Commentary: UND hammers dent into NDSU's aura of invincibility with blowout at Alerus
Oct. 14—GRAND FORKS — By the middle of the fourth quarter, the only important game-planning was being done by UND administrators.
UND was throttling rival North Dakota State by more than 30 points. Offensive coordinator Danny Freund, known for his creative play designs, wasn't bothering. He was just calling runs between the tackles at that point — and there was nothing the Bison could do about it.
So, deputy athletic director Erik Martinson set up fencing and barriers around NDSU's bench. Alerus Center officials prepared to protect the goal posts. The only question was whether the on-the-field celebration would be an orderly one.
The Fighting Hawks hammered the Bison 49-24 on Saturday in the Alerus Center.
The game didn't just end a five-game losing streak that dated back 20 years, it obliterated NDSU's aura of invincibility and may have put a big dent into its dynasty.
Think about this:
* The last time UND scored 49 points on NDSU, North Dakota was just six years into statehood. It was Oct. 28, 1896 when UND beat NDSU 58-12 in Grand Forks. It preceded Theodore Roosevelt's presidency.
* The last time NDSU allowed 49 points, it was a Division-II team. The opponent who did it no longer sponsors football. It happened Nov. 9, 2002, at Omaha.
* The last time NDSU lost by 25 points, some of the students who stormed the field weren't even born. It was the Bison's most lopsided defeat since Oct. 8, 2005, when they lost 37-6 at Cal Poly.
UND did the same thing to NDSU that the Bison had become famous for doing to foes during their run of national titles — overrunning the opposition.
UND ran the ball on 25 of its final 28 plays of the game — a stretch that started late in the first half. UND's best offensive weapon, Bo Belquist, only caught two passes — one went for a touchdown. The Fighting Hawks didn't need him to do anything more.
Quarterback Tommy Schuster only attempted 12 passes in all, completing nine.
"North Dakota State is tough," UND coach Bubba Schweigert said. "To run the football on them and to limit their run yards is hard to do. I have a lot of respect for what they've done for a long time."
This game was always going to be a candidate for UND to win.
The Bison have been slowly sliding back to the pack the last three years.
They lost three times in the spring season of 2021 and didn't get past the quarterfinals of the playoffs. The Bison won it all in the fall 2021, but lost three times again in 2022, and dropped a game to South Dakota at home earlier this season.
The other major factor was the Alerus Center, where UND entered Saturday 22-2 in its last 24 — a stretch dating back to Halloween 2018.
While UND hadn't beaten NDSU in 20 years, the Bison had only played in Grand Forks once in that span. They snuck out a 16-10 win in 2021, their only win in the Alerus.
But the type of dismantling that happened was jarring.
UND treated the Bison like Western Illinois from the opening kickoff, which Luke Skokna took back 100 yards.
"It was a tough year last year," said Skokna, who was injured. "I just stuck with it. My teammates, my family, everyone stuck with me. Part of the reason I came back is because the pain of regret is way worse than the pain of discipline. And I just didn't want that bad taste in my mouth. And I'd be lying if I said a big part of coming back wasn't beating the Bison. So, the fact we got that done today, it's hard to put into words."
