KFGO – Grand Forks, N.D. (UND Athletics)– No. 17/18 North Dakota scored 27 unanswered points in the third quarter and defeated Drake, 55-7, inside the Alerus Center on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Fighting Hawks moved to 1-0 on the young season, while the Bulldogs dropped to 0-1.

On the first play coming out of intermission, Gavin Ziebarth took a 79-yard rush to the house to put the Hawks up 21-0. Moments later, Ted Mullin came away with an interception off a pass deflection. Five plays later, North Dakota went up 28-0 when Tommy Schuster found Quincy Vaughn for a three-yard touchdown pass.

The most impressive play of the game came late in the third quarter, when Bo Belquist caught a pass from Schuster at the DU 25 and the put the defense on skates, breaking five tackles before finding the end zone to put NoDak up 34-0 with 3:35 left in the third quarter. It was the last play for both Schuster and Belquist of the afternoon and the Fighting Hawks showed their depth at skill positions the rest of the way, winning 55-7.

In the game, North Dakota accumulated 652 yards of total offense, racking up 364 yards passing and 288 yards rushing. It is the most offensive yardage put up by the Fighting Hawks since Oct. 23, 2021, when North Dakota defeated Western Illinois, 34-10, at home.

Schuster went 22-for-26 passing for 262 yards and three touchdowns. Trey Feeney also went 4-for-5 for 102 yards and a touchdown. Belquist was the top target with seven grabs for 110 yards and two scores.

Gaven Ziebarth was the leading ball carrier for UND, rushing seven times for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Donavan Hunt, playing in his first game as a Hawk, had three rushes for 65 yards. Hunt scored on a seven yard touchdown run in the third quarter and then a 58-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Jett Sutton and Kadon Kauppinen were the leading tacklers for the Hawks, both racking up six solo tackles a piece. Pedigo was next with four total tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and a fumble recovery. Mullin also helped NoDak finish +2.0 in turnovers, recording an interception in the third quarter.

North Dakota was up 14-0 at intermission. The first Fighting Hawk touchdown of the season came from the legs of Schuster, who rushed for a five-yard score and juked a Bulldog in the process to put UND up 7-0 with 13:23 before halftime.

Pedigo set up the second North Dakota score, recovering a Drake fumble at UND’s own 32-yardline. Eleven plays later, the Hawks would score when Schuster found Belquist for a nine-yard touchdown grab to put the Hawks up 14-0 with 5:20 left before intermission.