North Dakota
No. 4 Montana sees lead slip away in 27-24 loss at No. 23 North Dakota
![No. 4 Montana sees lead slip away in 27-24 loss at No. 23 North Dakota No. 4 Montana sees lead slip away in 27-24 loss at No. 23 North Dakota](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8071fc2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/512x269+0+0/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0e%2Fa9%2F8fce3e1840379e657042de1f1ba9%2Ffontes.jpg)
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — All the momentum Montana had built had wilted away, and a tale of two halves resulted in an agonizing loss for the No. 4-ranked Grizzlies.
North Dakota erased a 17-point second half deficit to knock off Montana 27-24 in a matchup of top-25 FCS teams at the Alerus Center. The 23rd-ranked Fighting Hawks dominated the second half thanks to a persistent ground attack, second-half TDs by quarterback Simon Romfo and Gaven Ziebarth, and a pair of fourth-quarter field goals by C.J. Elrichs.
Elrichs’ 40-yard kick with 2:16 remaining put UND ahead 27-24, and a final possession by the Grizzlies resulted in a missed 55-yard field goal try by Ty Morrison.
Montana led 24-7 at halftime. Three consecutive touchdown drives by the Griz in the first half accounted for a sizeable advantage.
Xavier Harris, one of the heroes of last week’s win versus Missouri State, had a 37-yard touchdown catch and Eli Gillman broke free for a 63-yard scoring run. Finally, Aaron Fontes took an end-around 18 yards to the end zone as UM went up 21-7.
A 30-yard field goal by Morrison before the end of the first half extended the Grizzlies’ lead to 17 points.
But things changed drastically in the second half as UND’s defense forced three consecutive three-and-outs and the Fighting Hawks’ offense asserted itself on the ground. Ziebarth’s 2-yard TD run in the third cut into UND’s deficit to make it 24-14. Romfo then burst up the middle for a 19-yard scoring run (after bobbling the snap) to make it 24-21 later in the third.
The Grizzlies’ failure to move the chains on subsequent possessions allowed for Elrichs’ two fourth-quarter field goals, both of which were critical. On the winning drive, UND converted a fourth-and-1 and third-and-11 plays to keep the possession alive.
“They did a good job, but that wasn’t good enough by us,” head coach Bobby Hauck stated in a UM press release. “We had the game in hand, in control, I thought we were in the right frame of mind coming out of halftime and they got a big stop and then we just didn’t execute and get some first downs.”
“It was a wild game, good job by North Dakota coming back and getting us,” Hauck said. “But you know, I really think the enemy is us and that starts with me, certainly. We can’t go through them like that in the first half and then come out and not be able to get a first down in the second half, that’s ridiculous.”
Turning point: Both of the aforementioned conversion plays by North Dakota were significant. First, facing fourth-and-1, 240-pounder Quincy Vaughn dove over the line near midfield — with a little push from his teammates — to move the chains. Later, Romfo beat a Griz blitz with a pass to Nate Demontagnac for 12 yards on third-and-11.
That all led to Elrichs’ final attempt, which provided UND with the winning points with 2:16 remaining.
Stat of the game: Several numbers didn’t fall Montana’s way, especially in the second half. The Grizzlies managed to convert just one first down in the final 30 minutes, and that came on a 32-yard scramble by QB Keali’I Ah Yat on UM’s final drive. Otherwise the Grizzlies were sacked six times and were outgained on the ground 243 to 160.
Grizzly game balls: S Chrishawn Gordon (Defense). For a unit that was on the field way too much in the second half, Gordon stood out. He made seven total tackles (six solo) with 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
What’s next: Montana, now 1-1, returns home next Saturday to play its third non-league game of the schedule against Morehead State of the Pioneer Football League.
Morehead State is located in Morehead, Ky. It will be the first ever meeting between the Grizzlies and the Eagles. The game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
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North Dakota
North Dakota woman dies from Aug. 8 crash
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Officials have released the name of the woman who died nearly a month after an Aug. 8 afternoon motorcycle crash on South Dakota Highway 79 in Butte County.
Neighbors react to shootings at west Sioux Falls home
Julie L. Ostlund, 56, was driving a motorcycle southbound on Highway 79 near mile marker 157 when the motorcycle drifted off the road to the right, struck a pole and landed in the west ditch, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (DPS) said. Ostlund died on Sept. 3.
Ostlund was from Berthold, North Dakota. She was not wearing a helmet, according to the DPS.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
North Dakota
Tennessee State vs North Dakota State score today: Live updates from Week 2 game
![Tennessee State vs North Dakota State score today: Live updates from Week 2 game Tennessee State vs North Dakota State score today: Live updates from Week 2 game](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/09/04/PNAS/75079305007-jalen.jpeg?auto=webp&crop=4095,2305,x0,y384&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Eddie and Eriq George talk about TSU’s season-opening win
Tennessee State claimed its first season-opening win in the Eddie George coaching era Saturday when the Tigers beat Mississippi Valley State.
Tennessee State football (1-0) under coach Eddie George is coming off its first season-opening win since 2019.
Winning Game 2 will be far more difficult as the Tigers travel for the first time to No. 2 North Dakota State’s Fargodome.
TSU knocked off Mississippi Valley State last week 41-21. That win came against an opponent that went 1-10 last season.
North Dakota State (0-1) has won 17 national championships, including nine since 2011. The Bison opened the 2024 season by giving Colorado a scare before losing 31-26.
TSU is trying to open the season at 2-0 for the first time since 2018.
Tennessee State vs North Dakota State score updates
Tennessee State vs North Dakota State time today
- Date: Saturday
- Time: 2:30 p.m. CT
- Location: Fargo, North Dakota
What channel is Tennessee State football vs North Dakota State game on today?
- TV channel: ESPN+
- Radio: WNSR 560 AM, 95.9 FM
Watch Tennessee State football vs North Dakota State live on ESPN+ (subscribe today)
Tennessee State vs. North Dakota State history
∎ First game in the series
Tennessee State vs. North Dakota State prediction
Tennessee State has challenged plenty of tough opponents in George’s tenure, including Notre Dame in 2023. The Tigers have not yet beaten any of those teams but did manage to give Notre Dame some trouble midway through the first half last season. It will be a struggle for the Tigers to stay close with one of the nation’s best FCS programs. North Dakota State 42, Tennessee State 14
Tennessee State vs North Dakota State injury updates
∎ Tennessee State reported no injuries.∎ North Dakota State safety Cole Wisniewski is out with a foot injury. Running back Barika Kpeenu is questionable with a knee injury.
Tennessee State football 2024 schedule
∎ Aug. 31 TSU 41, Mississippi Valley St. 21∎ Sept. 7 at North Dakota St.∎ Sept. 14 vs. Arkansas-Pine-Bluff in Memphis∎ Sept. 21 at Tennessee Tech∎ Sept. 28 Charleston Southern∎ Oct. 5 at Lindenwood∎ Oct. 12 Eastern Illinois∎ Oct. 19 at Howard∎ Nov. 2 UT Martin∎ Nov. 9 at Western Illinois∎ Nov. 16 at Gardner-Webb∎ Nov. 23 Southeast Missouri
Purchase Tennessee State football tickets
North Dakota State football 2024 schedule
∎ Aug. 29 Colorado 31, North Dakota St. 26∎ Sept. 7 Tennessee State∎ Sept. 14 at East Tennessee St.∎ Sept. 21 Towson∎ Sept. 28 Illinois St.∎ Oct. 5 North Dakota ∎ Oct. 12 at Southern Illinois ∎ Oct. 19 South Dakota St.∎ Oct. 26 at Murray St.∎ Nov. 2 Northern Iowa∎ Nov. 16 Missouri St.∎ Nov. 23 at South Dakota
Tennessee State football news
∎ Tennessee State football pays tribute to center Chazan Page, killed in April with delay of game penalty
∎ Eddie George gets first season-opening win of his Tennessee State football career
∎ Why Eddie George is finally happy with Tennessee State football’s running backs
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Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
North Dakota
Port: Measure 2 is needed reform for North Dakota's initiated measure process
![Port: Measure 2 is needed reform for North Dakota's initiated measure process Port: Measure 2 is needed reform for North Dakota's initiated measure process](https://cdn.forumcomm.com/dims4/default/0977a99/2147483647/strip/true/crop/640x480+0+0/resize/1421x1066!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffcc-cue-exports-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Finforum%2Fbinary%2Fmessages_0%20%281%29_binary_7130725.jpeg)
MINOT — You readers of this column are, on average, well-informed and politically literate, but I would not be surprised if most of you couldn’t give me a description of Measure 2, on which we will be asked to cast our ballots in November.
It’s
a constitutional amendment initiated by the Legislature
that, if approved by voters, would limit future ballot measures to no more than a single subject, bar people who aren’t North Dakota residents from circulating petitions in support of a ballot measure, and for constitutional measures, require two votes for approval — one on the June primary ballot, and once again on the November ballot. Oh, and for constitutional amendments, the required number of signatures would go up, from 4% of the statewide population to 5%.
These are weighty, consequential changes to the initiated measure process. You probably know little about them, because our lawmakers have a terrible habit of putting proposals like this one on the ballot and then doing next to nothing to make the case for them. This proposed amendment was passed in the state House and Senate with large supermajorities — 73-18 in the former, 44-2 in the latter — yet where are those majorities now to explain the merits of this measure to voters?
They’re nowhere to be found, perhaps because they lack confidence that voters will support it.
According to the North Dakota Poll,
sponsored by the North Dakota News Cooperative, just 36% of voters supported the proposal in November, while 46% said they opposed it.
Those aren’t good numbers for the measure’s proponents, but they also don’t paint a picture of an unwinnable argument. They communicate a need for persuasion, but this measure will fail if nobody organizes the affirmative argument.
So, in the spirit of Don Quixote tilting at a windmill, allow me to make the case.
Let’s concede that our initiated measure process is deeply broken. Supporters of the status quo (who are, if you look carefully, usually paid political professionals) would have you believe that the petitioning process is some exercise in pure citizen activism. It is not. It has become a playground for deep-pocketed interests who pay temp workers hundreds of thousands of dollars to hound North Dakotans for enough signatures to get their pet projects on the ballot.
Signature fraud is almost routine, and what little lawmakers have done to try to close the loopholes that allow this fraud has been furiously opposed by the aforementioned paid activists because they like the loosey-goosey status quo that allows them to bulldoze their way onto the ballot.
Still, the public has made clear that they want this process to exist despite the apparent problems attendant to approving complicated legislation at the ballot box. So, Measure 2 is a compromise. It preserves the process but makes some necessary tweaks — no more complex proposals aimed at bamboozling voters or armies of out-of-state mercenaries to harass you for signatures at the farmers market or street fair. And amendments to our constitution would get extra scrutiny. Two votes, instead of one, and a higher signature threshold.
These proposals will not fix what ails the initiated measure process, but they will at least improve it. I hope you’ll vote yes.
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