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CONWAY, Ark. _ The defending national champion North Dakota State Bison are playing just one showcase game this fall and it just so happens to be against the University of Central Arkansas Bears.

The No. 10/11 Bears will travel to Fargo, N.D. to meet the three-time defending FCS national champions and top-ranked Bison at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the Fargodome.

"This is obviously a unique situation for them, this being their only game,' said UCA head coach Nathan Brown. "It's one we're honored to be a part of, and honored to be able to make the trip to the Fargodome and play the Bison and all that they represent. As far as FCS, and really as far as college football in general, it's really amazing what their run has been like over the last 10 years. 

"We know that this is obviously a tall task but it's something our players are excited about, competing against the best. And I think that's the most exciting thing about this trip, the opportunity to see what it looks like and to see where we want our program to be at some point.  We're excited about getting on that plane and going to compete in the Fargodome.'

UCA, which is playing a full 10-game schedule this fall, has three games under its belt already and stands at 2-1. The only loss was 45-35 to FBS UAB, which is receiving votes in the Top 25 national polls. The Bears are coming off a 27-20 come-from-behind win over Missouri State last Saturday in Conway. The Bears have had their own unique schedule so far in 2020, playing the first college football game of the season in the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff on Sept. 29, then turning around and playing UAB five days later, both on the road.

"We are 2-1 at this point and we are battle-tested,' said Brown. "We've played four-quarter games in all three games we've played. Two come-from-behind wins and then having an opportunity late to get back in the UAB game and make that close. It's been a unique season for us as well, playing two games in five days to start the season, and then really having a 23-day layoff before the next game. 

"Having our Arkansas State game postponed in between there, having to change our emotions and shift the way we do things, it's been difficult. But it's something we're willing to do and our kids and our coaches have done a great job adjusting on the fly, reacting and responding in a positive way.'
  
Missouri State also hailed from  from the same tough Missouri Valley Football Conference as NDSU. However, they were on opposite ends of the standings a year ago, and for most of the past decade. MSU finished 1-11 overall in 2019 while NDSU finished off a 16-0 slate with their eighth national championship in the past nine years.

The Bears do have the luxury of having played three games already while the Bison will be hitting the field against outside competition for the first time since the national championship game against James Madison (28-20 win) way back on Jan. 11 in Frisco, Texas. However, the Bison are also riding the nation's longest winning streak at 37 consecutive games, dating back to a regular-season loss to South Dakota State on Nov. 4, 2017. 

"What jumps out at you is obviously Trey Lance and his ability at quarterback,' said Brown. "I've been a part of UCA's program as a coach since 2010, and we've played at Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Colorado... we've seen some great quarterbacks over the years. And he is the cream of the crop that we've seen as a program. He is a special player and a special talent. You can easily see why he is mentioned as a Top 5 overall pick in next year's NFL draft. Just so impressive, especially being a quarterback guy like I am. That's what I pride myself on. And just watching him and the way he plays is impressive.

"And you just see their overall discipline as a program. They are just consistent. They don't run many plays, they don't do a lot of smoke and mirrors. They run what they are going to run and they are really good at it. And they recruit toward that.'
 
Saturday's showcase has drawn the attention of the NFL scouts, with more than 25 expected to attend. Most will be evaluating the 6-foot-4, 226-pound Lance, who is expected to declare for the NFL draft following the season although is he is only a redshirt sophomore. Lance had 2,786 passing yards and 1,100 rushing yards a year ago, throwing 28 touchdown passes with no interceptions.  He also rushed for 14 more scores. 

The NDSU coaching staff decided on a one-game showcase for Lance and the Bison seniors after the MVFC moved all fall sports to the spring semester. The game will not feature the usual raucous fanfare of a normal NDSU home game due to COVID-19 restrictions, which include an audience of only players' parents and families in the 18,700-seat Fargodome.

"It's going to take a great execution day on Saturday for us to have a shot,' said Brown. "But again, I think we're getting them at a good time, in my opinion. Them not being able to work the kinks out yet and to really prepare for only one game in the fall. You hope that that adds a little bit to the stress that they're dealing with. 

"And as well, just the lack of crowd that's going to be there Saturday. Usually you're having another game within the game to play when you're dealing with crowd noise at a place like North Dakota State. And that's something that we're fortunate that we won't have to deal with as much.'

The Bison themselves are a tough enough task. Over the past three seasons, all national championship seasons, NDSU is 45-1. The 2019 perfect season was under first-year head coach Matt Entz. 

"Coach Entz has done a phenomenal job continuing the tradition that the prior coaches have done there and the success they've had.,' said Brown. "He hasn't skipped a beat. As a matter of fact, he brings a different edge than even what those other coaches brought. It's just so impressive to watch that 16-0 team from last year and what they were able to accomplish.'

Saturday's game will be the first of a four-game road gauntlet for the Bears, featuring NDSU, Arkansas State (FBS), Missouri State again and Eastern Kentucky over the next month.

The Bears-Bison matchup will be carried on The Bear 91.3, The Point 94.1 and on ESPN+. Kickoff is set for 2:30.