FARGO, N.D.--Running back Tyler Roehl returned to the North Dakota State lineup after a forced layoff to rush for 257 yards and four touchdowns in a 54-28 win over Illinois State in a non-conference game before 18,116 fans at the Fargodome on Saturday, Nov. 3.

NDSU extended it's current winning streak to 13 games, the longest in NCAA Division I football. The Bison also won their 12th straight in the Fargodome.

Bison coaches held out Roehl - over his objections - last week because of a sore shoulder suffered during a school-record 263-yard performance against Minnesota. He looked rested against the Redbirds.

Roehl's 257 yards were the most ever given up by an Illinois State team. He went over 200 yards for the third time this season and scored more than two touchdowns for the fourth time this year. The four TDs were a career-high.

Roehl went over the 1,000 yard mark for the season on his first carry of the game. He covered 40 yards on that romp and averaged 12.9 yards per carry on 20 totes. Roehl currently has 1,252 yards heading into final two games at Cal Poly and South Dakota State. With his effort, NDSU has had a running back surpass 1,000 yards for the fifth straight season.

Senior quarterback Steve Walker, playing his final home game, threw a pair of touchdown passes to Kole Heckendorf and added a 1-yard touchdown run for NDSU (9-0, 2-0 Great West Football Conference). Walker completed 15 of 22 passes for 233 yards and no interceptions. The Bison were 8 of 12 in third down conversions.

Heckendorf matched a career-high with eight receptions, set a new personal best with 131 receiving yards and added a 19-yard gain on a reverse for good measure. He moved into third place all-time at NDSU with 129 career receptions, and has recorded at least one catch in 23 straight games and in 30-of-31 games in his career. 

Luke Drone tossed three touchdown passes for Illinois State (4-6, 2-3 Gateway Football Conference). Drone completed 25 of 39 passes for 217 yards yards and one interception. He was sacked three times as NDSU's Joe Lardinois matched a season-high with two. Eyad Salem made seven catches for 97 yards and a pair of TDs for the Redbirds.

The teams combined for 1,024 yards of total offense, including a season-high 627 yards by the No. 1-ranked Bison and 397 yards for the Redbirds.

North Dakota State rushed for season-high 416 yards overall. Halfback Pat Paschall put together his second straight 100-yard effort with 10 carries for 105 yards and one touchdown.

Roehl gained 174 yards in the first half, 81 of those coming on his third touchdown run of the night to make it 33-14 with 9:11 left in the second quarter. It was his longest run of the season.

NDSU gave the Redbirds an easy touchdown in the final seconds of the first half. Punter Mike Dragosavich muffed a snap at his own 10-yard line, then kicked the ball at the 2 out of the back of his own end zone. That drew a penalty for illegal touching, giving the Redbirds the ball at the NDSU 1. Dragosavich averaged 56.5 yards on two punts in the second half.

Rafael Rice scored from there, with 6 seconds showing, to make it 33-21 at half. Rice finished with 132 yards on 22 carries.

The Bison took the second-half kickoff and drove eight yards in 76 plays, culminated by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Walker to Heckendorf. It was the fifth time NDSU scored on its first possession after intermission.

The Redbirds could get no closer than 12 points in the second half.

Linebacker Ramon Humber recorded a career-high eight solos on his way to a team-high 13 tackles, while Joe Mays reached double-figure tackles for the sixth time and finished with 11. Cornerback John Richardson notched his first NDSU interception in the second half, and added seven tackles and one pass breakup.

Tom Nelson and Kye Stewart each finished with 14 tackles for the Illinois State defense.