Illinois State vs North Dakota
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
No. 8 Illinois State plays No. 11/15 North Dakota at Alerus Center on Nov 7, 1 p.m. CT.
North Dakota leads the series 3-1; ISU faces three top-15 FCS foes.
Background
Illinois State is the No. 8-ranked FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) team, coached by Brock Spack in his 18th season; North Dakota is ranked No. 11/15 and coached by Eric Schmidt in his second season at his alma mater. The two programs first met in 1979, and North Dakota won the previous three meetings before Illinois State's 35-13 win in the 2024 regular-season finale. The game is the fifth meeting in the series and is played at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, which seats 12,283 and streams on ESPN+.
How it unfolded
- 1979Illinois State and North Dakota meet for the first time in series history.
- 2021North Dakota beats Illinois State at the Alerus Center.
- 2023North Dakota again beats Illinois State at the Alerus Center; the 2021 and 2023 wins came by a combined eight points.
- Nov 23, 2024No. 13 Illinois State beats North Dakota 35-13 at Hancock Stadium on Senior Day, leading 14-10 at halftime.
- Nov 7, 2026No. 8 Illinois State plays No. 11/15 North Dakota at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, at 1 p.m. CT; UND leads the series 3-1.
Key terms
- FCS
- The second-highest level of NCAA college football in the United States, below the Football Bowl Subdivision.
- Alerus Center
- An indoor arena and convention center owned and operated by the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota.
- Senior Day
- A ceremony honoring graduating senior players at their team's last regular-season home game in high school or college sports.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Illinois State Athletics notes UND leads the series 3-1 and that ISU's lone win came in the last meeting, 35-13 in the 2024 regular-season finale.
- Official
- Illinois State Athletics says the November slate is one of the toughest in the country, with three top-15 FCS opponents in the next three weeks.