GRAND FORKS, N.D. – North Dakota climbed to No. 4 in the Stats Perform poll and remained at No. 7 in the AFCA Coaches' poll after defeating Murray State 55-28 in a Homecoming tilt Saturday at the Alerus Center.

With the victory, the Fighting Hawks improved to 5-1 overall and started 2-0 in conference play for the second consecutive year under second-year head coach Eric Schmidt. UND now ranks second among FCS teams in scoring offense, averaging 42.5 ppg and senior Jerry Kaminski leads all FCS quarterbacks with 19 touchdown passes after adding three in the victory over the Racers.

North Dakota, who is joined by five other MVFC teams in this week's Stats poll and four in the AFCA poll, travels to (RV/NR) Northern Iowa Saturday. Kickoff against the Panthers is set for 4 p.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN+. The Fighting Hawks won last year's meeting at the UNI-Dome, 35-7.

For more information on North Dakota football, follow @UNDfootball on social media or visit FightingHawks.com.

STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25 (Oct. 5; Week Six)
1. South Dakota State (5-1), 1,419 (52)
2. Montana (5-1), 1,345 (3)
3. Tarleton State (5-0), 1,305 (2)
4. North Dakota (5-1), 1,171
5. Lehigh (6-0), 1,136
6. Montana State (5-1), 1,128
7. Stephen F. Austin (6-0), 1,119
8. Youngstown State (4-2), 1,088
9. Austin Peay (5-1), 977
10. South Dakota (4-2), 897
11. Lamar (4-1), 834
12. Illinois State (4-2), 720
13. Northern Arizona (4-2), 670
14. UC Davis (4-2), 661
15. Tennessee Tech (4-1), 604
16. Idaho State (4-1), 576
17. Campbell (5-1), 542
18. Harvard (3-0), 458
19. Richmond (5-1), 299
20. Mercer (4-2), 295
21. South Carolina State (5-1), 256
22. Jackson State (5-0), 236
23. Colgate (4-2), 130
24. East Tennessee State (4-2), 107
25. Southern Illinois (3-3), 92

Others Receiving Votes (on two or more ballots): Southeastern Louisiana (3-2): 70; Monmouth (4-2): 68; Northern Iowa (2-2): 60; Stony Brook (3-2): 57; West Florida (3-2): 52; Morgan State (4-1): 51; Yale (2-1): 47; Western Carolina (3-3): 11; Elon (4-2): 9; Bryant (4-1): 8; Abilene Christian (2-4): 7; Cornell (2-1): 6; North Alabama (4-2): 2

AFCA FCS COACHES TOP 25 (Oct. 5, Week Six)
1. South Dakota State (5-1), 648 (24)
2. Tarleton State (5-0), 614 (1)
3. Montana (5-1), 570 (1)
4. Stephen F. Austin (6-0), 558
5. Lehigh (6-0), 528
6. Montana State (5-1), 509
7. North Dakota (5-1), 496
8. Austin Peay (5-1), 472
9. Youngstown State (4-2), 454
10. Lamar (4-1), 408
11. UC Davis (4-2), 358
12. South Dakota (4-2), 338
13. Illinois State (4-2), 288
14. Northern Arizona (4-2), 287
15. Richmond (5-1), 277
16. Tennessee Tech (4-1), 255
17. Idaho State (4-1), 197
18. Mercer (4-2), 194
19. Harvard (3-0), 180
20. Campbell (5-1), 171
21. South Carolina State (5-1), 152
22. Jackson St. (5-0), 147
23. Colgate (4-2), 78
24. Monmouth (4-2), 48
25. Southeastern Louisiana (3-2), 41
 
Others Receiving Votes: West Florida, 37; Bryant, 32; Yale, 24; Southern Illinois, 19; East Tennessee St., 15; Elon, 15; Idaho, 14; Stony Brook, 9; ACU, 8; Dartmouth, 3; Morgan St., 2; Alabama St., 1; Central Connecticut St., 1; North Alabama, 1; Robert Morris, 1.
 
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