The North Dakota State Bison defeated the Montana State Bobcats in the 2024-25 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, securing a record 18th national title for the program. Just five years after quarterback Trey Lance led a title run for the Bison, his younger brother had a monster game against the Bobcats, signaling a bright future for the talented wide receiver.
NDSU WR Bryce Lance Makes Name for Himself in FCS Championship Game
In the 2023 season, North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance had only one catch for seven yards. Fast forward one year, and he was one of the main catalysts behind the Bison’s 2024-25 FCS national championship run.
In the championship game against Montana State, Lance put on a clinic, totaling seven catches for 109 yards and a touchdown. He accounted for over half of Bison quarterback Cam Miller’s 199 passing yards.
FOLLOW ALONG: Track Every Transfer Portal Entrant in our CFN Transfer Portal Tracker now!
Lance’s impact on the game was especially felt in the final seconds of the first half when North Dakota State held a 14-3 lead with 19 seconds remaining. From the Bobcats’ 10-yard line, Miller escaped the pocket and found Lance, who’d relocated back toward the ball. With the right pylon at his feet, Lance hauled in the pass, dragging his left foot in the process.
Lance’s body was in the end zone, but the ball was placed out of bounds inside the one-yard line. Fourteen seconds remained. The Bison went back to the well on the very next play, targeting Lance on a quick, one-step slant for a touchdown. The Bison took a 21-3 lead into halftime.
They never surrendered the lead, winning 35-32 and securing the program’s 18th FCS title and 10th in the last 14 seasons. Trey Lance, Bryce’s older brother, quarterbacked the Bison to their 16th title in 2019. Now, the younger brother has put his stamp on NDSU football.
After the game, North Dakota State head coach Tim Polasek, who has a big influence over the Bison’s offense, praised the younger Lance’s skills as he saw him prepare before the season.
“He’s long, big, fast. He catches it,” he said. “That’s about it. I’m not some genius. He kind of stood out. I just thought he was in the mix to be one of the top two or three guys.”
After having one catch during his sophomore season, that would’ve been a successful improvement. Instead, Lance had a full-blown breakout junior season, leading the Bison in catches (75), yards (1,053), and total touchdowns (18).
He truly blossomed in the biggest moments of the season: the FCS playoffs.
Across four postseason games in December and early January, Lance caught 25 passes for 375 yards and seven touchdowns, solidifying himself as one of the top pass catchers in the FCS — and potentially college football as a whole.
Polasek continued, saying, “I believe in him. He’s capitalized on all his opportunities. It’s really cool to see when young guys — he’s not even scratching the surface of his potential, but I think he maximized this year.”
MORE: Simulate the College Football Playoffs with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
Lance’s next-level body control and ball skills were on full display against Montana State; if this isn’t even the surface of his potential, the sky is the limit for the Bison junior.
He hasn’t officially announced his plans for next season, but he’s expected to stay in Fargo and compete with the Bison in 2025. When he does decide to take his talents to the NFL, he’ll follow in his brothers’ footsteps as a talented prospect with loads of potential at the next level.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.