NDSU Football Looking For “Another First” As Conference Play Starts With Illinois State Saturday

NDSU Beat Illinois State 28-14 last season

FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota State football has achieved many firsts this season. Win the first game of the season over Butler. Win the first non–conference road game against Delaware and win the first game against a top-five opponent against UC-Davis.

The Bison have another first to break this weekend, win their first conference game on the road against Illinois state.

It won’t come easy. The Bison have not opened Missouri Valley play on the road since 2015. The sixth-ranked Redbirds went toe-to-toe with the Bison in a close two score loss last season. Playing at their place this time around, head coach Matt Entz knows the importance of this match-up.

“Its always critical. It doesn’t matter if its a road win or at home, you always want to start out conference play one and 0. I have routinely talked to our players about winning the first one,” Entz said. “The first game of the year, first road game of the year, first non–conference game, the first conference game of the year, how ever you want to dice it up. If you win the first ones of every year, you have a chance to start the year pretty good. This is going to be a challenge for us. Going on the road is always a challenge, its just a little bit different routine. Our kids have handled it well the first two times.”