CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2023 North Dakota

7–⁠5 (5–⁠3 Missouri Valley Football Conference).

Schedule and results

North Dakota in 2023, game by game: won vs. Drake 55–7; won vs. Northern Arizona 37–22; lost at Boise State 18–42; lost at South Dakota State 21–42; won vs. Western Illinois 49–10; won vs. North Dakota State 49–24; lost at Northern Iowa 0–27; won vs. Indiana State 36–33; won at Murray State 45–31; lost at South Dakota 10–14; won vs. Illinois State 22–21; lost vs. Sacramento State 35–42+48−27Won 55–7 vs. Drake+48DrakeWon 37–22 vs. Northern Arizona+15Northern ArizonaLost 18–42 at Boise State-24Boise StateLost 21–42 at South Dakota State-21South Dakota St…Won 49–10 vs. Western Illinois+39Western IllinoisWon 49–24 vs. North Dakota State+25North Dakota St…Lost 0–27 at Northern Iowa-27Northern IowaWon 36–33 vs. Indiana State+3Indiana StateWon 45–31 at Murray State+14Murray StateLost 10–14 at South Dakota-4South DakotaWon 22–21 vs. Illinois State+1Illinois StateLost 35–42 vs. Sacramento State-7Sacramento State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2vsDrakeW 55–⁠774%
Sep 9vsNorthern ArizonaW 37–⁠2275%
Sep 16atBoise StateL 18–⁠4223%
Sep 30atSouth Dakota StateL 21–⁠4219%
Oct 7vsWestern IllinoisW 49–⁠1086%
Oct 14vsNorth Dakota StateW 49–⁠2437%
Oct 21atNorthern IowaL 0–⁠2750%
Oct 28vsIndiana StateW 36–⁠3386%
Nov 4atMurray StateW 45–⁠3170%
Nov 11atSouth DakotaL 10–⁠1442%
Nov 18vsIllinois StateW 22–⁠2162%
Nov 25Bowls & playoffvsSacramento StateFCS Championship – First RoundL 35–⁠4253%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Sacramento State 42–⁠35 in the FCS Championship – First Round; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 3rd in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

In program history: The 6th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 62 on file).

Record
7–⁠5
Conference
5–⁠3 tied for 3rd in Missouri Valley Football Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
377–⁠315
Coach
—
Elo
1369 +14 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
−13.1 No. 15 of 128 in FCS
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Danny Freund
Defensive coordinator
Joel Schwenzfeier
Offense
Pistol
Defense
3–⁠4

Leaders

Passing yardsTommy Schuster QB2,140 yds
Passing touchdownsTommy Schuster QB18 TD
Rushing yardsGaven Ziebarth RB685 yds
Rushing touchdownsGaven Ziebarth RB8 TD
Receiving yardsBo Belquist WR707 yds
Receiving touchdownsBo Belquist WR6 TD
TacklesKason Kelley LB9 tkl
SacksMalachi McNeal LB1 sacks
InterceptionsTed Mullin LB2 INT

Top recruits in the 2023 class

Vuciri Hakim WR★★★No. 2529
Korey Tai ATH★★No. 3001
Lance Rucker DE★★No. 3198
Jacob Lopau OT★★No. 3302
Tyler Erkman WR

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2023 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Receivers13.00.800
Offensive line12.00.750
Defensive line12.00.760
Athletes and specialists12.00.770
Whole class42.30.770

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

2023 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
South Dakota State8–⁠015–⁠0
South Dakota7–⁠110–⁠3
North Dakota State5–⁠311–⁠4
Youngstown State5–⁠38–⁠5
North Dakota5–⁠37–⁠5
Northern Iowa5–⁠36–⁠5
Southern Illinois4–⁠48–⁠5
Illinois State4–⁠46–⁠5
Missouri State3–⁠54–⁠7
Murray State1–⁠72–⁠9
Indiana State1–⁠71–⁠10
Western Illinois0–⁠80–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.