UND Football Looks to Turn Things Around in Big Sky Play

Fighting Hawks fell to 1-2 on the year after a loss to South Dakota

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — UND football is down a few slots in the latest stats poll. No surprise there after Saturday’s rough showing in Vermilion against South Dakota. The Hawks failed to generate offense falling behind 31-0 at halftime.

Penalties a clear concern for the North Dakota after that loss to USD. They dropped nine spots in the Coaches Poll. But Head Coach Bubba Schweigert and his group are ready to put all of that behind them as they get set to open up Big Sky play this Saturday.

“The first three games of the season being non-conference games, you want to win those but they are not necessarily the ‘say-all’ for how your season goes,” Quarterback Keaton Studsrud said. “We can turn it around. Last year we were in the same position and we ended up winning out and winning the big sky so you never know what can happen.”

The defense feels the same way.

“We start a new. Saying, now is what really matters,” Defensive Lineman Brandon Dranka said. “We really need to focus on what we need to do to win the conference and win the Big Sky again.”

Schweigert just wants his guys to take things one day at a time.

“That was the number one goal going into it. We talk about it all the time,” Schweigert said. “‘Hey if you win the conference you’re in the tournament.’ We can’t look to far ahead right now. We really gotta slow down and go one day at a time. Our Tuesday practice is the most important thing on our mind right now.”

The Fighting Hawks are a veteran lead group who have been in this situation before. They started the season last year with two losses and then ran the table in Big Sky play. They’re hoping to be able to do that again starting with Montana State on Saturday.