THE SERIES: This is the second meeting between the two schools ... Southern Illinois defeated North Dakota State 20-15 during the 1963 season in Carbondale behind former St. Louis Cardinals quarterback Jim Hart ... The Bison are 20-24 against current Gateway Conference members, Southern Illinois (0-1), Youngstown State (2-1) and Northern Iowa (18-22) ... The Panthers of UNI were former members of the North Central Conference.

THE COACHES: North Dakota State head coach Craig Bohl (Nebraska, 1979) is in his third season at the helm of the Bison with a 23-9 mark to date ... North Dakota State is 15-3 at the Fargodome over past three seasons ... Bohl came to NDSU in 2003 from the University of Nebraska, where he was an assistant coach for eight seasons including defensive coordinator over the final three years ... He was an assistant at North Dakota State, Tulsa, Wisconsin, Rice and Duke prior to Nebraska ... He was a defensive back at Nebraska (1977-79).

Jerry Kill (Southwestern, 1983) is in his fifth season as head coach of the Salukis ... Has a 32-25 record at SIU including three straight Gateway Conference titles and a pair of NCAA playoff appearances ... His overall collegiate coaching record is 81-52 including head coaching stops at Saginaw Valley State and Emporia State ... Kill is familiar with the North Dakota State, spending four seasons as the offensive coordinator at Pittsburg State (1990-93) including a NCAA Division II championship in 1991 ... He was also the defensive coordinator for the Gorillas from 1985-87 ... Coached two years at Webb City High School, where he compiled a 25-1 record and won a state title in 1989.

RADIO BROADCASTS: WDAY-AM 970, Fargo ... Scott Miller will handle the play-by-play. Former NDSU All-American and 11-year NFL great Phil Hansen will handle the color duties, while WDAY-TV sports director Steve Hallstrom will handle the sideline and locker room interviews ... Air time is set for 2:15 p.m. ... Bismarck (KXMR, 710 AM) and Williston (KEYZ, 660 AM) are on the Bison Radio Network.

WUEZ 95.1 FM, Carbondale, Ill. ... Veteran Mike Reis does the play-by-play and will be assisted by Gene Green for the SIU Radio Network ... An audio webcast is available at www.SIUSalukis.com.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE CLAIMS THE DAKOTA MARKER: Kyle Steffes rushed for 141 yards and three touchdowns to help No. 20-ranked North Dakota State defeat South Dakota State 41-17 in a Great West Football Conference game played before a crowd of 15,777 at the Fargodome on Nov. 12.

The Bison took the lead for good when Steffes scored his third touchdown on a 3-yard run midway through the second quarter. That made it 21-14.

The go-ahead drive was set up when Bison free safety Nick Schommer returned an interception 21 yards to the SDSU 47. It was the third interception of the half for NDSU, and the second for Schommer. Joe Mays and Brett Itterman each added an interception as North Dakota State picked off four passes overall.

NDSU's defense clamped down on the league's top-ranked offense as Itterman, a linebacker from Aberdeen, S.D., sparked the defense with nine tackles including seven solos, 3.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and the interception. NDSU strong safety Craig Dahl had eight tackles added a blocked punt that was recovered by Kole Heckendorf in the first quarter.

The Jackrabbits (5-5, 2-2) had taken a 14-7 lead with 11 seconds left in the first quarter when Chris Molitor hauled in a 41-yard touchdown pass from Andy Kardoes. The Bison scored on the next possession, with Steffes' 1-yard run finishing off a 66-yard drive.

Steffes reached 100 yards for the sixth time this season on 31 carries and for 12th time during his career. He also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season. Steffes currently has 1,006 yards entering NDSU's final game with Southern Illinois on Saturday in Carbondale.

The Bison tacked on 10 points in the third quarter to go ahead 31-14. Cinque Chapman scored on a 4-yard run to cap a 58-yard drive and Cory Vartanian kicked a 30-yard field goal as NDSU reeled off 24 unanswered points. Chapman finished with 96 yards on 13 carries.

It didn't take long for the Bison offense to answer Parker Douglass' 23-yard field goal that cut the SDSU deficit to 31-17 early in the fourth quarter. Steve Walker hooked with AJ Cooper for a 63-yard touchdown pass, the longest scoring play of the season for NDSU, with 10:02 remaining. Vartanian booted a 22-yard field goal to close out the scoring with 3:39 left.

North Dakota State outgained South Dakota State 477-268 as the Bison rushed for over 300 yards (307) for the first time since the 353 yards gained in the 2004 season opener against Valparaiso University. Walker completed 15-of-20 passes for 170 yards, hitting five different receivers led by Tyler Jangula's five catches for 27 yards.

Koenig led the Jackrabbits with 19 rushes for 87 yards and a TD. Ryan Berry came in relief of starter Andy Kardoes and completed 10-of-16 passes for 120 yards and two interceptions. Josh Davis hauled in three passes for 67 yards, while Molitor caught three for 52 yards and a TD. Billy Ray Kirch led the SDSU defense with 13 tackles, while Marty Kranz finished with 10.

The Bison earned the Dakota Marker trophy, which was established last year when the teams jumped from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I-AA.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE ON THE ROAD: North Dakota State snapped a two-game losing streak on the road with the win over Southern Utah ... The Bison are 2-2 away from Fargo this season ... NDSU has won four of its last six road games ... The Bison ended the 2004 season with wins at Weber State and UC Davis ... NDSU is 8-6 on the road over the past three years and 15-15 since 2000 ... North Dakota State is 15-12 at outdoor venues over that span.

STEFFES HAS SIX 100-YARD GAMES IN 2005, A DOZEN IN CAREER: Kyle Steffes rushed for 141 yards and three TDs on 31 carries vs. South Dakota State (11-12-05) ... Steffes, a 5-foot-11 1/2, 206-pound junior from Dickinson, N.D., logged his sixth 100-yard game of the season and the 12th of his career against the Jackrabbits.

Steffes is in seventh place on the NDSU career rushing charts with 2,637 yards and 30 TDs on 550 carries in 29 career games ... He is chasing No. 6 Chad Stark (406-2,837, 1983-86) ... Steffes is tied for seventh all-time with a dozen 100-yard rushing efforts.

For the season, Steffes has carried the ball 229 times for 1,006 yards (4.4 avg.) and 14 touchdowns for an average of 100.6 yards per game ... Steffes is No. 22 in NCAA I-AA rushing and third in the GWFC ... He leads the league in scoring TDs (8.4 ppg) ... NDSU and South Dakota State are listed below the Division I-AA statistic leaders by the NCAA because of reclassifying from a Division II to Division I-AA football program. Both schools are in the third of a five-year transition period. UNC and UC Davis are also listed in the same fashion.

Steffes rushed 19 times for a career-high 179 yards and one TD in the win over Weber State (9-17-05) ... He scored on his first touch, a career long 51-yard scamper in the first quarter ... His previous high game was 176 yards rushing, also against Weber State last year. ... He rushed for 149 yards and two TDs on a career-high 35 carries vs. Southern Utah (10-29-05).

MODEL OF EFFICIENCY: North Dakota State quarterback Steve Walker is No. 2 in Great West Football Conference pass efficiency with a 132.0 rating ... Walker has completed 129 of 228 passes for 1,714 yards, 14 TDs and six interceptions this season ... He started his career with 87 straight passes without an interception with the first pick coming against Northwestern State (9-10-05) ... The school record was 99 set by Ryan Johnson in 1999.

Walker has twice matched his career-high of three touchdown passes originally set against UC Davis on Nov. 13, 2004, and in the season-opener vs. Arkansas-Monticello (9-1-05) and vs. Northwestern State (9-10-05) ... Walker's 22 completions, 42 pass attempts and 292 passing yards against UC Davis (10-22-05) were career-highs ... His previous highs were 16 completions and 29 pass attempts vs. Montana State (9-24-05), and 229 yards vs. UC Davis (11-13-04)

SPREADING THE ROCK: North Dakota State quarterbacks have completed passes to 12 different players this season with seven scoring at least one TD ... Redshirt freshman Kole Heckendorf leads the Bison with 35 receptions for 447 yards (12.8 avg.) and two TDs ... Senior tight end AJ Cooper has snared 22 passes for 443 yards (20.1 avg.) and four TDs, while senior wide receiver Marques Johnson has 20 catches for 322 yards (16.1 avg.) and two TDs ... Johnson matched his career-high with seven receptions against UC Davis (10-22-05) ... Johnson has 98 career receptions and 1,508 yards ... Johnson moved to No. 4 all-time at NDSU in pass reception ... On the career yardage list, Johnson moved past Eric Nelson (1,503/1997-00) into the No. 5 position against Northern Colorado.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE DEFENSE FORCING THE ISSUE: With 15 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries, North Dakota State's defense has forced the issue ... The result has been a plus-1.40 turnover margin, which is third in I-AA football ... The Bison defense is No. 5 in scoring defense (14.2 ppg), No. 8 in total defense (272.8 ypg), No. 10 in pass defense (151.8 ypg), No. 21 in pass efficiency defense (105.0), and No. 25 in rushing defense (121 ypg) and turnovers gained (24) in NCAA I-AA ... NDSU is tops in the conference in turnover margin, scoring defense, pass defense and total defense ... Cornerback Bobby Babich, linebacker Joe Mays and free safety Nick Schommer each have a team-high three interceptions this season ... Cornerback Scott Walter has recovered three fumbles.

THE DEFENSE STATES ITS CASE: North Dakota State's defense has scored in six of 10 games, including four with a TD ... NDSU senior linebacker Kole Zimmerman returned an interception 27 yards for a TD in the season opener against Arkansas-Monticello (9-1-05) ... It was the first interception return for a TD since the 2003 season when Matt Gorman raced 93 yards with a pick against Concordia-St. Paul.

Bison senior cornerback Scott Walter returned an interception 29 yards with 6:37 remaining in the third quarter during the 35-7 win at Northwestern State on Sept. 10.

NDSU senior defensive end Isaac LaVant returned a fumble 3 yards for a touchdown against Weber State (9-17-05) after Zimmerman jarred the ball loose when he sacked Wildcats quarterback Ian Pizarro ... It was the first fumble returned for a TD since Matt Gorman went seven yards with a Concordia-St. Paul bobble in 2003.

Defensive nose guard Rodney Thompson chased down Nicholls State quarterback Yale Vannoy in the end zone to record NDSU's first safety since the final game against UC Davis last season.

Defensive tackle Justin Frick scooped up a Southern Utah fumble and rumbled 17 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter on Oct. 29.

BREAK ON THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE: North Dakota State junior strong safety Craig Dahl roared through the line and blocked a punt against South Dakota State (11-12-05) ... The Bison recorded a blocked punt for the second week in a row, and have blocked four kicks overall ... Dahl also blocked a kick against North Dakota during the 2003 season that led to a NDSU scoring drive and overtime.

North Dakota State junior free safety Barry Quickstad blocked a punt that resulted in a safety against Northern Colorado (11-5-05) ... It was the third blocked kick of the season for NDSU ... It was the first blocked punt by the Bison since Mike Sheppard snuffed out an attempt for a safety against Concordia-St. Paul in the final game of the 2003 season.

North Dakota State senior cornerback Scott Walter blocked a PAT in the 20-17 loss at Montana State (9-24-05) ... It was the second blocked kick of the season.

NDSU junior strong safety Ryan Olson blocked a field goal against Arkansas-Monticello ... That was the first similiar defensive action since former Bison nose tackle and current New York Jets offensive lineman Isaac Snell recorded a blocked PAT last season.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE POSTS TWO SHUTOUTS IN 2005: North Dakota State posted its second shutout of the season with the 44-0 win over Northern Colorado on Nov. 5 at the Fargodome ... The two shutouts in a season are the most since 1997 when NDSU posted three (Texas A&M Commerce 51-0, Augustana 37-0, Morningside 35-0) ... North Dakota State defeated Weber State 41-0 on Sept. 17 before a crowd of 14,368 at the Fargodome ... Counting the opening game of the 2004 season, a 52-0 win over Valparaiso (Ind.) in the school's I-AA opener, the Bison have posted three shutouts over the last 20 games and four during head coach Craig Bohl's 31-game tenure.

DRAGOSAVICH BOOMING: North Dakota State University punter Mike Dragosavich averaged 49.2 yards per kick in the win over Southern Utah (10-29-05) including a pair of touchbacks and one punt inside the 20 .... He earned Football Gazette Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the second time this season with the effort ... Dragosavich matched his career-high with a 63-yard effort ... He has twice been named the Great West Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week this season and three times in his career ... "Drago" was named the Football Gazette Division I-AA and GWFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 19 ... Dragosavich, a 6-foot-5, 196-pound sophomore from Oak Lawn, Ill. (Richards H.S.) punted five times for an average of 47.4 yards per kick, including a game long 57-yarder in North Dakota State's 26-13 win over Nicholls State on Oct. 1 in the Fargodome ... Dragosovich had two punts inside the 20-yard line and three touchbacks to keep the Colonels pinned deep in their territory ... This season Dragosavich has punted 43 times for an average of 45.65 yards per punt, including nine inside the opponents 20-yard line, 10 touchbacks and two fair catches ... He ranks first in the conference and second in NCAA I-AA.

THE RETURN OF AMAZIN' SHAMEN: North Dakota State speedy sophomore Shamen Washington has burst back on the scene ... He is averaging 99.1 yards per game of all-purpose running and has scored four TDs including the 63-yard punt return for a touchdown against Northwestern State (9-10-05) ... Washington's punt return for a touchdown was the first for North Dakota State since Richard Lewis ran one back 40 yards vs. Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 3, 2001 ... Washington raced 69 yards with a punt for a TD vs. Weber State (9-17-05) ... He broke off a 56-yard punt return against Southern Utah (10-29-05) ... Washington is No. 11 in punt returns (14.58 ypr) and No. 32 in kickoff returns (23.87 ypr) in the NCAA I-AA stats.

ZIMMERMAN, WALTER, POPOWSKI, MEDAL NAMED TO 2005 ESPN THE ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT VII FIRST TEAM: North Dakota State University linebacker Kole Zimmerman, offensive tackle Tim Popowski, cornerback Scott Walter and offensive center Hugh Medal were selected to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII football first team, as voted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the organization announced Nov. 10.

All four student-athletes advance to the national ballot. Zimmerman and Popowski were selected to the 2004 academic all-district second team. Zimmerman was a semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy, the Academic Heisman award, and Popowski was selected to the 2005 AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) "Good Works" 22-member team.

Zimmerman, a 5-foot-11 1/2, 221-pound senior from Windom, Minn., holds a 3.78 grade point average majoring in history education with a anthropology minor; Popowski, a 6-2, 310-pound senior from Brookings, S.D., maintains a 3.55 GPA majoring in elementary education; Walter, a 5-9, 176-pound senior from Wahpeton, N.D., carries a 3.76 GPA majoring in human performance and fitness, and Medal, a 6-1, 280-pound senior from Grand Forks, N.D., maintains a 3.80 GPA majoring in industrial engineering and management.

To be eligible for selection to the academic all-district team, a student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing, be a starter or key reserve and possess at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).

District VII University Division includes schools in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

NDSU LINEBACKER KOLE ZIMMERMAN ONE OF 184 SEMIFINALISTS FOR 2005 DRADDY TROPHY, "ACADEMIC HEISMAN": Selected as the best of the brightest from the college gridiron, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced North Dakota State linebacker Kole Zimmerman was one of the 184 semi-finalists for the 2005 Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and the candidates for the NFF 2005 National Scholar-Athlete Awards.

Known in many circles as the "Academic" Heisman, the Draddy Trophy continues to be one of college football's most sought after and competitive awards, recognizing an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.

Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semi-finalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. Established to honor former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who founded the Izod and Lacoste brands, the award comes with a stunning 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.

POPOWSKI NAMED TO AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM®: North Dakota State University offensive tackle Tim Popowski (Brookings, S.D.) was one of 22 student-athletes selected to the 2005 American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team®. Popowski is the second NDSU student-athlete to receive the honor joining former teammate Jared Essler, who was named to the 2004 AFCA Good Works Team®.

The two 11-man teams, a Division I-A team and a combined team from Divisions I-AA, II, III and the NAIA, honor players for their dedication and commitment to community service. From 1992-1996, the Good Works Team was selected by the College Football Association. When the CFA disbanded in 1997, the AFCA began selecting the teams.