It was a historic day in Brookings as a record crowd of 16,498 saw something that hadn't happened in more than 20 years, South Dakota State was shutout at home.

The top ranked North Dakota State Bison clamped down on the Jacks offense, beating the sixth-ranked Jackrabbits 20-0.

Defenses dominated in the first quarter, as the Jacks and Bison were a combined 1-for-6 on third down, and punted six times.

North Dakota State appeared to get on the board first on the 7th punt of the game, when Christian Dudzik returned the kick 62-yards for a touchdown, but an illegal block in the back penalty brought the return back and kept the game scoreless.

That didn't deter the Bison offense, as quarterback Brock Jensen ran for 20 yards, then threw for 21 more to move the ball to the SDSU 25.

Five plays later, Jensen was in the end zone from one-yard out and it was 7-0 with 8:47 left in the first half.

North Dakota State at South Dakota State
BROOKINGS, SD - SEPTEMBER 28: Zach Zenner #31 from South Dakota State University is brought down from behind by Grant Olson #34 from North Dakota State University in the first quarter of their game Saturday afternoon at Coughlin Alumni Stadium in Brookings. (Photo by Dave Eggen/Inertia)
loading...

South Dakota State couldn't generate much offensively in the first half, especially on the ground, where the leading rusher in the nation, Zach Zenner, was held to just 1-yard on five carries.

But the Jackrabbits kept the Bison off the board the rest of the half, and it was 7-0 NDSU at intermission.

Just five plays into the third quarter, the SDSU defense forced the first turnover of the game, when Andrew Brown picked off Jensen at returned it to midfield. But the Jacks offense couldn't capitalize, punting it back after a three-and-out.

Overall in quarter three, SDSU managed just five yards of total offense.

In the fourth quarter, the Bison running game began to take control, going on a 7 play drive, all 67 yards on the ground, with John Crockett taking it in from 14 yards out, and NSDU's lead was 13-0, after a blocked extra point, with 10:36 to play.

It was more of the same the next time the Bison got the ball back, 8 plays, all runs, 66 yards, and a Jensen 1-yard touchdown run to make it 20-0.

On the afternoon, NDSU outgained SDSU 371-124, and held the Jacks to -32 yards rushing.  Zenner was limited to 4 yards, on 8 carries. His longest run of the day was 3 yards.

South Dakota State hosts Southern Illinois next Saturday at 2:00pm.

More From KSOO-AM / ESPN Sioux Falls