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Kansas State football had no business beating North Dakota. What’s wrong with the team?

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Kansas State football had no business beating North Dakota. What’s wrong with the team?


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Boos rained down on Kansas State football as it ran into the locker room for halftime. Losing to their FCS opponent at the break, the Wildcats needed to wake up.

They did, and then they didn’t. A 10-point fourth-quarter lead disappeared before trailing by four in the final minutes. Unlike against Iowa State the week before, the Wildcats got a needed stop before Avery Johnson led them down the field for the go-ahead touchdown with 42 seconds left, avoiding disaster and beating North Dakota, 38-35.

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Kansas State had no business winning the game, and something looks a little off in Manhattan.

Whether it was a hangover after an unorthodox beginning to the season in Ireland or the Wildcats overlooking a smaller opponent, they don’t look like the team that was picked to challenge for the Big 12 title, let alone a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Here are a few things we noticed after rewatching the game.

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Chris Klieman was right to call out Kansas State’s defensive discipline

Klieman used two “awfuls” to describe the eye discipline of the defense. It was a problem for most of the night, which is surprising considering the level of play the Wildcats typically receive from what’s supposed to be one of the better linebacker groups in the Big 12.

North Dakota used plenty of motion to confuse the defense’s eyes, and it worked, especially in the first half and the fourth quarter. For whatever reason, the Fighting Hawks went away from it a little bit in the third quarter, leading to negative-10 yards of offense in the frame.

Other lapses in discipline also made appearances, particularly when the Wildcats ran into the kicker in the second quarter, resulting in a first down for UND. On the same drive, UND faced a second-and-21 when Justice Clemons got flagged for a face mask, extending the drive further, which ultimately resulted in a touchdown.

Kansas State gave up too many chunk plays in and-long situations

UND was second-for-6 when facing a third down with nine yards or more to go. That included a 23-yard pass on a third-and-22 and a 13-yard rush on third-and-10 on the same drive to end the first half. The drive resulted in a touchdown.

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Other and-long situations popped up after the Wildcats had success in earlier downs. When UND converted, those extended drives resulted in touchdowns.

  • Second-and-13 in the 2nd quarter — 25-yard rush (drive resulted in touchdown)
  • Fourth-and-6 in the 4th quarter — Eight-yard pass (drive resulted in touchdown)
  • Third-and-8 in the 4th quarter — 10-yard pass (drive resulted in touchdown)

Avery Johnson was lucky to finish game without interception

Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good. Avery Johnson’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Tibbs appeared to be intercepted in the endzone before it somehow landed in his receiver’s hands. There were a few plays where a Johnson pass sailed or was put in danger, making you wonder how he left the game without throwing a pick.

Johnson tends to receive a lot more criticism than he deserves. Without his late-game heroics, this would be an entirely different conversation. However, there were a few close calls that will require some cleanup.

Kansas State offensive line, rushing concerns remain

Against an FCS opponent, this was when you would’ve wanted to see the offensive line assert itself. After last week’s loss to Iowa State, when the Wildcats struggled to run the ball, this was supposed to be somewhat of a tune-up game.

Instead, a consistent ground game was still lacking. Of K-State’s 143 rushing yards, 91 of them came on nine carries it had of 10 yards or more. That means the Wildcats averaged 2.6 yards on their 20 other carries.

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There’s no question that the Wildcats miss Dylan Edwards, who was out with an ankle injury and may miss this week’s game against Army. The Wildcats still need to figure this out with the running backs they have.

Kansas State could have put the game away late in the third quarter, but got in its own way

Up 10 with the ball and 1:33 left in the third quarter, the Wildcats had a chance to put a nail in the coffin.

Johnson had a throw on the run to a wide-open Garrett Oakley that was dropped at the UND 16. In the following play, Johnson attempted to pull the ball on a fake to Joe Jackson, but it was fumbled, kicked backward, and turned into a 17-yard loss to end the quarter. Those two plays turned into a 37-yard difference in field position and at least three points coming off the board.

UND responded with a 71-yard touchdown drive, bringing the game within three with just over 10 minutes left, beginning the scare.

Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@gannett.com

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Runners will soon trek across North Dakota to bring awareness for families grieving the loss of a child – KVRR Local News

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Runners will soon trek across North Dakota to bring awareness for families grieving the loss of a child – KVRR Local News


FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — For more than 400 miles, 12 runners will trek across North Dakota to carry the stories of love, loss, and resilience from community to community.

“After having run Haven since 2017, the 10.15 Project came, and it just is so exciting because it’s really looking at pregnancy and infant loss and putting it in a new light. And really giving people the opportunity to do something that you can see and it’s meaningful,” said Jen Burgard, Founder and Executive Director of Haven.

The 10.15 Project was co-founded by Haven, an organization that supports grieving families. The relay begins on International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. And during the four days, the team hopes to bring awareness to families.

“It gives you pieces of solitude, of quiet, of reflection, and also a purpose. It gives you meaning, and I think endurance is one of the biggest pieces of this. It’s the endurance required to navigate pregnancy and infant loss is extreme. And I think this really mirrors that,” said Burgard.

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While many of the runners come from different fields, many have also experienced a loss themselves.

“When it happened in my family, it was kind of something we were all struck by. You realize how common it is. And you know, I want to bring light to that,” said Ty Casey, Runner and Learning and Development Specialist at TrueNorth Steel.

Casey has multiple runs planned over the next few months, but with this run in particular, he hopes this will bring awareness.

“If this is one thing that can help bring light to it and help people be more open and help people to talk about it, and take some of the grief away that would be totally ideal for us just to help out a little bit,” said Casey.

The relay begins on October 15 in Medora and will end on October 18th in Fargo.

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Behind the Badge – Spring Fever

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Spring Fever

District Game Warden Sam Feldmann

As winter begins to fade and ice fishing begins to slow, everyone gets the itch to be outside on nice days when it’s warming and the sun is shining. People are beginning to think about their garden or outdoor projects around the house they have been pondering all winter.

While others have been thinking about open water fishing, getting the boat ready, hitting the field to look for shed antlers in a favorite spot they’ve been watching deer all winter, or slipping into the field to lure a spring gobbler into shotgun range with a new call they’ve been practicing with all winter.

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With the excitement of warm weather and getting out to enjoy everything a spring day has to offer, I would like to remind everyone of a few things while enjoying what North Dakota has to offer.

This year is a registration year for all motorized watercrafts. This doesn’t just mean you have to renew your registration. It means that when you get the new red stickers sporting “28” on them that they must be affixed to both sides of the bow of the boat.

Another reminder is that if you are going shed hunting, there are a few things to remember. Shed antlers are legal to possess. This time of year, our officers receive lots of calls about shed hunters locating “dead heads,” which are animals that have died and the antlers are still attached to the skull plate.

If you happen to locate a dead head, you cannot possess it without contacting your local game warden and receiving a permit for the animal. Also, if you are going to shed hunt on posted private property or a Private Lands Opens To Sportsmen tract, you need to obtain permission to do so. Wildlife management areas and other state and federal lands are open to shed hunting, but a good rule of thumb is to check the regulations on public property before heading out.

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If you are going to be chasing turkeys this spring through the timber, there are a few things that should be remembered. Make sure you have your tag with you when you are in the field. Remember that your tag is only legal for one bearded wild turkey. If you are lucky enough to harvest a turkey you fooled into coming to your calling and decoy, you must tag it before doing anything else.

One last reminder for the spring activities. Remember that all licenses, whether it’s a hunting license or fishing license, expired March 31 and needed to be renewed as of April 1, 2026

With these few reminders out of the way, remember to have fun and enjoy what the great state of North Dakota has to offer.



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Retired Game & Fish Director facing new charge of molesting a child – KVRR Local News

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Retired Game & Fish Director facing new charge of molesting a child – KVRR Local News


MANDAN, N.D. (KVRR-KFGO) – Former North Dakota Game & Fish Director Terry Steinwand has been charged with molesting a child.

The Class “A” misdemeanor was filed after a Morton County District Court judge rejected a proposed plea agreement to a felony charge and prosecutors dismissed the charge while retaining the right to file an amended charge.

Steinwand is from Mandan. The 72-year-old is now charged with one count of sexual assault-offensive contact. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail.

Steinwand was originally charged in September, 2025, when police say he admitted to sexual misconduct.

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Steinwand worked for the Game & Fish Dept. for 40 years. He led the agency for about 15 years and retired in 2021.





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