GRAND FORKS, N.D.-Saturday, Southern Utah football (3-8, 2-5 in Big Sky Conference play) concludes its season by visiting the North Dakota Fighting Hawks (6-4). The Fighting Hawks are a former Big Sky Conference member but still playing a Big Sky schedule per agreements with other schools in the conference.
In the standings, this counts as a Big Sky game for SUU while North Dakota seeks to join the Missouri Valley Conference so they can play closer to many FCS schools in their geographic region.
The Thunderbirds are flying high as they bested Northern Arizona 31-30 November 16 to claim the Grand Canyon Rivalry trophy.
In his fourth season as the Thunderbirds’ head coach, Demario Warren is 19-26 (.422) at the helm.
SUU currently ranks 73rd nationally in scoring offense (25.2 points per game), tying them with Tennessee State.
Redshirt sophomore signal-caller Chris Helbig completes 66.8 percent of his passes (252-377, sixth nationally) for 2,694 yards (18th nationally), 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Helbig also has a team-best six rushing scores for the Thunderbirds.
Sophomore tailback Thomas Duckett (76 car, 377 yards, 4 TD’s, 5 yards per carry) and senior back Jay Green Jr. (35 car, 120 yards, 3 TD’s) are the Thunderbirds’ leaders in rushing scores.
SUU’s leading receiver remains sophomore tailback Lance Lawson (71 rec, 668 yards, 3 TD’s) with freshman receiver Zach Nelson (13 rec, 200 yards, 3 TD’s) still tied with him for the team lead in scoring grabs.
Senior receiver Carlos Baker (13 rec, 265 yards, TD) has a team-best 20.4 yards per reception.
Junior kicker Manny Berz has made 4 of his 6 field goal attempts on the season. Redshirt junior kicker Kekoa Sasaoka has made 34 of his 35 PAT attempts on the season for SUU.
The Thunderbirds’ scoring defense continues to struggle as it ranks 117th nationally, giving up 37.8 points per game.
Sophomore defensive lineman Aaron Romero (4.5 sacks, forced fumble) leads the Thunderbirds defensively.
Redshirt freshman cornerback Carlton Johnson has a team-best three interceptions to pace the SUU secondary.
Joining Romero with a forced fumble apiece are redshirt sophomore safety AJ Stanley, redshirt sophomore linebacker Quaid Murray, sophomore defensive end Francis Bemiy, and redshirt senior safety Kyle Hannemann.
The Fighting Hawks are coached by sixth-year head coach Kyle “Bubba” Schweigert who is 35-31 (.530) at the helm of the program.
North Dakota scores 27.7 points per game, ranking them 62nd nationally.
Redshirt senior signal-caller Nate Ketteringham completes 64.5 percent of his passes (196-304, 16th nationally) for 2,057 yards, 14 touchdowns and 7 interceptions) on the season for the Fighting Hawks.
Senior tailback James Johannesson (111 car, 484 yards, 7 TD’s) is North Dakota’s leading rusher while redshirt sophomore receiver Brock Boltmann (30 car, 196 yards, 2 TD’s, 6.5 yards per carry) has also proven effective.
Senior receiver Noah Wanzek (61 rec, 835 yards, 4 TD’s) is the leading target for Ketteringham while fellow senior wide-out Travis Toivonen (35 rec, 491 yards, 6 TD’s) is the leader in scoring receptions for the Fighting Hawks.
Redshirt sophomore kicker Brady Leach has made 7 of his 10 field goal attempts on the season. Leach has also made 32 of his 34 PAT attempts on the season for the Fighting Hawks.
Defensively, North Daktoa gives up 30 points per game, tying them for 82nd nationally with Campbell and Pennsylvania.
Junior linebacker Jaxson Turner leads the way with 4.5 sacks for the Fighting Hawks defensively.
Redshirt sophomore linebacker Noah Larson, senior linebacker Jade Lawrence and redshirt freshman defensive back C.J. Siegel all have two interceptions apiece for North Dakota.
Senior linebacker Donnell Rodgers has 2 forced fumbles for the Fighting Hawks to lead the squad in that category.
With a win, the Thunderbirds can spoil North Dakota’s FCS playoff hopes as they are alive for a postseason berth. The Fighting Hawks are also 5-0 at the Alerus Center this season at Grand Forks, N.D.
The Thunderbirds lead the Fighting Hawks 5-4 all-time.
