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North Dakota State at The Citadel

Saturday, August 30, 2025

North Dakota State beat The Citadel 38–⁠0. It was their only meeting on record.

AwayNorth Dakota State12–⁠1 in 2025
38
HomeThe Citadel4–⁠8 in 2025
0

Final at Johnson Hagood Stadium, Charleston77°F, rain, wind 9 mphTV: ESPN+Attendance 10,691

Official
Jake GrombachGame officials: stats.ncaa.org box scores, via SportsDataverse

Scoring by quarter

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
North Dakota State01714738
The Citadel00000

Standouts

  • RushingBarika Kpeenu12 carries, 79 yards, 2 TDNorth Dakota State

Player stats

North Dakota State

PassingC/AttYdsTDInt
Cole Payton11/1719210
Nathan Hayes5/57110
RushingCarYdsTDLong
Cole Payton11101027
Barika Kpeenu1279224
D.J. Scott104317
Cortez LeGrant521018
ReceivingRecYdsTDLong
RaJa Nelson260134
Chris Harris336023
Bryce Lance434015
Reis Kessel131031

The Citadel

PassingC/AttYdsTDInt
Quentin Hayes1/31400
Cobey Thompkins1/3800
RushingCarYdsTDLong
Israel Benjamin1654014
Quentin Hayes824014
Sebastien Boyle31509
Cooper Tankersley1505
ReceivingRecYdsTDLong
Jay Graves-Billips114014
Whit Hobgood1808

From CollegeFootballData’s box score. Names lead to each player’s page. ★ a career high on file.

Team stats

North Dakota StateThe Citadel
519Total yards126
263Passing yards22
256Rushing yards104
12.0Yards per pass3.7
5.4Yards per rush2.5
25First downs8
7–⁠12Third downs2–⁠12
1–⁠1Fourth downs1–⁠2
0Turnovers1
6–⁠35Penalties0–⁠0
36:03Possession23:57

Efficiency

North Dakota StateThe Citadel
51%Success rate26%
0.48EPA per play−0.33
1.40Explosiveness0.84
0.32Rushing EPA−0.29
0.82Passing EPA−0.51
39%Passing-down success6%

From CollegeFootballData.com: each offense’s efficiency, and the havoc each defense caused. The better side of each line is bold.

Before kickoff

Our ratings going in

Our ratings (scores only)

North Dakota State 80% to win. Elo’s favorite won.

Every drive

The Citadel end zoneNorth Dakota State end zoneQ1 North Dakota StatePunt, 8 playsQ1 The CitadelPunt, 3 playsQ1 North Dakota StatePunt, 4 playsQ1 The CitadelPunt, 6 playsQ1 North Dakota StateField goal, 9 playsQ2 The CitadelPunt, 3 playsQ2 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 12 playsQ2 The CitadelPunt, 3 playsQ2 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 7 playsQ2 The CitadelPunt, 5 playsQ2 North Dakota StateEnd of half, 1 playQ3 The CitadelFumble, 2 playsQ3 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 2 playsQ3 The CitadelPunt, 3 playsQ3 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 12 playsQ3 The CitadelTurnover on downs, 16 playsQ4 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 12 playsQ4 The CitadelPunt, 3 playsQ4 North Dakota StatePunt, 3 playsQ4 The CitadelEnd of game, 3 plays
Solid bars scored; an outline in the other team’s color marks points the defense scored. The Citadel drives left to right, North Dakota State right to left.
  1. Q1 North Dakota StatePunt, 8 plays, 19 yards
  2. Q1 The CitadelPunt, 3 plays, 4 yards
  3. Q1 North Dakota StatePunt, 4 plays, 25 yards
  4. Q1 The CitadelPunt, 6 plays, 20 yards
  5. Q1 North Dakota StateField goal, 9 plays, 72 yards
  6. Q2 The CitadelPunt, 3 plays, −1 yard
  7. Q2 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 12 plays, 90 yards
  8. Q2 The CitadelPunt, 3 plays, 3 yards
  9. Q2 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 7 plays, 84 yards
  10. Q2 The CitadelPunt, 5 plays, 16 yards
  11. Q2 North Dakota StateEnd of half, 1 play, 20 yards
  12. Q3 The CitadelFumble, 2 plays, −15 yards
  13. Q3 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 2 plays, 1 yard
  14. Q3 The CitadelPunt, 3 plays, 5 yards
  15. Q3 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 12 plays, 82 yards
  16. Q3 The CitadelTurnover on downs, 16 plays, 82 yards
  17. Q4 North Dakota StateTouchdown, 12 plays, 95 yards
  18. Q4 The CitadelPunt, 3 plays, 6 yards
  19. Q4 North Dakota StatePunt, 3 plays, 6 yards
  20. Q4 The CitadelEnd of game, 3 plays, 6 yards

Play by play

1st quarter5 drives, then Tied at 0
North Dakota State Punt, 8 plays
15:001st & 10 at own 35Ben Barnes kickoff for 63 yds , Jackson Williams return for 34 yds to the NDSU 36
15:001st & 10 at own 36Barry Kpeenu run for 11 yds to the NDSU 47 for a 1ST down
15:001st & 10 at own 47Cole Payton pass incomplete to Finn Diggins
15:002nd & 10 at own 47Cole Payton pass incomplete to RaJa Nelson
15:003rd & 10 at own 47Cole Payton run for 9 yds to the CIT 44
15:004th & 1 at opp 44Barry Kpeenu run for 2 yds to the CIT 42 for a 1ST down
15:001st & 10 at opp 42Barry Kpeenu run for a loss of 1 yard to the CIT 43
15:002nd & 11 at opp 43Cole Payton run for a loss of 2 yards to the CIT 45 Cole Payton fumbled, recovered by NDSU Cole Payton
15:003rd & 13 at opp 45Cole Payton pass incomplete to Chris Harris
11:284th & 13 at opp 45Aaron Bickerton punt for 23 yds
The Citadel Punt, 3 plays
11:281st & 10 at own 22Garrison Johnson Sr. run for 3 yds to the CIT 25
11:282nd & 7 at own 25Garrison Johnson Sr. run for 1 yd to the CIT 26
11:283rd & 6 at own 26Quentin Hayes pass incomplete to Javonte Graves-Billips
9:484th & 6 at own 26James Platte punt for 40 yds , Jackson Williams returns for 3 yds to the NDSU 37
North Dakota State Punt, 4 plays
9:481st & 10 at own 37Barry Kpeenu run for 24 yds to the CIT 39 for a 1ST down
9:481st & 10 at opp 39PENALTY NDSU False Start (Tastad,Nate) 5 yards from CIT39 to CIT44. NO PLAY.
9:481st & 15 at opp 44DJ Scott run for 5 yds to the CIT 39
9:482nd & 10 at opp 39Barry Kpeenu run for 2 yds to the CIT 37
9:483rd & 8 at opp 37Cole Payton pass complete to Bryce Lance for 4 yds to the CIT 33
9:484th & 4 at opp 33PENALTY NDSU Delay Of Game (Payton,Cole) 5 yards from CIT33 to CIT38. NO PLAY.
6:294th & 9 at opp 38Aaron Bickerton punt for 38 yds for a touchback
The Citadel Punt, 6 plays
6:291st & 10 at own 20Israel Benjamin run for 2 yds to the CIT 22
6:292nd & 8 at own 22Garrison Johnson Sr. run for 4 yds to the CIT 26
6:293rd & 4 at own 26Israel Benjamin run for 14 yds to the CIT 40 for a 1ST down
6:291st & 10 at own 40Israel Benjamin run for 2 yds to the CIT 42
6:292nd & 8 at own 42Israel Benjamin run for 2 yds to the CIT 44
6:293rd & 6 at own 44Quentin Hayes run for a loss of 4 yards to the CIT 40
2:314th & 10 at own 40James Platte punt for 45 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the NDSU 15
North Dakota State Field goal, 9 plays
2:311st & 10 at own 15Cole Payton pass complete to RaJa Nelson for 26 yds to the NDSU 41 for a 1ST down
2:311st & 10 at own 41Barry Kpeenu run for 7 yds to the NDSU 48
2:312nd & 3 at own 48Barry Kpeenu run for 5 yds to the CIT 47 for a 1ST down
2:311st & 10 at opp 47DJ Scott run for 4 yds to the CIT 43
0:002nd & 6 at opp 43Cole Payton run for 27 yds to the CIT 16 for a 1ST down
Q2 15:001st & 10 at opp 16DJ Scott run for 3 yds to the CIT 13
Q2 15:002nd & 7 at opp 13Cole Payton run for no gain to the CIT 13
Q2 15:003rd & 7 at opp 13Cole Payton pass incomplete to RaJa Nelson
Q2 13:364th & 7 at opp 13Eli Ozick 31 yd FG GOODNorth Dakota State 3, The Citadel 0
2nd quarter6 drives, then North Dakota State 17, The Citadel 0
The Citadel Punt, 3 plays
13:361st & 10 at own 35Eli Ozick kickoff for 60 yds
13:361st & 10 at own 25Israel Benjamin run for a loss of 2 yards to the CIT 23
13:362nd & 12 at own 23Cobey Thompkins run for 5 yds to the CIT 28
13:363rd & 7 at own 28Cobey Thompkins run for a loss of 4 yards to the CIT 24
11:324th & 11 at own 24James Platte punt for 57 yds , Jackson Williams returns for 6 yds to the NDSU 10
North Dakota State Touchdown, 12 plays
11:321st & 10 at own 10Cole Payton run for 2 yds to the NDSU 12
11:322nd & 8 at own 12Cole Payton pass complete to Mekhi Collins for 20 yds to the NDSU 32 for a 1ST down
11:321st & 10 at own 32DJ Scott run for 7 yds to the NDSU 39
11:322nd & 3 at own 39Barry Kpeenu run for 9 yds to the NDSU 48 for a 1ST down
11:321st & 10 at own 48Cole Payton pass incomplete to Bryce Lance
11:322nd & 10 at own 48Owen Johnson run for no gain to the NDSU 48
11:323rd & 10 at own 48Cole Payton run for 12 yds to the CIT 40 for a 1ST down
11:321st & 10 at opp 40Barry Kpeenu run for 9 yds to the CIT 31
11:322nd & 1 at opp 31DJ Scott run for 6 yds to the CIT 25 for a 1ST down
11:321st & 10 at opp 25Cole Payton run for 1 yd to the CIT 24
11:322nd & 9 at opp 24PENALTY NDSU False Start (Johnson,Beau) 5 yards from CIT24 to CIT29. NO PLAY.
11:322nd & 14 at opp 29Cole Payton run for 27 yds to the CIT 2 for a 1ST down
5:101st & goal at opp 2Barry Kpeenu run for 2 yds for a TD (Eli Ozick KICK)North Dakota State 10, The Citadel 0
The Citadel Punt, 3 plays
5:101st & 10 at own 35Eli Ozick kickoff for 65 yds for a touchback
5:101st & 10 at own 25Israel Benjamin run for a loss of 4 yards to the CIT 21
5:102nd & 14 at own 21Cobey Thompkins pass complete to Whit Hobgood for 8 yds to the CIT 29
5:103rd & 6 at own 29Cobey Thompkins sacked by Jack Iuliano for a loss of 1 yard to the CIT 28
3:334th & 7 at own 28James Platte punt for 56 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the NDSU 16
North Dakota State Touchdown, 7 plays
3:331st & 10 at own 16Barry Kpeenu run for 8 yds to the NDSU 24
3:332nd & 2 at own 24PENALTY NDSU False Start (Kessel,Reis) 5 yards from NDSU24 to NDSU19. NO PLAY.
3:332nd & 7 at own 19Cole Payton pass complete to DJ Scott for 19 yds to the NDSU 38 for a 1ST down
3:331st & 10 at own 38DJ Scott run for 5 yds to the NDSU 43
3:332nd & 5 at own 43Cole Payton pass complete to Chris Harris for 23 yds to the CIT 34 for a 1ST down
3:331st & 10 at opp 34Cole Payton pass complete to Chris Harris for no gain to the CIT 34
3:332nd & 10 at opp 34Cole Payton pass incomplete to Bryce Lance
1:363rd & 10 at opp 34Cole Payton pass complete to RaJa Nelson for 34 yds for a TD (Eli Ozick KICK)North Dakota State 17, The Citadel 0
The Citadel Punt, 5 plays
1:361st & 10 at own 35Eli Ozick kickoff for 65 yds for a touchback
1:361st & 10 at own 25Cobey Thompkins run for 6 yds to the CIT 31
1:362nd & 4 at own 31Garrison Johnson Sr. run for 5 yds to the CIT 36 for a 1ST down
1:361st & 10 at own 36Garrison Johnson Sr. run for 5 yds to the CIT 41
1:362nd & 5 at own 41Cobey Thompkins sacked for a loss of 4 yards to the CIT 37
1:363rd & 9 at own 37Israel Benjamin run for 4 yds to the CIT 41
0:054th & 5 at own 41James Platte punt for 14 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the NDSU 45
North Dakota State End of half, 1 play
0:001st & 10 at own 45Cole Payton pass complete to Barry Kpeenu for 20 yds to the CIT 35 for a 1ST down
3rd quarter5 drives, then North Dakota State 31, The Citadel 0
The Citadel Fumble, 2 plays
15:001st & 10 at own 35Eli Ozick kickoff for 65 yds for a touchback
15:001st & 10 at own 25Cobey Thompkins pass incomplete to Garrison Johnson Sr.
14:472nd & 10 at own 25Garrison Johnson Sr. run for a loss of 15 yards to the CIT 1 Garrison Johnson Sr. fumbled, recovered by NDSU Logan Kopp
North Dakota State Touchdown, 2 plays
14:471st & goal at opp 1Bryce Lance run for no gain to the CIT 1
14:132nd & goal at opp 1Barry Kpeenu run for 1 yd for a TD (Eli Ozick KICK)North Dakota State 24, The Citadel 0
The Citadel Punt, 3 plays
14:131st & 10 at own 35Eli Ozick kickoff for 65 yds for a touchback
14:131st & 10 at own 25Israel Benjamin run for 2 yds to the CIT 27
14:132nd & 8 at own 27Quentin Hayes sacked by Alijah Wayne for a loss of 8 yards to the CIT 19
14:133rd & 16 at own 19Quentin Hayes run for 11 yds to the CIT 30
12:084th & 5 at own 30James Platte punt for 52 yds, fair catch by Jackson Williams at the NDSU 18
North Dakota State Touchdown, 12 plays
12:081st & 10 at own 18DJ Scott run for 2 yds to the NDSU 20
12:082nd & 8 at own 20PENALTY NDSU False Start (Magin,Josh) 5 yards from NDSU20 to NDSU15. NO PLAY.
12:082nd & 13 at own 15DJ Scott run for 6 yds to the NDSU 21
12:083rd & 7 at own 21Cole Payton pass complete to Bryce Lance for 9 yds to the NDSU 30 for a 1ST down
12:081st & 10 at own 30Cole Payton run for 6 yds to the NDSU 36
12:082nd & 4 at own 36Owen Johnson run for 2 yds to the NDSU 38
12:083rd & 2 at own 38DJ Scott run for 4 yds to the NDSU 42 for a 1ST down
12:081st & 10 at own 42Cole Payton pass complete to Bryce Lance for 6 yds to the NDSU 48
12:082nd & 4 at own 48Cole Payton pass complete to Reis Kessel for 31 yds to the CIT 21 for a 1ST down
12:081st & 10 at opp 21Myles Mitchell run for 1 yd to the CIT 20
12:082nd & 9 at opp 20Cole Payton run for 5 yds to the CIT 15
12:083rd & 4 at opp 15Cole Payton run for 14 yds to the CIT 1 for a 1ST down
4:541st & goal at opp 1DJ Scott run for 1 yd for a TD (Eli Ozick KICK)North Dakota State 31, The Citadel 0
The Citadel Turnover on downs, 16 plays
4:501st & 10 at own 35Eli Ozick kickoff for 65 yds , Braylon Knauth return for 13 yds to the CIT 13
4:501st & 10 at own 13Quentin Hayes pass complete to Javonte Graves-Billips for 14 yds to the CIT 27 for a 1ST down
4:501st & 10 at own 27Quentin Hayes run for 10 yds to the CIT 37 for a 1ST down
4:501st & 10 at own 37Israel Benjamin run for 4 yds to the CIT 41
4:502nd & 6 at own 41Israel Benjamin run for 1 yd to the CIT 42
4:503rd & 5 at own 42Israel Benjamin run for 8 yds to the 50 yard line for a 1ST down
4:501st & 10 at the 50Israel Benjamin run for 5 yds to the NDSU 45
4:502nd & 5 at opp 45Quentin Hayes pass incomplete to Malachi Taylor
4:503rd & 5 at opp 45Quentin Hayes run for 2 yds to the NDSU 43
4:504th & 3 at opp 43Israel Benjamin run for 6 yds to the NDSU 37 for a 1ST down
4:501st & 10 at opp 37Sebastien Boyle run for 9 yds to the NDSU 28
0:032nd & 1 at opp 28Timeout North Dakota State, clock 00:03
0:002nd & 1 at opp 28Quentin Hayes run for 2 yds to the NDSU 26 for a 1ST down
Q4 15:001st & 10 at opp 26Quentin Hayes run for 14 yds to the NDSU 12 for a 1ST down
Q4 15:001st & 10 at opp 12Israel Benjamin run for 3 yds to the NDSU 9
Q4 15:002nd & 7 at opp 9Quentin Hayes run for a loss of 3 yards to the NDSU 12
Q4 15:003rd & 10 at opp 12Israel Benjamin run for 9 yds to the NDSU 3
Q4 12:274th & 1 at opp 3Israel Benjamin run for a loss of 2 yards to the NDSU 5
4th quarter4 drives, then North Dakota State 38, The Citadel 0
North Dakota State Touchdown, 12 plays
12:271st & 10 at own 5Nathan Hayes run for 3 yds to the NDSU 8
12:272nd & 7 at own 8Myles Mitchell run for no gain to the NDSU 8
12:273rd & 7 at own 8Nathan Hayes pass complete to Jackson Williams for 12 yds to the NDSU 20 for a 1ST down
12:271st & 10 at own 20Cortez LeGrant run for 18 yds to the NDSU 38 for a 1ST down
12:271st & 10 at own 38Cortez LeGrant run for a loss of 1 yard to the NDSU 37
12:272nd & 11 at own 37Nathan Hayes pass complete to Bryce Lance for 15 yds to the CIT 48 for a 1ST down
12:271st & 10 at opp 48Nathan Hayes pass complete to Chris Harris for 13 yds to the CIT 35 for a 1ST down
12:271st & 10 at opp 35Cortez LeGrant run for 2 yds to the CIT 33
12:272nd & 8 at opp 33Nathan Hayes pass complete to Logan Conklin for 16 yds to the CIT 17 for a 1ST down
12:271st & 10 at opp 17Myles Mitchell run for 1 yd to the CIT 16
12:272nd & 9 at opp 16Cortez LeGrant run for 1 yd to the CIT 15
5:073rd & 8 at opp 15Nathan Hayes pass complete to Isiah St. Romain for 15 yds for a TD (Eli Ozick KICK)North Dakota State 38, The Citadel 0
The Citadel Punt, 3 plays
5:071st & 10 at own 35Drew Klein kickoff for 61 yds
5:071st & 10 at own 25Cobey Thompkins pass incomplete to Javonte Graves-Billips
5:072nd & 10 at own 25Sebastien Boyle run for 6 yds to the CIT 31
5:073rd & 4 at own 31Sebastien Boyle run for no gain to the CIT 31
3:384th & 4 at own 31James Platte punt for 53 yds, fair catch by Jackson Williams at the NDSU 16
North Dakota State Punt, 3 plays
3:381st & 10 at own 16Cortez LeGrant run for 1 yd to the NDSU 17
3:382nd & 9 at own 17Myles Mitchell run for 2 yds to the NDSU 19
3:383rd & 7 at own 19Trey Drake run for 3 yds to the NDSU 22 Trey Drake fumbled, recovered by NDSU Jett Zabel
1:534th & 4 at own 22Aaron Bickerton punt for 40 yds , Braylon Knauth returns for no gain to the CIT 38
The Citadel End of game, 3 plays
1:531st & 10 at own 38Beau Herrington run for no gain to the CIT 38
1:532nd & 10 at own 38Beau Herrington run for 1 yd to the CIT 39
0:003rd & 9 at own 39Cooper Tankersley run for 5 yds to the CIT 44

Play-by-play from CollegeFootballData.com, as its scorers wrote it. The clock is the time left in the quarter; the spot is from the side of the team with the ball.

The series

Every North Dakota State–The Citadel game

North Dakota State leads 1–⁠0 in their only meeting.

Around this game

North Dakota State

The Citadel

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