Status of UND wide receiver Bo Belquist unclear ahead of North Dakota State game
Oct. 9—GRAND FORKS — UND's No. 1 wide receiver Bo Belquist has a history of big games against North Dakota State, but his status for Saturday's rivalry matchup remains unclear.
Belquist was injured in the first half of UND's 49-10 win over Western Illinois on Saturday in the Alerus Center.
Belquist went back to the locker room with medical staff. He returned to the sideline and remained in full pads for the remainder of the game but didn't return to the game.
No. 15 UND faces No. 6 NDSU in the Alerus at 1 p.m. Saturday.
In addition to Belquist, UND wide receiver Red Wilson also went back to the locker room with an injury in the first half against Western Illinois.
Wilson returned for limited action in the second half.
UND coach Bubba Schweigert was asked Monday at his weekly press conference for an update on Belquist and Wilson.
"The one thing I'll be clear on and probably wasn't clear after the game was that it was a coach's decision to hold those two guys out," Schweigert said. "Just by where we're at in the season and where we were at in the game ... We're working on it. They're feeling better (Monday) than they were Saturday afternoon, so that's what we're looking for — feeling better every day."
Belquist has scored a touchdown against the Bison in the 2020 and 2021 matchups. In 2022, he had more than 100 yards receiving.
Belquist and Wilson are UND's top two targets this season. Belquist has 29 catches for 342 yards and two touchdowns, while Wilson has 18 grabs for 201 yards.
UND's third-most targeted receiver is South Dakota transfer Wesley Eliodor with 11 catches this year.
Against WIU, UND had 14 different receivers catch passes.
On UND's second drive of the game against the Leathernecks, Belquist caught a 19-yard pass on second-and-19 and finished the catch by leaping over the top of WIU safety Bradyn Smith.
Belquist appeared to land hard on the turf after hurdling the defenders.
The New Rockford, N.D., native jogged through post-halftime warm-ups. UND led 28-3 over WIU after the first play of the second half — a Ted Mullin interception return for a touchdown.
Belquist's dad, Elliott Belquist, played college football at NDSU.
Who: No. 15 UND vs. No. 6 North Dakota State.
When: 1 p.m., Saturday.
Where: Alerus Center.
Records: UND 3-2, NDSU 4-1.
