UND football prepares to leave state for first time since August – Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS — Despite wet and windy conditions Tuesday, the UND football program practiced outdoors on the new artificial turf at Memorial Field rather than in the comfort of the nearby Pollard Center.

That’s because the Fighting Hawks are preparing for outdoor football again.

A lot of time has passed.

UND hasn’t left North Dakota State since its season opener at Iowa State in late August.

After five games at the Alerus Center and one at the Fargodome, the Hawks will travel by plane this weekend for the first time in nearly two months.

UND will face Youngstown State on Saturday at 5:00 pm at Stambaugh Stadium, a site nicknamed the “Ice Castle.”

“We talked to our captains and management and came to the conclusion very early that we needed to do a good job of staying in the moment and handling the road and everything that comes with it,” UND coach Bubba Schweigert said.

Other than UND’s 6 p.m. kickoff against Montana in the home opener, Saturday’s scheduled kickoff is the final kickoff time for 2024. Temperatures in Youngstown, Ohio are expected to be around 50 degrees this weekend.

“It’s definitely going to be a change,” said UND offensive lineman Jack Kuntz, a Devils Lake native who was named Missouri Valley Football Conference offensive lineman of the week this week for his performance in last Saturday’s win over Northern Iowa. “We just need to adapt to the new environment we find ourselves in.”

UND has won 30 of its last 33 games at the Alerus Center and is 5-0 at home this season, including a win over then-No. 4 Montana in its home opener.

The Hawks have struggled to maintain that level of play on the road in recent years. UND’s only road win in 2023 was against Missouri Valley Football Conference newcomer Murray State.

UND has won three games on the road in 2022, including a 35-30 win over Youngstown State, a win powered by a blocked Cole Davis punt and return for a touchdown.

“The preparation is still the same,” UND linebacker Riley Gerhardt said. “We have to come in and work every day and execute the game plan … just stay ready no matter what.”

Youngstown State is 2-6 this season, with its only wins coming against Indiana State and non-scholarship Valparaiso.

The Penguins, with a strong running game and an experienced offensive line, struggled on defense, where YSU was overwhelmed by the graduation and transfer portal. Thirteen of the top 14 players on YSU’s roster a year ago have either graduated or transferred, and only one starter remains from last year’s FCS playoff team.

The Penguins rank dead last in the MVFC in run defense, giving up over 220 yards per game. That total ranks 113th nationally among the 123 defenses included in NCAA statistics.