Playoff implications on the line for No. 16 UND at No. 4 North Dakota State

Nov. 14—GRAND FORKS — UND football coach Bubba Schweigert often talks about eliminating outside noise when it comes to a weekly preparation. In no week is that more stressed than when the Fighting Hawks play in-state rival North Dakota State.

There's a bit of noise, however, this week that's inescapable. That's the buzz about the playoff implications surrounding No. 16 UND's game against No. 4 NDSU on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Fargo.

NDSU at 8-2 overall will be in the FCS playoffs, although there's plenty left to determine about achieving a high seeding for the tournament. The top eight seeds receive first-round byes.

UND, meanwhile, picked up important win No. 7 last week by beating South Dakota to improve to 7-3.

Seven wins puts you in the discussion for the postseason tournament. But UND found out in 2015 with a seven-win season, as well as an FBS victory over Wyoming, that nothing is guaranteed at seven wins.

"We talk about getting to eight (wins) and really improving our playoff resume," Schweigert said. "Let's call it what it is: Eight gets you in and seven, we don't know. That's for someone else to decide.

"This is a really important game. We mention it and now our focus is on our preparation and what we can do to put on a good performance."

If UND were to lose Saturday against the Bison, supporters for UND's inclusion would mention the Fighting Hawks' strength of schedule, which is one of the top in the country. UND would also likely be the third team in the field from the Missouri Valley Football Conference, long established as the top league in the FCS.

UND will also have a road win at Youngstown State, which will be searching for its seventh win of the season in the regular-season finale.

The Hawks can also boast about a 34-31 win over Abilene Christian, a team that could reach eight wins if it beats visiting Stephen F. Austin in the regular-season finale.

Detractors of UND's playoff hopes will point to a lack of Top 25 victories. UND beat then-No. 24 Northern Iowa and then-No. 7 Missouri State but neither is in the Top 25 this week.

ACU could crack the Top 25 with a win over SFA.

All this magnifies the importance of UND's matchup with NDSU, a game the Hawks lost 16-10 in Grand Forks in 2021. The last time UND played in the Fargodome, the Bison won 34-13 in 2020.

"I think what provides us confidence is our guys prepare and love each other and really play hard," Schweigert said. "We've played physical football here for a long time at the University of North Dakota and we know we'll have to do that again Saturday."

The 24-team FCS playoff bracket will be released Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on ESPNU.

"Obviously, it's a rivalry game first and foremost, so that comes with its own set of boundaries and a heightened sense of excitement from fans around the state," UND linebacker Devon Krzanowski said. "But there's playoff ramifications from this game. That's what we're really focused on here ... getting that No. 8 and solidifying our spot. 7-4 is the base mark but eight wins leaves no doubt, so that's what we're focused on."