GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Athletic department officials from the University of North Dakota and Sam Houston State University announced a home-and-home series to be played between their football teams during the 2018 and 2019 seasons on Friday.
The Sept. 15, 2018 game in Huntsville, Texas at Bowers Stadium will be the first between the Fighting Hawks and the Bearkats on the gridiron and the teams will wrap up the two-game series the following year in Grand Forks with a matchup set for Sept. 14, 2019 at the Alerus Center.
“Sam Houston State is traditionally one of the top FCS programs in the country and we feel like this home-and-home series gives each school’s fan base a chance to see a highly-competitive FCS matchup before conference play ensues for both teams,” UND Director of Athletics Brian Faison said. “This should be one of the best non-conference games at our level in both 2018 and 2019.”
The Bearkats appeared in the 2011 and 2012 FCS National Championship games and made semifinal runs in the playoffs during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. SHSU has combined to win 56 games over the past five seasons, which is second most in the FCS during that span.
SHSU will be the fifth opponent UND has played from the Southland Conference since moving to the Division I level prior to the 2008 season. The Fighting Hawks own a 4-1 mark in those contests. Their last game against a Southland opponent was a 31-6 home win over Lamar in 2010.
“We feel like it’s important for our program to challenge ourselves in non-conference games and we appreciate the opportunity to play a home-and-home against a perennial contender for the FCS national championship,” UND head coach Bubba Schweigert said. “We also want to bring in top competition from across the country into the Alerus Center, so our fans can enjoy high-caliber matchups and Sam Houston State fits that blueprint nicely.”
Schweigert led UND to a 7-4 record and 5-3 mark in the Big Sky in his second season at the helm of the program in 2015. The Fighting Hawks open their 2016 season on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Stony Brook.
What Sam Houston State is saying about the home-and-home series:
SHSU Athletics Director Bobby Williams
“Sam Houston is pleased to join with the University of North Dakota in announcing these two exciting intersectional matchups. Any time we can bring a quality FCS opponent to play here in Huntsville is great. Our games with Big Sky opponents during the last several years have been thrilling, down-to-the-wire battles with plenty of offensive fireworks. The two contests will be great for fans in both venues.”
SHSU Head Coach K.C. Keller
“We are excited to take on another top FCS program in a new intersectional rivalry. In 2017 we host Richmond and, with a home-and-home slate with North Dakota the next two seasons, we look forward to two more big non-conference games with an outstanding FCS squad.”
Press release courtesy of Ryan Powell – North Dakota Sports Information. Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
