Seth Wilson didn’t think his hamstring injury was going to be a big deal.
The North Dakota State University running back was ready for a breakout sophomore season before he was slowed down just as quickly as camp started in August.
The Holmen High School graduate battled back before injuring the hamstring again and tweaking his knee. He suddenly became a beneficiary of a new NCAA rule that allowed players to redshirt if they play four games or less.
Picking their spot, the Bison used Wilson in a game against Missouri State on Nov. 10. He responded by carrying eight times for a team-high 95 yards in a 48-7 victory.
“That was the week I was probably the healthiest,” said Wilson, whose top-ranked NDSU team (13-0) hosts fifth-ranked South Dakota State (10-2) in an FCS national semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday. “I think it was more, ‘Let’s see what he can do, see how his hamstring is doing, see if he can take care of the football and understand the concepts.’
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“I went out there and showed them what I could do. They said, ‘OK, let’s save him. There’s no point in wasting his year.’”
The previous NCAA rule stated that taking part in even one play would disqualify a player from using a redshirt for that season.
That left Wilson with three games to play and maintain his redshirt status. He took some more time off and returned to the field for last Saturday’s 35-0 quarterfinal win over Colgate.
Wilson, who rushed for 20 yards on seven carries against Colgate, is eligible to play against the Jackrabbits and in the championship game if the Bison win. He also gets three more seasons with the team.
Sparta graduate and tight end Caleb Schauf is a redshirt freshman for SDSU, but he has not caught a pass this season.
NDSU is trying to win its second straight FCS championship and seventh in the last eight years. It is also playing it first game since coach Chris Klieman announced that he will take over Kansas State’s football program next season.
Wilson said there are no hard feelings toward Klieman for leaving because he was open with players about the situation. Klieman is finishing his fifth season at NDSU and has a 67-6 record with three national championships as he chases a fourth.
“Coach Klieman is a great man and a great coach,” Wilson said. “Losing him is definitely emotional for the team, but we also have a lot of other great coaches and great captains and such a great culture set up here.”
Wilson carried 72 times for 420 yards and a touchdown over eight games as a true freshman. The intention to use it as a redshirt season was scrapped due to injuries the Bison had in the backfield.
The fact that he played significantly last season made the loss of most of this one harder for Wilson, who rushed for 2,027 yards and scored 38 touchdowns his senior season at Holmen.
But he is focused on the role of helping the Bison qualify for another championship game by beating a familiar opponent.
The Jackrabbits traveled to Fargo on Sept. 29, and the Bison were pushed to the brink in a 21-17 victory that required a fourth-quarter touchdown. South Dakota State beat NDSU in 2017.
North Dakota State averages 460 total yards per game and had 389 during the close win over South Dakota State this season. The Jackrabbits are one of three teams to hold the Bison to less than 30 points.
“In my opinion, they scout us the best,” Wilson said of the Jackrabbits. “They know what we can run, they know our formations, they know our tendencies.
“They understand what we’re trying to do as an offense better than most teams do.”