North Dakota vs Long Island University

Jerry Kaminski threw for 232 yards and three touchdowns, Matt Lawson ran for two scores, and the Fighting Hawks (1-0) needed only 30 minutes to put the game away.

First quarter (22-0 UND): North Dakota marched 75 yards in 11 plays on the opening drive, capped by Kaminski's 14-yard touchdown pass to Korey Tai (Luke Silvernale kick) at 10:34. After an LIU punt, Kaminski found Caleb Goodloe for a 26-yard gain to set up Lawson's 4-yard touchdown run at 7:57, with Hunter Kallstrom converting the two-point rush to make it 15-0. The third score came on a 7-play, 74-yard drive ending with Kaminski's 5-yard pass to Nathan Hromadka at 4:40.

Second quarter (20-0 UND): Kaminski hit Goodloe for a 28-yard touchdown at 10:44, then Charles Langama rumbled in from 13 yards at 8:55. Lawson punched in his second score from 1 yard with 2:27 left before halftime. By the break, UND had 25 first downs to LIU's two and outgained the Sharks 435 yards to 36.

Second half (LIU 21-0): The Sharks refused to fold. Tyselle Spencer ran in from 13 yards at 9:59 of the third quarter (Will Johnson kick). Luca Stanzani then connected with Boakai Veikei on a 65-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left in the third. Stanzani capped a 16-play, 68-yard drive lasting 9:25 with a 1-yard quarterback sneak at 3:38 of the fourth quarter for the final margin.

The game was effectively over by the 10:44 mark of the second quarter. When Kaminski hit Goodloe for the 28-yard score making it 29-0, LIU had managed only 22 total yards on 14 plays. North Dakota's defence held the Sharks to 36 yards on 24 first-half plays and forced two turnovers. The 42-point cushion meant LIU's spirited second-half rally — 186 yards and three touchdowns — merely narrowed the final scoreline.

Jerry Kaminski, QB, North Dakota — Player of the Match: 232 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions. Completed 18 of 26 attempts. Efficient and decisive in the pocket, spreading the ball to six different receivers.

Caleb Goodloe, WR, North Dakota: 5 receptions, 118 yards, 1 touchdown. His 28-yard scoring catch and a 26-yard gain on the second drive were the big-play catalysts.

Matt Lawson, RB, North Dakota: 2 rushing touchdowns (4 yards, 1 yard). Part of a ground attack that churned out 197 rushing yards on 33 carries.

Luca Stanzani, QB, LIU: 173 passing yards, 1 touchdown, rushed for another score. Led the second-half revival with composure, including a 65-yard bomb to Veikei.

North Dakota's 435 first-half yards to LIU's 36 tells the whole story. UND finished with 524 total yards (327 passing, 197 rushing) against LIU's 271 (200 passing, 71 rushing). The Fighting Hawks converted 9 of 11 third-down attempts in the first half alone. LIU held UND scoreless in the second half — a small victory for the Sharks' defence — but the 42-0 halftime deficit proved insurmountable. The Sharks rushed for only 71 yards on 32 carries (2.2 yards per carry), neutralising any chance of controlling the clock.

No. 10/10 North Dakota (1-0) extended its home-opening winning streak to 19 games at the Division I level. The Fighting Hawks entered the season ranked in the top 10 of both the Stats Perform and AFCA preseason polls for the second time in program history. They travel to face Northern Arizona on 5 September.

LIU (0-1) showed fight in the second half but was overmatched in the opening 30 minutes. The Sharks host Saint Francis (PA) on 5 September in their home opener.

North Dakota looked every bit a top-10 FCS programme in the first half, with Kaminski orchestrating an offence that scored on every drive. The second-half letdown is a concern against stronger opponents, but the talent disparity was too wide for LIU to overcome. The Sharks' second-half resilience offers a foundation to build on.

• Newsday/Associated Press: "Kaminski, North Dakota unload early and cruise to 42-21 win over Long Island University" — https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/college-football/long-island-north-dakota-score-t66647
• North Dakota Athletics (fightinghawks.com): "Dominant first half propels No. 10 North Dakota to season-opening win over LIU" by Ryan Powell — https://fightinghawks.com/news/2026/8/27/football-dominant-first-half-pushes-no-10-north-dakota-to-season-opening-win-over-liu.aspx
• LIU Athletics box score — https://www.liuathletics.com/sports/football/stats/2026/north-dakota/boxscore/5973
• Yahoo Sports: LIU Sharks 21 - North Dakota Fighting Hawks 42 — https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/liu-sharks-north-dakota-fighting-hawks-202608270308/
• CBS Sports recap — https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/gametracker/recap/NCAAF_20260827_LIUPOST@NDK/
• Betmana provider payload (API Sports) — https://betmana.co.uk/nfl/match/usa/ncaa/season-2026/2026-08-28/22713-north-dakota-vs-long-island-university/