There was a feeling around town this week that UND had become just another game and that this was no longer a rivalry. The Fighting Hawks proved that this is now a rivalry once again as UND took out 20 years of frustration on the Bison as North Dakota throttled North Dakota State 49-24.

Before the game, you could feel it through the TV screen that something was different about this game. UND was wearing their 1978 throwback helmets plus from the opening kickoff they looked like the better team

Speaking of the opening kickoff, NDSU won the toss and deferred so UND got the ball first. Luke Skokna returned the ball from the endzone and outran the entire NDSU kickoff unit to the endzone to give UND an early seven-point lead.

NDSU responded in kind by going 75 yards in nine plays and it was capped off by yet another Cam Miller rushing touchdown to make it a 7-7 game. UND countered with an eight-play, 73-yard drive and capped off by a Gaven Ziebarth rushing touchdown to give the Fighting Hawks a 14-7 lead.

North Dakota took all momentum by blocking a punt on NDSU’s following possession and then scoring again and Luke Skokna found the endzone again as he caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Schuster to make it 21-7.

Then North Dakota State fought back as they scored 10 straight points, a Griffin Crosa field goal and a Joe Stoffel touchdown reception to cut the UND lead to four. That would be as close as the Bison would get because the Fighting Hawks took over the game from there as they ran the rest of the 1st half out and scoring on yet another Luke Skokna touchdown run to push the lead to 28-17 at the half.

The 2nd half started promising for NDSU as they drove deep into UND territory before Fighting Hawk cornerback C.J. Siegel picked off Cam Miller and ran it back deep into NDSU territory. That was all the momentum UND would need as they salted the game away with another score as Gaven Ziebarth ran for another score to make it 35-17. 

The score only got uglier for the Bison as they allowed two more touchdowns, one from Bo Belquist and a third Gaven Ziebarth touchdown to make 49-17, UND. NDSU would take on a late touchdown to make the score look a little more respectable but this game from start to finish was all UND as for the first time in the Division One era North Dakota had beaten North Dakota State, 49-24. 

49 is the most points allowed by NDSU during this incredible run and one of the bigger embarrassments they have suffered as a football team.

North Dakota State is now behind the 8-ball as they still have to play three tough opponents in South Dakota State, Southern Illinois, and Northern Iowa. NDSU has some serious sole searching to do otherwise the Bison may be playing on Thanksgiving weekend or worse they make be watching the FCS playoffs from home.