FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State fullback Hunter Luepke was named Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, March 22, following his performance in NDSU’s 34-13 home win over North Dakota.
Playing in his first game of the spring after returning from injury, Luepke posted career highs in carries (28), rushing yards (190) and touchdowns (3) as the Bison derailed then No. 2-ranked North Dakota. Luepke scored on a 55-yard run on his first touch in the game’s opening minute and later added 8- and 5-yard rushing TDs.
The win over UND vaulted NDSU to the No. 2 spot in this week’s Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll, marking the third straight week the Bison have moved up in the poll after dropping to No. 6 with their loss at Southern Illinois. NDSU was fifth after beating Missouri State and fourth after a win over Illinois State.
North Dakota State (5-1, 4-1 MVFC) is scheduled to play South Dakota (1-3, 1-3 MVFC) at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D. The Bison are in a three-way tie for first place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with North Dakota and South Dakota State.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25
March 22, 2021
| Team (First-Place) | W-L | Pts | Prev | |
| 1 | James Madison (29) | 3-0 | 969 | 1 |
| 2 | North Dakota State (6) | 5-1 | 939 | 4 |
| 3 | Weber State (2) | 2-0 | 926 | 3 |
| 4 | South Dakota State (2) | 4-1 | 879 | 6 |
| 5 | Sam Houston State (1) | 3-0 | 816 | 7 |
| 6 | North Dakota | 4-1 | 809 | 2 |
| 7 | Jacksonville State | 7-1 | 765 | 8 |
| 8 | Kennesaw State | 3-0 | 715 | 9 |
| 9 | Chattanooga | 3-1 | 653 | 11 |
| 10 | Southern Illinois | 4-2 | 586 | 5 |
| 11 | Delaware | 2-0 | 559 | 12 |
| 12 | Eastern Washington | 2-1 | 480 | 15 |
| 13 | Incarnate Word | 3-0 | 434 | 22 |
| 14 | VMI | 4-0 | 419 | 19 |
| 15 | UC Davis | 2-1 | 405 | 21 |
| 16 | Villanova | 1-1 | 398 | 14 |
| 17 | Nicholls State | 3-1 | 352 | 17 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 2-0 | 280 | NR |
| 19 | Murray State | 4-0 | 279 | 25 |
| 20 | Furman | 3-2 | 249 | 13 |
| 21 | Richmond | 2-0 | 198 | 23 |
| 22 | Northern Iowa | 2-3 | 179 | 10 |
| 23 | Southeastern Louisiana | 2-2 | 158 | 16 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | 0-1 | 122 | 20 |
| 25 | Maine | 2-1 | 77 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Idaho 63, Missouri State 60, Gardner-Webb 41, San Diego 40, Albany 30, Tarleton State 28, Jackson State 23, Monmouth 22, Duquesne 13, East Tennessee State 13, Illinois State 9.
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