Early Christmas present for Bison fans

• Bison fans

Photo by David Samson/Forum Communications Co. North Dakota State University quarterback Brock Jensen celebrates with student section fans after the Bison defeated Georgia Southern 35-7 in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision semifinal at the Fargodome.

Talk about it

FARGO — Christmas could come early for some Bison football fans — in the form of national championship game tickets.

North Dakota State plans to notify its fans today, via email, whether or not they secured championship tickets, athletic director Gene Taylor said.

NDSU is using a priority points system to decide how to disperse most of its 4,600-ticket allotment.

“It’s unfortunate and frustrating that you can’t make sure that everybody has a ticket,” Taylor said. “That’s part of the championship process or major game.”

NDSU (13-1) plays Sam Houston State (14-0) on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas, for the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision title.

Taylor said notification emails should be sent by noon today. He added that ticket-office phone lines won’t be open today, but will be open again Friday.

Those who put in a ticket order and don’t get an email today will have to wait until Friday “to straighten that out,” Taylor said.

“I just ask that people be patient,” Taylor said. “It’s not the ticket office’s fault. Those guys have been killing themselves to make sure they get it right. It’s just the hand we’ve been dealt with.”

Taylor said roughly 900 of NDSU’s allotment will go to players, coaches and staff members. Each player gets four tickets. Each coach gets four tickets and is also allowed to purchase tickets for family, he said.

There are 512 tickets set aside for students. Those tickets are awarded on a first come, first serve basis. The remaining tickets will be awarded using priority points.

Standing-room tickets are expected to go on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 3 on the NCAA website, according to ESPNDallas.com.

Peterson is a sports reporter for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.

Tags: college football, fcs championship, ndsu bison, north dakota state football, sports, bison, football