Date: Saturday October 4, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM (ET)
TV: ESPN+
The Quick Hits
No one has really challenged defending national champs yet but could that change on Saturday? #1 North Dakota State (4-0) has steamrolled its competition in the early goings of the season but now October
brings with it a much more lofty opponent… at least on paper. Illinois State (3-1) checks in at #6 in the national rankings and has quietly started their season well, too, winning three straight after an expected opening loss at Oklahoma. It will be ISU’s first conference game and it gets do play host.
The Redbirds have seen this story play out before, though. NDSU always seems to have their number (as they do with practically everyone). Illinois State is searching for its first win over the Bison since 2010 and, despite the departure of a handful big names for the green and gold, it appears that this year will present as tall a task as any when it comes to besting North Dakota State. The Redbirds might have a better chance than most, though.
The Coaches
No one knows how hard it is to beat these Bison quite like ISU head man Brock Spack. Spack has led this program since 2009 and has seen plenty of NDSU throughout the years (including in the 2014 FCS Championship; Spack’s lone appearance in the big game). He has guided Illinois State to two Missouri Valley titles, six playoff berths and has an admirable 114-75 overall record in his 16 seasons in charge. Spack’s team has also posted double-digit wins four different times, including last year when they went 10-4 and reached the second round of the postseason. Spack knows how to win but winning against North Dakota State has been a different story as he is just 2-13 when facing them.
For NDSU it will be second-year head coach Tim Polasek leading the way. Polasek ran the gauntlet last year and brought the Bison their 10th national championship and became the third coach in program history to accomplish the feat in his first year. 20 games into his tenure in Fargo and Polasek has only lost two games, one of which came to FBS Colorado last year. He’s as fine a coach as any in the subdivision and it certainly helps that he comes from the Bison tree as an assistant back in the day.
Illinois State Offense vs. North Dakota State Defense
The Illinois State offense will have a ton of experience on it and has some top-level players at most every position. It all starts with QB Tommy Rittenhouse who is in his second season as the starter. Rittenhouse is having a solid start to his year, having thrown for eight touchdowns and just one interception. Essentially all of those numbers have gone to ISU’s pair of dynamic receivers Daniel Sobkowicz and Luke Mailander; two guys that NDSU’s secondary will have to hone in on. Sobkowicz and Mailander have combined for all eight of Rittenhouse’s passing TDs and 586 yards.
DBs Ryan Jones and Jaquise Alexander will look to slow down the Redbirds receivers. Jones has nine tackles so far this year while Alexander has one of the team’s three interceptions. They have not seen wideouts quite like Sobkowicz and Mailander yet, though, and it will be one of the key matchups in this game. If Jones and Alexander can take away Illinois State’s top two receiving weapons, it will all but force them to run.
If that happens, the Bison D will have another big name to slow down; running back Wenkers Wright. Wright is another senior with lots of experience. He has been a consistent part of the ISU offense since 2022 and is coming off a season in which he ran for over 1,100 yards. This year Wright appears to be on pace for similar numbers as he has 309 yards and four touchdowns. His power will be met by a really, really good North Dakota State linebacking corps, however, and it will make for an intriguing showdown in the middle.
Logan Kopp and Nathaniel Staehling are the main playmakers in that department for the Bison. They hit hard and get their hands on the football which has been a game-changing aspect of NDSU’s defense. Staehling is one of two North Dakota State linebackers with a pick six this year, the other being Donovan Woolen. Kopp has a PBU and a fumble recovery. They are one of the most active linebacking groups in the country when it comes to making a play on the ball meaning that ball security will be paramount for Illinois State.
Up front the Bison are really dangerous as well. Defensive ends Victor Isele and Toby Anene will need to be contained by the ISU offensive line or Rittenhouse will be in for a long evening. That duo has teamed up for 3.5 sacks this season.
North Dakota State Offense vs. Illinois State Defense
Simply put, if Illinois State cannot come up with some kind of answer for receiver Bryce Lance, nothing else they do will really matter. Lance is unquestionably North Dakota State’s biggest weapon on offense and is already putting together a sensational campaign. So far in 2025, Lance has brought in 15 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns. That’s an average of 22.5 yards per catch for those doing the math at home. That’s a staggering number that the Redbirds defense can’t allow to continue if they are to keep this game within reach.
This is where junior cornerback Shadwel Nkuba will need to shine in particular and he might be just the guy for the job. Nkuba is tied at the top in the entire FCS with four interceptions. He’s one of the better lockdown corners in the country but Lance will give him as good a test as any he’ll see all year. It’s a battle that ISU will need to win in order to have a chance.
Throwing the ball to Lance will be Cole Payton who is stepping into the starting role this season after Cam Miller left following 2024. Payton has been terrific this year, completing 72.6% of his passes (fifth in FCS) for 979 yards and eight touchdowns. He also has yet to throw an interception. Payton is also the team’s second leading rusher with 299 yards on the ground and another pair of TDs. So far he’s proven to be difficult to stop in either facet of the game.
Illinois State linebackers Tye Niekamp and Patrick Bauer will be the ones tasked with keeping Payton and NDSU running back Barika Kpeenu in check. Niekamp is averaging a crazy 10.8 tackles per game right now and has been by far the biggest contributor on defense for the Redbirds. With two pass breakups, a fumble recovery and three TFLs from the middle, Niekamp can do a little bit of everything. Bauer, meanwhile, has 21 stops and a sack under his belt.
The aforementioned Kpeenu will be the primary ball carrier for the Bison. He has seven rushing touchdowns through four games and leads the squad with 314 yards on 54 touches. Kpeenu will also be a receiving target, though, for Payton. He’s caught seven passes this season for 93 yards and could be an X factor in the passing game if ISU does indeed do a good job of bottling up Lance and RaJa Nelson.
Prediction
This is one of the bigger games in recent program memory for Illinois State and the fans at Hancock Stadium should be out in full force. Unfortunately for the Redbirds, though, it’s going to take a whole lot more than a raucous crowd to stifle NDSU. In fact, it’s going to take a darn-near perfect game from everyone in red and even with the collective experience and star power of guys like Rittenhouse, Wright and Sobkowicz it probably won’t be enough. Payton and that North Dakota State defense have been too good on the other side and have shown no signs of that changing anytime soon. The Redbirds will keep it within striking distance well into the third quarter but in the end NDSU will do what NDSU does with its ground game and stonewalling defense.
Score Prediction: North Dakota State: 34 – Illinois State: 20
