No. 5 North Dakota Returns Home to Host Murray State for Homecoming

The No. 5/7-ranked North Dakota Fighting Hawks return to the Alerus Center on Saturday at 1 p.m.

A Homecoming Welcome After a Grueling Road Swing

North Dakota returns to Grand Forks following a three-game road stretch. The team enters the matchup sitting at 5-1 overall and 1-0 in MVFC play after holding off Indiana State 42-35 in a conference opener in Terre Haute last Saturday. Saturday’s contest marks the second time in three seasons that Murray State will be UND’s Homecoming opponent.

Beyond the conference implications, the afternoon carries significant program history. The university’s annual Hall of Fame game will welcome Weston Dressler as one of the newest inductees into the UND Athletic Letterwinners’ Hall of Fame. Fans streaming the action can tune in via Midco Sports Plus or ESPN+, while the Fighting Hawks Radio Network carries the local broadcast.

Historical Precedent and Recent Series Dynamics

North Dakota holds a 3-0 all-time series lead against Murray State, though recent history highlights a pair of contrasting halves. During their previous encounter a year ago, the Racers held a 9-7 advantage at the break prior to UND generating a 28-8 scoring margin over the final two quarters to secure the victory.

During the 2024 matchup, North Dakota put up 72 points to secure a 37-point victory against the Racers, setting a program record for most points scored in a single game in the FCS era.

Diverging Trajectories in Conference Openers

The two programs arrive in Grand Forks following the opening weekend of MVFC action. While North Dakota held off Indiana State for a 42-35 win in Terre Haute, Murray State fell at home to Southern Illinois, 46-6. Coach Schmidt, Coach Freund, Jerry Kaminski, and Ethan Boll addressed the media in their weekly press conference to outline preparations for Saturday’s 1 p.m. kickoff as the Fighting Hawks look to push their conference record to 2-0.