South Dakota Shut Out at North Dakota State to End 2013 Season

The Missouri Valley Conference regular season is over - and the South was no match for the North in 2013.

North Dakota State, having already dispatched South Dakota State 20-0 in week five, finished off their whitewashing of the South with a 42-0 win over USD in Fargo Saturday.

The win was the 20th straight for the two-time defending FCS champions, who will enter the post season with a first round bye as the #1 team in the nation.

The Coyote defense started strong holding the Bison to a three-and-out on NDSU's first possession, but they weren't so successful the next two times the Bison touched the ball.

A Ryan Smith 32-yard punt return put NDSU in business at their own 45, and quarterback Brock Jensen kept the drive alive moments later on 3rd-and-18, when he threw to Smith for 25 yards to the USD 28.

John Crockett took it the rest of the way on the next play and it was 7-0 NDSU.

After a Coyote punt, the Bison were back in the end zone quickly, Smith from Jensen again for 64 yards, a one play scoring drive to make it 14-0. On the day, Smith had four catches for 111 yards.

NDSU put the game out of reach with four straight touchdown drives, two to end the first half, two to start the second.

The first took more than five minutes off the clock and covered 95 yards, with Sam Ojuri going in from one yard out.

The next finished with just three ticks left on the first half clock, when Jensen hit Zach Vraa for a 22-yard score to make it 28-0 at halftime.

NDSU got the ball to start the second half, and they wasted little time, with Ojuri breaking the second play for a 55-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 35-0.

Ojuri led the Bison ground game with 118 yards to two touchdowns.

The Coyote offense finally started clicking on its next possession, marching to the Bison 19, but Christian Dudzik picked off Kevin Earl in the end zone to snuff the scoring chance.

NDSU converted the turnover to points moments later on a Crockett 28-yard touchdown run to finish out the scoring at 42-0.

Crockett had 116 yards rushing and two scores on the day.

NDSU out gained USD 553-214 in total offense.

Jensen was 16-of-22 for two touchdowns, hitting 8 different receivers, as he won a FCS record 44th game as a starting quarterback.

For South Dakota, Earl was 10-of-26 for 101 yards and 2 interceptions.

Jordon Roberts did top the 100 yard mark on the ground with 20 carries for 107 yards.

The Coyotes were just 2-of-12 on 3rd down.

All-conference linebacker Tyler Starr finished his career with a 6 tackle game.

South Dakota followed up last season's 1-10 record with a 4-8 season in 2013, winning 3 Missouri Valley Conference games after going winless in the conference last season.