I didn’t know whether to cry or to be happy. It was just unbelievable.”
North Dakota State (15-1) lost a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter but answered quickly after falling behind. RJ Urzendowski had catches of 32 and 33 yards to get the Bison in scoring range, and Wentz broke a tackle around the 5 and eased into the end zone with 37 seconds left, capping a 78-yard drive in six plays.
Roberson threw three touchdown passes but also an interception to Esley Thorton in the final seconds trying to get the Redbirds (13-2) in field-goal range in their first national title appearance.
“Like we have all year long, we fought really hard to get back in the game after some mistakes and were able to take the lead,” Illinois State coach Brock Spack said. “They made some big-time plays at the end to win it. It was just very, very close.”
A failed two-point conversion left the Redbirds with a 27-23 lead with 1:38 left.
Wentz hit Urzendowski on a crossing route for 32 yards on the first play of the next drive, and later unloaded the ball deep when Urzendowski, a freshman who had 100 yards on five catches, found the ball while safety DraShane Glass never looked back for the throw inside the 10.
Wentz scored on the next play.
