APRIL 24, 2021 - 3 P.M. FIRST ROUND Grand Forks, N .D . Alerus Center Series: Tied 1-1 Last Meeting: UND 34,MSU 0 (Sept . 9, 2017) Complete Series Info on Page 7 THE MATCHUP NO. 7 NORTH DAKOTA PxP: Matt Stewart Analyst: Eric MacLain NO. 12 MISSOURI STATE FIGHTING HAWKS 4-1, 4-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference BEARS 5-4, 5-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference Head Coach: . Bubba Schweigert (Jamestown, 1985) PxP: Jack Michaels Analyst: Tom Dosch Head Coach: . Bobby Petrino (Carroll College, 1983) Record at UND (7th season): . 41-33 ( .554) Local: 96 .1 FM Record at Missouri State (1st season): . 5-4 ( .556) Career Record (10th season): . 63-54 ( .538) Web: FightingHawks.com Career Record (15th season): . 124-60 ( .674) vs . Missouri State . 1-1 Home of Economy Radio Network vs . UND: . 0-0 BY THE #’S INSIDE THE GAME BREAKDOWN NO. 7 UND READY FOR FCS PLAYOFF OPENER VS. NO. 12 RUSHING North Dakota: Otis Weah 76 for 570 (7 .5 ypc), 7 TDs 659 MISSOURI STATE Missouri State: Jeremiah Wilson 57 for 278 (4 .9 ypc), 4 TDs All-time wins as a For the third time in program history, North Dakota is set to play in the FCS playoffs . The PASSING program (since 1894) No . 7 Fighting Hawks will begin their postseason run at home against No . 12 Missouri State on Saturday afternoon at 3 p .m . from Grand Forks . Fans can watch the contest on ESPN3 North Dakota: Tommy Schuster 100-of-153, 992 yds, 8 TD/3 INT with Matt Stewart and Eric MacLain on the call or tune into the Home of Economy Radio Missouri State: Jaden Johnson 92-of-165, 1,002 yds, 3 TDs/6 INTs Network with Jack Michaels and Tom Dosch RECEIVING 27 North Dakota: Garett Maag 16 for 373, TD Conference titles in This will be the third meeting in program history between North Dakota and Missouri Missouri State: Damoriea Vick 40 for 544, 2 TDs program history (3 in State, with the teams splitting the previous two contests . The Bears captured the first DEFENSE DI era) showdown on Sept . 6, 2014 in Springfield by a 38-0 score before the Fighting Hawks North Dakota: Devon Krzanowski 12 solo, 19 asst, 31 tot tkls, 4 .0 TFLs, 2 FR, INT returned the favor with a 34-0 shutout on Sept . 9, 2017 at the Alerus Center . Missouri State: Tylar Wiltz 48 solo, 27 ast, 75 tot tkls, 6 .0 TFls, 1 sack, 1 FR UND TEAM MSU This will be the third appearance in the FCS playoffs and 19th overall appearance in 28 .8 SCORING/GAME 18 .3 7 postseason play, with Saturday’s contest against the Bears being the 17th playoff game 206 .4 RUSHING/GAME 114 .2 Rushing touchdowns by in Grand Forks . The Hawks are 13-3 at home in their postseason history and 10-1 inside 102-159-3 PASSING (C-A-INT) 143-253-9 Otis Weah (led MVFC) the Alerus Center . 207 .2 PASSING/GAME 176 .4 413 .6 TOTAL OFFENSE/GAME 290 .7 The last time UND hosted a playoff game was in the 2016 season, when the Fighting +6 TURNOVER MARGIN -3 Hawks fell to Richmond, 27-24, in the second round of the FCS playoffs . UND was also 20 6. PTS ALLOWED/GAME 24 9. 1 ranked seventh in that postseason, but Spiders came in unranked . Would be first playoff win 131 .4 OPP . RUSH YDS/GAME 116 .7 102-169-7 OPP . PASSING (C-A-INT) 178-283-8 in DI era for UND 243 .4 OPP . PASS YDS/GAME 235 .4 374 .8 OPP . TOTAL OFFENSE/GAME 352 .1 2020-21 SCHEDULES NORTH DAKOTA MISSOURI STATE Overall (Missouri Valley): 4-1 (4-1) Home: 3-0 Road: 1-1 Ntrl: 0-0 Overall (Missouri Valley): 5-4 (5-1) Home: 2-2 Road: 3-2 Ntrl: 0-0 Rank Opponent (Rank) Time/Result TV Attend. Rank Opponent (Rank) Time/Score TV Attend. September February 5 at Oklahoma (5) L, 0-48 SoonerSports 22,700 20 (RV) Southern Illinois (24)* W, 44-21 MidcoSN 3,176 26 at Central Arkansas (11) L, 20-27 ESPN3 2,500 27 (14) South Dakota State (3)* W, 28-17 MidcoSN2 3,638 October 17 Central Arkansas (11) L, 24-33 ESPN3 5,489 March February 4 (4) South Dakota* (20) W, 21-10 MidcoSN 3,491 27 at Western Illinois* W, 30-24 ESPN+ 421 13 (3) at Western Illinois* W, 38-21 ESPN+ 658 March 20 (2) at North Dakota State* (4) L, 13-34 MidcoSN 9,121 6 North Dakota State* (6) L, 0-25 ESPN+ 3,147 27 (6) at Youngstown State* Postponed MVFC TV 21 at South Dakota (21) W, 27-24 MidcoSN 2,051 April 27 Southern Illinois* (10) W, 30-27 ESPN+ 3,581 3 (6) Missouri State* Canceled MVFC TV April 10 (6) at Illinois State* No Contest 3 at North Dakota* (6) Canceled MidcoSN 17 (6) at Youngstown State* Canceled ESPN+ 10 (15) Youngstown State* W, 21-10 ESPN+ 2,948 24 (7) Missouri State (12)# 3 p .m . ESPN3 17 (14) Illinois State* Canceled ESPN+ 24 (12) at North Dakota# (7) 3 p .m . ESPN3 All times Central Rankings: Stats Perform *Denotes MVFC game #Denotes FCS Playoff game All times Central Rankings: Stats Perform *Denotes MVFC game #Denotes FCS Playoff game www.facebook.com/UNDFootball @UNDFootball www.youtube.com/user/UNDAthletics @UNDFootball MEDIA CONTACT: Alec Stocker Johnson - 701 .412 .6169 (cell); 701 .777 .2986 (office); alec .stocker .johnson@und .edu; @UNDfootball, @smartalec_nd 2 2020-21 NORTH DAKOTA FOOTBALL PROGRAM NOTES FCS BEST WINNING RECORD OFFENSIVE POTW: Cole Kelley, Southeastern Louisiana, QB, R-Sr., 6-7, 260, Lafayette, Louisiana North Dakota holds an all-time program mark of 659-426- 30 over its 125 previous seasons of football . Over that time, Kelley capped a superb season with 418 passing yards and five total touchdowns in Southeastern’s 55-48, shootout loss at Southern Illinois . He completed 34 of 42 (81 percent) passes, including 11 in a row in the UND has won 26 conference championships, three bowl second half, and two touchdowns, while also rushing for three scores . The FCS passing leader connected with invitations, 16 NCAA postseason appearances, and the 2001 eight different receivers in his third career game over 80 percent with at least 10 completions . Division II National Championship . ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE A total of 207 student-athletes have received academic all-conference nods (145 NCC, 49 GWC, 13 BSC) and five nationally recognized scholar-athlete awards . UND has DEFENSIVE POTW: B.J. Davis, South Carolina State, LB, R-So., 6-2, 189, Blair, South Carolina placed at least one student-athlete on the NFF and College Football Hall of Fame Hampshire Honor Society since moving Davis capped a mammoth game in overtime by forcing a fumble for the second time, and it set up to Division I in 2008 . South Carolina State for the game-winning field goal in a 31-28 win at Delaware State . He finished with 13 tackles, including 10 solos with three tackles for 19 yards in losses, two sacks and a quarterback ONE OF NATION’S TOUGHEST HOME VENUES hurry . His first forced fumble occurred inside the SCSU 10 and was recovered by the 3-1 MEAC squad Over a million fans have seen UND post an 95-27 record at for a touchback in the third quarter . the Alerus Center in its 19 seasons of existence . That mark includes a 10-1 postseason record and a school-record 23- game home winning streak from 2002 to 2005 . SPECIAL TEAMS POTW: Ethan Ratke, James Madison, PK, R-Sr., 5-10, 178, Mechanicsville, Virginia QUICK FACTS Ratke kicked a field goal in his 18th straight game, this time three while becoming the CAA’s career leader, as top-ranked James Madison (5-0) defeated Richmond 23-6 and captured the South Division UNIVERSITY title . He converted field goals of 27, 37 and 38 yards to push his career total to 67, which is tied for seventh in FCS history and seven shy of the record . Adding two extra points in the win, Ratke is perfect School .......................University of North Dakota on field goal (nine) and PAT (20) attempts this season . Location .......................Grand Forks, ND (58202) Founded ........................................ 1883 Enrollment .....................................13,581 FRESHMAN POTW: Seth Morgan, VMI, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 193, Pittsburgh School Colors ......................Kelly Green & White Morgan accounted for 357 yards of total offense and four touchdowns as VMI (6-1) beat The Citadel Home Arena (Capacity) ...........Alerus Center (12,283) 31-17 in the “Military Classic of the South” and finished off its first Southern Conference championship National Affiliation .....................NCAA Division I since 1977 . Surpassing 300 passing yards in his third straight start since replacing injured quarterback Conference ...........Missouri Valley Football Conference Reece Udinski, Morgan completed 25 of 34 passes for 328 yards and three TDs – a 183 .68 pass President .........................Dr . Andrew Armacost efficiency . He also ran for 29 yards and a score . Director of Athletics ........................Bill Chaves Senior Woman Administrator ...............Kara Helmig MVFC BEST Faculty Athletic Representative ................Sue Jeno OFFENSIVE POTW: RB Javon Williams Jr., Southern Illinois, 6-2, 245, So., Centralia, Ill. (Centralia) Athletic Department ................... (701) 777-2234 Ticket Office ............................ (701) 777-0855 Southern Illinois beat visiting No . 15 Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday in a shoot-out for the ages, Press Box .........................(701) 792-1501/1502 just about every stadium offensive record fell by the wayside . The teams combined for 103 points and 1,347 yards in a 55-48 win .