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NDSU Notes | Western Illinois Notes | MVFC Notes

THIS WEEK:  After securing back-to-back road victories, No. 2-ranked North Dakota State (6-0, 3-0 MVFC) returns home for its next two contests beginning with 10th-ranked Western Illinois (5-1, 2-1 MVFC) this Saturday, Oct. 21.  The Fighting Leathernecks are 4-0 on the road this year including a 42-point FBS win at Coastal Carolina.  Game time is 2:30 p.m. at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700).
 
TELEVISION:  Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on KVLY and the NBC North Dakota network with Brian Shawn calling the play-by-play, Lee Timmerman color analyst, and Ryan Gellner on the sidelines.  ESPN3 will carry the game on WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.  Pregame coverage hosted by Alex Egan and Beth Hoole begins one hour prior to kickoff.
 
RADIO:  Coverage begins at 2 p.m. on the Peterson Farms Seed Bison Radio Network with Jeff Culhane play-by-play, NDSU and Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Phil Hansen analyst, and NDSU's Jeremy Jorgenson sidelines.  Extended coverage locally on 107.9 The Fox, Bison 1660 and 92.7 FM includes "Bison Tailgate" from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. with Brad Jones, "Bison Game Day" from 12-1 p.m. and "Bison Hotline" for two hours following the network broadcast with hosts Keith Brake, Chris Hanson and former NDSU defensive end Cole Jirik.
 
ONLINE:  NDSU All Access live video streaming for home games is by subscription on GoBison.com/allaccess.  Audio streaming of the Bison Radio Network broadcast for every NDSU football game is available free of charge.  Live stats for NDSU home games are available on BisonStats.com.  Follow @NDSUfootball on Twitter for game updates.
 
TICKETS:  Available single-game tickets go on sale at 8 a.m. Friday before each Bison home game on GoBison.com/tickets and at the Bison Ticket Office in the south lobby of the Sanford Health Athletic Complex.  Game day ticket sales and will call are available in the east lobby of the Fargodome beginning five hours prior to kickoff.
 
THE SERIES:  This is the ninth meeting between North Dakota State and Western Illinois dating back to 2007.  NDSU has won four straight and leads the series 6-2.  The Bison are 1-2 at home against Western Illinois after a 59-7 victory in the 2015 Harvest Bowl game.  North Dakota State won 21-13 in Macomb last season thanks to a strong defense that blocked two field goals and forced three fourth-quarter turnovers including a fourth-and-goal stop from the 1-yard line to preserve the eight-point lead.
 
GOLD RUSH:  North Dakota State will wear its alternate gold jersey and green Harvest Helmet this week against Western Illinois.  The Bison are 24-0 in the gold jersey since the 2011 season opener including last year's FCS playoff win over South Dakota State.  NDSU is 7-0 in the green helmet since its November 2015 debut including this year's win at Eastern Washington.
 
LAST WEEK:  Cam Pedersen's 36-yard field goal in the first overtime lifted North Dakota State to a 27-24 win at Youngstown State last week.  Quarterback Easton Stick rushed for a career-high 172 yards including an 80-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter that gave NDSU its first lead of the game, 24-17.  Youngstown State tied the game with 1:23 left when Tevin McCaster's 1-yard run capped a nine-play, 90-yard scoring drive.
 
NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK:  Redshirt freshman Jabril Cox is the STATS FCS National Freshman of the Week after recording two solo sacks and a key tackle for loss in overtime of the 27-24 win at Youngstown State.  Cox made six of his season-high eight tackles following an injury to starter Chris Board.  Cox is slated to make his first career start this week.
 
PLAYING FROM BEHIND:  North Dakota State played from behind to escape the Ice Castle with identical 27-24 scores in its last two trips to Youngstown State.  NDSU has led for a total of 13:57 in its last 120 minutes of football at YSU.  Quarterback Easton Stick provided go-ahead touchdown runs in both contests, scoring with 35 seconds left in regulation in the 2015 victory, and giving NDSU its first lead this year with an 80-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter before YSU tied the game with 1:23 left.  No other team won at Stambaugh Stadium in between NDSU visits.  The Bison snapped the Penguins' 11-game home winning streak.
       
BEST ROAD WINNING STREAK:  NDSU has won 12 consecutive true road games, which is the longest active road winning streak in the FCS and third best among all Division I programs behind Oklahoma (13) and Alabama (13).  The Bison have won 13 straight away from Fargo including the 2015 national championship game and are 37-2 since 2011.
 
TOP PASSING DEFENSE GETS CHALLENGE:  North Dakota State was the last team in the FCS to allow a passing touchdown, and the Bison continue to lead the FCS with just 109.8 yards allowed through the air.  One of the nation's top wide receivers will challenge that mark this week.  Western Illinois senior Jaelon Acklin ranks second in the FCS with 138.0 receiving yards per game.  He has 46 catches for 828 yards and eight touchdowns.
 
BISON FIRST IN SCORING AND TOTAL DEFENSE:  North Dakota State is the only defense in the FCS still allowing less than 200 yards per game, and the Bison are second in yards allowed per play (3.64) behind James Madison (3.43).  NDSU also ranks first in scoring defense with 9.2 points allowed per game, while Western Illinois is fourth in the FCS in scoring offense with 41.8 points scored per game.
 
DUNN LEADS IN SCORING:  NDSU's Lance Dunn leads the nation with 12 rushing touchdowns and 13.0 points per game, and Dunn's 13 total touchdowns are tied for the most in Division I football this year with Auburn's Kerryon Johnson and San Diego State's Rashaad Penny.  Dunn is on pace to challenge the NDSU records of 23 rushing TDs by Jeff Bentrim in 1986 and 23 total TDs by Bentrim in 1986 and Lamar Gordon in 2000.  He leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 100.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks ninth nationally. 
 
INTERCEPTION LEADERS:   NDSU is tied for fourth in the FCS with 11 interceptions behind Campbell (16), Kennesaw State (12) and Murray State (12).  Former quarterback James Hendricks, who moved to safety in spring practice, leads the Bison with four interceptions.  Fellow safeties Tre Dempsey and Robbie Grimsley have three interceptions apiece, and Dempsey's 13 career picks are tied for third most in NDSU history behind Marcus Williams (21) and Steve Krumrei (16).
 
STICK TOPS IN FCS PASSING:  Junior quarterback Easton Stick is third the FCS in pass completion percentage (.702) and is second in passing efficiency with a 182.0 rating through six games.  Stick is just the fifth player in NDSU history to pass for at least 4,000 yards.  He is fourth all-time at NDSU with 44 career touchdown passes, one shy of Carson Wentz, and ranks fifth in passing completions (332) and yards (4,388).
 
NO PICKS:  NDSU is one of three teams in the FCS along with South Dakota and Wofford who have not thrown an interception this year. Easton Stick has a school-record 149 straight passing attempts without a pick dating back to last year's national quarterfinal win over South Dakota State, topping the mark of 143 previously set by Carson Wentz.
 
URZENDOWSKI PASSES 2,000 YARDS:  Wide receiver RJ Urzendowski has become the sixth NDSU player to surpass 2,000 career receiving yards.  Urzendowski has 2,062 yards and ranks fifth in career TD catches (19) and seventh in receptions (129).  He has caught at least one pass in 45 of 51 career games including the last 11 straight contests.
 
TIGHT END PRODUCTION:  North Dakota State tight ends have been a steady weapon in the NDSU passing game this season.  The quartet of seniors Connor Wentz and Jeff Illies, junior Nate Jenson and sophomore Ben Ellefson have combined for 23 catches totaling 314 yards and six TDs.
 
700 WINS:  North Dakota State has played 1,106 games with a 702-370-34 record in 120 seasons of football, good for a .650 winning percentage.  Only four Ivy League teams each with at least 20 more years of football have more wins at the FCS level: Yale (897), Harvard (867), Penn (846) and Princeton (820).  Northern Iowa has the second most wins among Missouri Valley Football Conference programs with 658.  In the FBS, 24 teams have reached the 700-win mark.  NDSU's 89 victories since 2011 are more than any other team in Division I football ahead of Alabama (83), Clemson (76), Sam Houston State (73), Ohio State (73) and Florida State (70).
 
EARLY-SEASON SCORING:  North Dakota State's 168 points scored through the first three games was the most in NDSU's Division I history and second most in the modern era of the program.  The 2000 NCAA playoff team scored 169 over its first three contests.  NDSU's previous Division I high through three games was 140 points by the 2012 team.
 
TOP 10 ROAD GAMES:  NDSU's win at Youngstown State was the 10th time NDSU has faced an FCS Top 10 team on the road since 2004.  The Bison are 6-4 in those games.
            FCS Top 10 Opponents on Road
            2017–Won 27-24 at #8 Youngstown State
            2017–Won 40-13 at #6 Eastern Washington
            2015–Won 28-7 at #5 South Dakota State
            2013–Won 20-0 at #6 South Dakota State
            2010–Lost 38-31 at #1 Eastern Washington
            2010–Won 42-17 at #6 Montana State
            2009–Lost 24-14 at #8 Southern Illinois
            2008–Lost 23-13 at #4 Northern Iowa
            2005–Lost 37-6 at #9 Cal Poly
            2005–Won 35-7 at #9 Northwestern State
 
RECORD DAY FOR BISON OFFENSE:  North Dakota State set highs for points, rushing yards and total offense in 14 years of Division I football in the 72-7 win over Mississippi Valley State.  The 683 yards of total offense were the most for the Bison in 29 years and the fourth highest in school single-game history.  NDSU's 498 rushing yards ranked seventh in school history.  NDSU scored touchdowns on its first five possessions with only one drive longer than three plays, and the Bison built a 44-0 lead early in the second quarter.
 
TOP MARKS NATIONALLY:  NDSU's 498 rushing yards against Mississippi Valley State are the second most by an FCS team this season, and the 683 yards of total offense tied for fourth with Sam Houston State.  NDSU's 72 points are fourth most.  On defense, NDSU's minus-31 rushing yards allowed is third best in FCS and second in NDSU's Division I history (minus-32 at South Dakota State in 2013).  North Dakota State's 57 total yards allowed against Robert Morris and 58 against Mississippi Valley State are the second and third best defensive performances in FCS this year behind only Illinois State (41 vs. Butler).
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:  North Dakota State has had five players earn six Missouri Valley Football Conference player of the week honors this season:
        —Tanner Volson, Offensive Line...Graded 100% assignment and 87% technique with zero sacks against Mississippi Valley State...NDSU averaged 17.5 yards per carry while in the game.
        —Robbie Grimsley, Defensive...Two interceptions, two pass breakups and four tackles at Eastern Washington...Part of a defense that held EWU to 73 yards in the final three quarters.
        —Lance Dunn, Offensive...Scored four TDs on four plays against Robert Morris...Had runs of 61, 5 and 45 yards and a 10-yard catch for 121 all-purpose yards.
        —Jabril Cox, Newcomer (2x)...Team-high eight tackles including four on kickoff coverage, a fumble recovery and a tackle for loss as NDSU held Robert Morris to 57 total yards, four first downs and one trip past midfield...Career-high eight tackles with two sacks and another key tackle for loss in overtime of a win at Youngstown State.
        —Cam Pedersen, Special Teams...Kicked a 36-yard game-winning field goal in overtime at Youngstown State...Also had a 19-yarder to tie the game at halftime and went 3 of 3 on PATs.
 
MORGAN SEMIFINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY:  North Dakota State defensive tackle Grant Morgan is one of 181 national semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented annually by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame to the top scholar-athlete in college football.  Nominees are in their final year of eligibility with at least a 3.2 GPA, outstanding football ability and strong leadership and citizenship.  The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists in November who will receive $18,000 postgraduate scholarships.  The winner is announced in December and earns an additional $7,000 toward a postgraduate scholarship. 
 
PAIR OF FRESHMEN PLAY:  Two true freshmen have played for NDSU this season.  Defensive end Logan McCormick from Appleton, Wis., and cornerback Josh Hayes from Lakeland, Fla., made their debut in the season opener against Mississippi Valley State.  They were the first true freshmen to play for NDSU since 2015.  NDSU redshirted its entire freshman class in 2016, the only time that has happened in 14 years of Division I football.
 
PEDERSEN TIES PAT RECORD:  Junior placekicker Cam Pedersen tied the 49-year old school record of 10 PAT kicks made in the 72-7 win over Mississippi Valley State.  The mark was set in 1968 by Ken Blazei against Augustana (S.D.).  Pedersen ranks fifth all-time at NDSU for PAT kicks made (143), sixth in PAT attempts (147) and also ranks fourth in field goals made (33) and fifth in field goal attempts (52).
 
BISON RETURN 16 STARTERS:  North Dakota State returns nine starters on defense and seven on offense from last year's NCAA semifinal team that finished 12-2 and won a sixth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with a 7-1 league record.  Included is linebacker Nick DeLuca, a two-time nominee for the Butkus Award, who returns for a fifth season after being limited to three games last year with a shoulder injury.
 
FOUR OUT FOR SEASON:  North Dakota State has lost four players to season-ending knee injuries this year.  Two-time All-America defensive end Greg Menard went out during the opening week of fall camp, but is eligible to return to the Bison for a fifth season in 2018 after playing as a true freshman in 2014.  Redshirt freshman left tackle Dillon Radunz and sophomore running back Demaris Purifoy were both injured in the season-opener against Mississippi Valley State, and junior linebacker Dan Marlette was injured against Missouri State.
 
SIX STRAIGHT CONFERENCE TITLES:  North Dakota State won a share of its sixth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship last season, tying South Dakota State with a 7-1 record in league play.  NDSU won outright MVFC titles in 2012 and 2013.  The Bison shared the 2011 title with Northern Iowa and the 2014 and 2015 crowns with Illinois State.  North Dakota State has won 33 football conference championships including 26 in the North Central Conference (last in 1994) and one in the Great West Football Conference (2006).
 
BISON PICKED TO WIN VALLEY FOOTBALL TITLE:  North Dakota State was picked to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference by a single vote over second-place South Dakota State.  NDSU earned 21 of 40 first-place votes and had 380 points followed by SDSU with 19 first-place votes and 379 points.  Youngstown State, national finalist a year ago, was picked third ahead of Northern Iowa, Illinois State, Western Illinois, South Dakota, Southern Illinois, Missouri State and Indiana State.
 
SEVEN ON PRESEASON TEAM:  Junior running back Lance Dunn, senior long snapper James Fisher, senior defensive end Greg Menard, senior defensive tackle Nate Tanguay, senior linebacker Nick DeLuca, senior safety Tre Dempsey, and junior safety Robbie Grimsley were voted to the Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason team by the league's coaches, sports information directors and media.  Wide receivers Darrius Shepherd and RJ Urzendowski and offensive lineman Austin Kuhnert earned honorable mention for NDSU.
 
BISON AT HOME:  North Dakota State is 58-6 at home since 2010.  The Bison have won 56 of the last 58 home games over non-conference opponents including a string of 45 straight before last year's NCAA semifinal loss to James Madison.  NDSU is 16-4 at home all-time against FCS Top 10 teams.  North Dakota State ranked fifth in the FCS last year with an average home attendance of 18,556 and has drawn 18,000-plus to 50 straight home contests.
 
SUCCESS VS. THE FBS:  North Dakota State has a 9-3 record against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents and has won six in a row against FBS foes since 2010 with wins at Kansas (6-3), Minnesota (37-24), Colorado State (22-7), Kansas State (24-21), Iowa State (34-14) and 11th-ranked Iowa (23-21).  NDSU has three future FBS games against Oregon in 2020, Arizona in 2022 and Colorado in 2024.  NDSU's first three FBS wins were against Ball State (2006), Central Michigan (2007) and Minnesota (2007).
 
BIG LEAGUE BISON:  North Dakota State will host Butler at Target Field in Minneapolis in the season opener August 31, 2019.  It will be the first Division I football game at the Major League Baseball stadium, which hosted a Division III game this year between in-state rivals St. Thomas and Saint John's.  NDSU has more than 12,000 alumni in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and nearly 26,000 alumni across Minnesota.  The game is in addition to a six-game home schedule at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome in 2019, which is a 12-game regular season.