GRAND FORKS, N.D. – North Dakota football climbed up to No. 19 in the latest Stats Perform Rankings announced Monday morning, moving up three spots from last week. The Fighting Hawks remain just outside the AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25, sitting at No. 28.

The Missouri Valley Football Conference has five programs represented in the Stats Perform poll. North Dakota State remains the top spot with 43 first-place votes, trailed by South Dakota State in a tie for second with five first-place votes. Missouri State is also towards the top and is sixth. North Dakota is now No. 19 and Southern Illinois climbed into No. 24 to make this weekend's matchup a top 25 affair.

UND moved up after winning at Northern Arizona, 27-24, on Saturday. Despite a scoreless third quarter, there were plenty of fireworks in the fourth quarter with North Dakota escaping Flagstaff with the victory in the final moments.

The Lumberjacks found the end zone to take a 24-20 lead with 1:42 remaining and the Fighting Hawks went to work from their own 25. Tommy Schuster was a field general in the final drive, going a perfect 5-for-5 through the air and capping the drive with a 23-yard touchdown pass on a reverse flea flicker pass to Jack Wright. The final offensive play for the Hawks looked to be a Tyler Hoosman rush that turned into a Bo Belquist end around before the ball found its way back to Schuster who threw a 23-yard laser to Wright in the end zone for the touchdown. Brady Stevens connected on the extra point to give UND a 27-24 advantage with 53 seconds left.

NAU got the ball back and started on its own 25. The Lumberjacks marched all the way down to the 50 with one play remaining with three seconds left. The Fighting Hawks brought pressure and although R.J. Martinez found a receiver at the UND 39, he was immediately downed when attempting to pitch the ball to allow North Dakota to escape with the 27-24 win.

No. 19 North Dakota will resume MVFC play on Saturday at No. 24 Southern Illinois. The Fighting Hawks and Salukis are slated for a 2 p.m. (CT) kick in Carbondale. The game will air on Midco Sports Two and will be carried by the Home of Economy Radio Network.
 
STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25 (Sept. 19)
1. North Dakota State (2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 1,334 points (43 first-place votes)
2. Montana (3-0, 0-0 Big Sky), 1,267 (6)
2. South Dakota State (2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 1,267 (5)
4. Montana State (2-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 1,108
4. UIW (3-0, 0-0 Southland), 1,108
6. Missouri State (2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 1,091
7. Sacramento State (2-0, 0-0 Big Sky), 995
8. Delaware (3-0, 1-0 CAA), 963
9. Villanova (2-1, 0-0 CAA), 874
10. Chattanooga (3-0, 1-0 Southern), 831 
11. Jackson State (3-0, 1-0 SWAC), 818
12. Weber State (3-0, 0-0 Big Sky), 789
13. Holy Cross (3-0, 0-0 Patriot), 742
14. William & Mary (3-0, 0-0 CAA), 610
15. Eastern Washington (1-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 559
16. Eastern Kentucky (2-1, 2-0 ASUN-WAC), 449
17. Mercer (2-1, 1-0 Southern), 401
18. UT Martin (1-2, 0-0 Ohio Valley), 351
19. North Dakota (2-1, 1-0 Missouri Valley), 305
20. Rhode Island (2-1, 1-1 CAA), 232
21. Samford (2-1, 0-0 Southern), 212
22. Richmond (2-1, 0-0 CAA), 164
23. Stephen F. Austin (1-2, 1-0 ASUN-WAC), 131
24. Southern Illinois (1-2, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 123
25. North Carolina Central (3-0, 0-0 MEAC), 104

Dropped Out: ETSU (18), Kennesaw State (23), New Hampshire (25)

Others Receiving: Furman (2-1, 1-0 Southern) 99; Southeastern Louisiana (1-2, 0-0 Southland) 98; Kennesaw State (0-2, 0-1 ASUN-WAC) 93; Southeast Missouri (2-1, 0-0 Ohio Valley) 93; Austin Peay (3-1, 3-0 ASUN-WAC) 87; UC Davis (1-2, 0-0 Big Sky) 82; ETSU (1-2, 0-2 Southern) 46; Elon (2-1, 0-0 CAA) 28; Fordham (3-0, 0-0 Patriot) 27; Dartmouth (1-0, 0-0 Ivy) 23; New Hampshire (2-1, 2-0 CAA) 19; Northern Arizona (1-2, 0-0 Big Sky) 5; Youngstown State (2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley) 5; South Dakota (1-2, 0-0 Missouri Valley) 2