The North Dakota State Bison welcomed the Nevada Wolfpack to Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota and won 31-17 in a FBS showdown among two Mountain West teams. Bison coach Tim Polasek is now on a seven-year deal and looking to make a splash in FBS, something his kick returner Jackson Williams was able to do in Week 7.
Williams camped out in the back of his team's end zone on a long kick just before halftime and made the most of his opportunity as he snagged a missed field goal off the leg of Joe McFadden.
McFadden's 57-yard bomb fell short, giving Williams a chance to work his magic. CBS Sports shared video of the Play of the Year candidate, which helped NDSU open up a solid lead before halftime.
North Dakota State with a kick-6! pic.twitter.com/GYMZMzUex7
— College Football Zone (@CollegeFBonX) October 18, 2026
Polasek's Bison joined the Football Bowl Subdivision, also known as Division-I, earlier this July. The Bison were ranked in recent NCAA Top 25 Power Rankings but fell out this week.
Article Continues BelowThe Bison have continued their pursuit of excellence amid their step up in competition as they now sit at 3-1 in the Mountain West Conference, 6-1 overall. Their sterling conference record has them tied with the Air Force Falcons and Wyoming Cowboys for first place in the conference, with more challenges on the horizon for later this season.
Week 8 brings a road game against the New Mexico Lobos, followed by a home date with the UTEP Miners in Week 9. A road trip to Hawaii will give Polasek's team a chance to get away from the cold, and will be followed up with games against Northern Illinois and San Jose State to finish the season.
College football is now a national sport, and the rise of the Bison has shown how far a program can go with the right vision and the right leadership. Williams' signature play showed that North Dakota State is a team to be reckoned with, and a well-coached team capable of taking advantage of its opportunities on a grand scale.