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North Dakota State vs Montana FCS Playoffs Semifinal Prediction & Picks: Will the Bison Barrel Into Yet Another Championship Game?

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North Dakota State vs Montana 2023 FCS Playoffs Semifinal Prediction, Odds & Picks 12/16/2023 cover

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It hasn’t been a perfect season for North Dakota State, but the Bison are once again on the cusp of playing for a championship. If they can go into Missoula, Montana and end the title hopes of the homestanding Grizzlies today (4:30 pm ET, ESPN2), they will have a chance to hand out some delicious revenge with all the marbles on the line.

The Bison (11-3) entered this year’s FCS playoffs unseeded after losing to South Dakota, North Dakota, and South Dakota State in Missouri Valley Football Conference play.

But they have unsurprisingly stepped their game up at the most important time of the year. They destroyed Drake in the first round, edged Montana State in overtime on the road, and smashed South Dakota in a rematch in Vermillion last week to reach the semifinals.

Picks in this piece are courtesy of BetOnline. At BetOnline, you can get great odds on every FBS bowl game, the College Football Playoff, and FCS games.

If North Dakota State can pick up a third straight road win over a seeded foe, they will have a chance to avenge their November loss to the #1 Jackrabbits in next month’s FCS title tilt in Frisco, Texas.

That would also give NDSU the opportunity to send head coach Matt Entz into the sunset–or to his next position as the assistant head coach/linebackers coach at USC–as a three-time FCS champion.

Standing in their way is #2 Montana, who was eliminated by NDSU in the second round of last year’s playoffs and is looking to reach the championship game for the first time since 2009.

North Dakota State vs Montana Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline. If you’re interested in trying them out, we recommend checking out our BetOnline review.

Spread

North Dakota State +2.5 (-120)
Montana -2.5 (-110)

Over/Under

Over 51 (-115)
Under 51 (-115)

Moneyline

North Dakota State +105
Montana -135

2023 Season Results for North Dakota State (11-3)

(Minneapolis, MN) vs Eastern Washington: won 35-10
vs Maine: won 44-7
vs Central Arkansas: won 49-31
vs South Dakota: lost 24-19
at Missouri State: won 38-10
at North Dakota: lost 49-24
vs Western Illinois: won 52-7
vs Murray State: won 38-6
at South Dakota State: lost 33-16
vs Southern Illinois: won 34-10
at Northern Iowa: won 48-27
vs Drake (FCS Playoffs First Round): won 66-3
at #5 Montana State (FCS Playoffs Second Round): won 35-34 (OT)
at #3 South Dakota (FCS Playoffs Quarterfinal): won 45-17

2023 Season Results for #2 Montana (12-1)

vs Butler: won 35-13
at Utah Tech: won 43-13
vs Ferris State: won 17-10
at Northern Arizona: lost 28-14
vs Idaho State: won 28-20
at UC Davis: won 31-23
at Idaho: won 23-21
vs Northern Colorado: won 40-0
vs Sacramento State: won 34-7
at Portland State: won 34-10
vs Montana State: won 37-7
vs Delaware (FCS Playoffs Second Round): won 49-19
vs #7 Furman (FCS Playoffs Quarterfinal): won 35-28 (OT)

North Dakota State vs Montana Prediction and Picks

Prediction for North Dakota State vs Montana: Montana to win

Last week, the Grizzlies did things the hard way, defeating #7 Furman in overtime after allowing a game-tying touchdown with 13 seconds left. But they have been formidable at home this season and get the edge from oddsmakers, albeit by a small margin.

NDSU was favored by 6.5 points going into last week’s quarterfinal at South Dakota, so it’s no surprise in the slightest that they won in Vermillion.

But the Bison absolutely crushed the Coyotes, scoring 21 points in the first quarter and 35 in the first half as they took a 32-point halftime lead.

The reflexive reaction to that destruction is to back North Dakota State to crush a lot of hearts and hopes in Missoula. When they are on top of their game, good luck staying close to them.

But I like this Montana team a lot, and like NDSU did at Montana State in the second round, the Grizzlies made the plays they needed to make in the right moment to see off Furman.

Montana QB Clifton McDowell didn’t have his cleanest game as a passer, throwing for 208 yards but going 17 of 31 with an interception. However, his skills as a runner were on full display, as he racked up 118 yards and a touchdown on 21 attempts.

McDowell is going to need to be at his best, and Montana needs to strike first and not let it up. In their three losses, the Bison were outscored 69-29 in the first quarter by South Dakota (21-3), North Dakota (28-17), and South Dakota State (20-9).

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This wasn’t an easy choice, given North Dakota State’s incredible run of success over the last decade-plus and what they did to South Dakota last week.

But I think the Grizzlies have what it takes to handle the Bison and set up a #1 vs #2 matchup for the title on January 7 (2:00 pm ET, ABC).

Of course, I said the same about South Dakota last week, and we see what happened to the Coyotes. Montana is a better team than South Dakota, however. I think they will be able to not only take some punches from NDSU and stay upright, but they will knock the Bison out in the end.

Where to Bet on North Dakota State vs Montana and Other College Football Games

Most top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of college football odds throughout the season, including on the two CFP semifinal matchups between Michigan and Alabama and Washington and Texas.

In addition to being able to make weekly college football picks all the way from Week Zero to the College Football Playoff National Championship, you can also bet on Heisman Trophy odds, conference championship odds, win totals, and much more.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for college football betting. Below are some of the books that we highly recommend:

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

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North Dakota State vs Montana FCS Playoffs Semifinal Prediction & Picks: Will the Bison Barrel Into Yet Another Championship Game?