42nd FCS Championship Game

The Matchup - No. 1 seed North Dakota State (15-0, 8-0 Missouri Valley) vs. No. 2 seed James Madison (14-1, 8-0 CAA)

Kickoff - Noon ET Saturday at Toyota Stadium (17,677) in Frisco, Texas

Television - ABC (play-by-play Mark Jones, analyst Dusty Dvoracek and reporter Olivia Dekker) with pregame coverage at 11:30 a.m. on ESPNews.

Radio - Westwood One Sports (play-by-play Jason Horowitz and analyst Al Groh), beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Series - North Dakota State leads 2-1 (last meeting: NDSU won 17-13 in the 2017 FCS championship game)

Coaches - North Dakota State: Matt Entz (15-0, first season); Curt Cignetti (14-1, first season; 81-27 overall)

Players to Watch - North Dakota State: QB Trey Lance (186 of 277, 2,714 yards, 28 TDs, 0 INTs; 139 carries, 934 yards, 13 TDs), WR Christian Watson (34 receptions, 732 yards, 6 TDs), DE Derrek Tuszka (42 tackles, 17½ tackles for loss, 12½ sacks), LB Jabril Cox (84 tackles, 8½ tackles for loss, 4½ sacks), FS James Hendricks (65 tackles, 4 INTs, 9 pass breakups); James Madison: QB Ben DiNucci (246 of 345, 3,237 yards, 27 TDs, 5 INTs; 114 carries, 560 yards, 7 TDs), RB Percy Agyei-Obese (241 carries, 1,143 yards, 19 TDs), DE Ron'Dell Carter (59 tackles, 25½ tackles for loss, 11½ sacks), DE John Daka (59 tackles, 26½ tackles for loss, 16½ sacks), PK Ethan Ratke (25 of 31 FGs, 152 points)

The Skinny - This matchup has been anticipated all season as NDSU and JMU have been ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, since the preseason poll. The two-time defending champion Bison - considered the home team - will try to add to their record seven FCS titles (all since the 2011 season) and the Dukes seek to make it two in the last four seasons and three overall. Winning the line of scrimmage is vital: NDSU ranks fourth in the FCS in rushing offense (288 yards per game) and JMU is 10th (248.3). Also, NDSU is No. 1 in scoring defense (11.8 points per game) and passing defense (134.3) and No. 2 in total defense (269.9), while JMU is No. 1 in rushing defense (61.1) and total defense (264.7) and No. 3 in scoring defense (14.8). With the stakes so high, starting QBs Lance and DiNucci must remain highly efficient - Lance has committed only one turnover this season (a fumble in the season opener) and DiNucci is No. 1 in the FCS in completion percentage (71.3), and both were named the offensive player of the year in their respective conference. NDSU's offensive line, featuring LT Dillon Radunz and RG Zack Johnson, must handle JMU's defensive line, whose four starters have a combined 75 tackles for loss. While NDSU boasts four rushers over 650 yards, including RBs Ty Brooks (940 yards) and Adam Cofield (789, 11 TDs), JMU relies on the 1-2 punch of Agyei-Obese and Jawon Hamilton (896) working behind RT Liam Fornadel and a stout line. The two defenses create havoc with sacks and takeaways, and Tuszka and Carter were the MVFC and CAA defensive players of the year, respectively. NDSU's Hendricks and JMU CB Rashad Robinson both have 13 interceptions in their career. NDSU MLB Jackson Hankey has at least tied for the team high in tackles in six straight games, while JMU's leading tackler Dimitri Holloway (115 stops) is coming off a lower-leg injury suffered in the national semifinals. On special teams, JMU's Ratke has an FCS-high 25 field goals and NDSU's skilled punter Garret Wegner needs to work away from JMU's D'Angelo Amos, who has returned five punts for touchdowns in his first three seasons.

Up Next - For the winner, celebration.

Prediction - James Madison is a slight favorite (one to two points), but pick a team and cross your fingers because this epic showdown is a tossup. North Dakota State 21, James Madison 20.