VERMILLION, S.D.-The UND scout team offense might be the best-equipped in the FCS to imitate South Dakota star Chris Streveler, a powerful 6-foot-3, 215-pound dual-threat quarterback.
UND scout team quarterback Nate Ketteringham, a Sacramento State transfer sitting out this season per NCAA transfer rules, is a 6-foot-3, 220-pound dual-threat quarterback with a strong list of accomplishments in his own right.
"As far as athletically, our scout quarterbacks are doing a great job," UND starting inside linebacker Jake Disterhaupt said. "But it's hard to prepare for a 230-pound quarterback when we're not tackling. That part will have to come on gameday."
No. 10 UND will have its sights set on the power running of Streveler when the Fighting Hawks take on No. 23 South Dakota at 2 p.m. today at the DakotaDome.
"That's our main emphasis right now," Disterhaupt said.
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Streveler, a transfer from Minnesota, sets up the passing game with his power running skills. He threw for four touchdowns and more than 200 yards against UND a year ago.
"They beat us on a few things last year that we're going to have to try to clean up," UND coach Bubba Schweigert said.
UND and South Dakota played a double-overtime thriller in 2016, a game in which the Fighting Hawks trailed 34-14 in the second half and used a pair of interceptions returned for touchdowns to pull off the comeback win in the Alerus Center.
Signs are pointing to another close battle for the FCS' only matchup of Top 25 teams during Week 3.
Online gambling lines are showing the Coyotes as slight favorites, despite FCS polls saying otherwise. USD followers feel they have the program's best team in the Division I era in 2017.
USD has started this year 2-0 with a blowout victory over Drake and the program's second FBS victory-a 35-27 win over Bowling Green. USD scored on 11 of the team's first 13 offensive possessions in 2017.
Streveler hasn't thrown an interception yet this season, and the Coyotes are stopping the run better than the defense did in 2016.
The DakotaDome, built in 1979, is expecting a near sellout of 10,000 for USD's home opener.
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UND and USD, who haven't played in Vermillion since 2009, will meet for the 95th time.
A week ago, UND was the only Big Sky Conference team to beat a Missouri Valley Football Conference foe in the five matchups.
The Fighting Hawks blanked Missouri State 34-0. UND, though, is expecting a much stiffer test against USD, an up-and-coming MVFC opponent.
UND will join the MVFC in 2020.
"We're going to play how we want to play football," UND running back Brady Oliveira said. "It's a different opponent, a different location, but it's still football. We'll do what we do best and play smart, tough and physical football."
