The Alabama of the Football Championship Subdivision just lost in the semifinals of the 2016 playoffs.
Four-seed James Madison upset one-seed North Dakota State 27-17 in the NCAA Division I FCS semifinal, officially ending a five-year national championship streak for the Bison. North Dakota State has become an almost unfathomable model of high-level consistency, first winning under former coach Craig Bohl (currently at Wyoming) and now under coach Chris Klieman.
The last time North Dakota State lost a FCS playoff game was in the 2010 season when the Bison fell to Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals.
It was a streak that had to end some time. North Dakota State didn't play its best game, and James Madison wasn't afraid of the FCS titan. Dukes quarterback Bryan Schor threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns with the offense putting up 444 yards. The defense kept North Dakota State out of the end zone until midway through the first half.
The loss is significant for a program that knows success at the highest level. North Dakota State beat Iowa earlier this season 23-21. It was the program's sixth straight win over a Football Bowl Subdivision program.
The Dukes will play either Eastern Washington or Youngstown State -- led by former Nebraska coach Bo Pelini -- in the national championship on Jan. 7.
