No, North Dakota State isn’t the Best Football Team to Ever Visit Johnson City

ETSU just doesn’t have a good grasp of their history

With North Dakota State’s football team coming to Johnson City to play East Tennessee State this Saturday there has been a common refrain that this is either the biggest football game in ETSU history or the best team to visit Johnson City.

And both claims are patently false.

As for biggest game in history; how soon we forget ETSU’s 32–31 comeback victory against Kennesaw State in the 2021 FCS playoffs.

It wasn’t just the dramaticism of the game with Tyler Riddell throwing two touchdown passes in the final three minutes of the game and a 2-point conversion in the final minute to future Denver Broncos tight end Nate Atkins to win.

It was revenge for the 56–16 loss ETSU experienced to the Owls’ in the Buccaneers’ first football game back from a 12-year hiatus.

What meant more?

As for the best team to ever come to Johnson City, that’s easy.

The 1996 Marshall Thundering Herd, with 10 future players that played in the National Football League and three others that played professionally, are…