For a stunning period of time, like 20 years starting in 1997, UND's season would end one of three ways:
- loss to eventual national champion (one layer away)
- loss to team whose season is ended by eventual national champion (two layers away)
- as national champion (zero layers away)
Last year was three layers away (to Mich, to BC, to DU) and that's as close as UND's been for a while..