Samford vs North Dakota State Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for FCS Quarterfinals (Bulldogs Fall to Seasoned Bison)

Samford vs North Dakota State Game Info

2022 FCS Football Championship — Quarterfinals
Samford Bulldogs (11-1) vs. North Dakota State Bison (10-2)
Date: Friday, Dec. 9, 2022
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome — Fargo, ND
Coverage: ESPN2, ESPN+

The 2022 FCS Championship quarterfinals are here, featuring a matchup between the Samford Bulldogs and North Dakota State Bison.

Samford is one of the hottest FCS teams, amassing its 10th consecutive win with a 48-42 overtime victory over SE Louisiana on Saturday. The Bulldogs aren't the only team on fire, though. North Dakota State has won eight of its last nine games, including the last five in a row after picking up a 49-26 win against Montana over the weekend.

Can Samford overcome the odds by winning at the Fargodome? Or will North Dakota State inch one step closer to its 10th FCS Championship appearance since 2012?

Samford vs North Dakota State Odds & Spread

All FCS betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline: SAM: (+580) | NDSU: (-880)
Spread: SAM: +16.5 (-110) | NDSU: -16.5 (-110)
Total: 62.5 — Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

North Dakota State enters this contest as a clear favorite on the spread and moneyline. This quarterfinals clash also features a total of 62.5, which is the third-highest among this week's FCS totals. 

Samford vs North Dakota State Prediction & Pick

North Dakota State and the FCS Championship go hand in hand. The Bison have made it to the finals in nine of the previous 11 seasons, taking home the gold in each of their showings. Needless to say, North Dakota State knows what it's doing at this point and likely won't be deterred by Samford.

North Dakota State also has one of the best FCS defenses, giving up the fourth-fewest points (18.1) and total yards (296.6) per game. That comes on top of having the 13th-best offense (36.0 PPG) as well.

While Samford's offense is solid (34.8 PPG, No. 21), the defense leaves a lot to be desired. The Bulldogs surrender the 17th-most yards (441.5) while allowing 25.3 PPG (No. 42). In other words, their inability to slow down the Bison's offense will likely be their downfall.

Expect business as usual for North Dakota State this Friday.

Final Score Prediction: North Dakota State: 38 | Samford: 22

Samford vs North Dakota State Betting Trends

- Samford is 6-3 against the spread (ATS) in its last nine games.
- North Dakota State is 3-5 ATS in its last eight games.
- The total has hit the over in four of Samford's last six games.
- The total has hit the over in three of North Dakota State's last four games.

Samford vs North Dakota State Best Bet

All NCAAF betting lines, odds and prop bets are available on FanDuel Sportsbook.

As dominant as North Dakota State can be, I'm not sure if it can cover the 16.5-point spread. For starters, Samford is an impressive 8-4 ATS this season, covering the spread in six of its last nine outings. Secondly, North Dakota State is just 3-5 ATS in its last eight games, failing to cover in three of the last four games when the spread was at least 16.5 points in its favor.

Although the Bulldogs won't create too many issues, don't expect the Bison to win by three-plus possessions.

Bet: Samford +16.5 (-110)

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.