One final regular-season contest awaits No. 13 Illinois State (8-3, 5-2 MVFC), as the Redbirds return home to host North Dakota (5-6, 2-5 MVFC) on Senior Day at Hancock Stadium. 

Winners of four-straight and five out of its last six contests, ISU will look to further bolster its NCAA FCS playoff resume with a strong performance against the Fighting Hawks as selection Sunday quickly approaches and the playoffs begin next weekend.

Transfer wide receiver Xavier Loyd nearly tied a school single-game record in Illinois State's big 31-19 road win at Indiana State. He caught nearly everything thrown his way with 13 receptions against the Sycamores, one catch shy of the school single-game mark of 14. Loyd finished the game with 94 yards and scored the Redbirds' first touchdown on an eight-yard reception from Tommy Rittenhouse early in the second quarter that started a string of 31 unanswered points scored by ISU. That performance earned him his second MVFC Newcomer of the Week honor.

With his 156 yards receiving against Indiana State, wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz moved past the 2,000 career yards receiving mark and now has 2,149 in his stellar career thus far.

The Fighting Hawks hold a 5-6 overall record and are 2-5 in MVFC action. North Dakota started the season 4-1 with wins over Montana, Idaho State and San Diego in non-conference action before defeating Murray State in the MVFC opener.

However, UND has gone on to lose its last four contests in a row in league action, with road losses at Youngstown State and Indiana State and home defeats at the hands of nationally-ranked South Dakota State and South Dakota.

Game time is noon Sunday.