UND quarterback Tommy Schuster navigates the pocket Saturday, March 13, 2021, against Western Illinois in Macomb. Photo by Western Illinois Athletics.

By Tom Miller

March 14, 2021 at 11:18 PM

For the third week in a row, the UND football program has reached new heights in the STATS FCS Top 25.

UND is now ranked No. 2 in the nation in the latest national poll, which was released Monday.

UND received 10 of the 40 first-place votes.

North Dakota State is ranked No. 4.

UND and NDSU will meet Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the Fargodome.

The Fighting Hawks (4-0) started the season unranked. UND moved to No. 14 in the poll after beating Southern Illinois to start the season.

UND moved to No. 4 -- the program's highest ranking in the Division I era -- after beating then-No. 3 South Dakota State.

UND moved to No. 3 after a win over South Dakota and has now moved to No. 2 after winning at Western Illinois on Saturday in Macomb.

Top 25

1. James Madison (3-0, 1-0 CAA), 975 points (28 first-place votes)

2. North Dakota (4-0 Missouri Valley), 944 (10)

3. Weber State (2-0 Big Sky), 943 (2)

4. North Dakota State (4-1, 3-1 Missouri Valley), 829

5. Southern Illinois (4-1, 3-1 Missouri Valley), 815

6. South Dakota State (3-1 Missouri Valley), 811

7. Sam Houston (2-0 Southland), 743

8. Jacksonville State (6-1, 3-0 Ohio Valley), 716

9. Kennesaw State (2-0, 1-0 Big South), 707

10. Northern Iowa (2-2 Missouri Valley), 639

11. Chattanooga (2-1, 2-0 Southern), 483

12. Delaware (2-0 CAA), 464

13. Furman (3-1 Southern), 443

14. Villanova (1-1 CAA), 438

15. Eastern Washington (2-1 Big Sky), 425

16. Southeastern Louisiana (2-1 Southland), 394

17. Nicholls (3-1, 2-1 Southland), 357

18. Albany (1-1 CAA), 255

19. VMI (3-0 Southern), 253

20. New Hampshire (0-1 CAA), 228

21. UC Davis (1-1 Big Sky), 182

22. UIW (2-0 Southland), 179

23. Richmond (2-0 CAA), 150

24. Jackson State (3-0, 2-0 SWAC), 141

25. Murray State (3-0 Ohio Valley), 90

Dropped Out: Wofford (20), South Dakota (21), Illinois State (22), Monmouth (24)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Monmouth 71, Idaho 60, Rhode Island 58, Gardner-Webb 38, Illinois State 31, Maine 26, South Dakota 20, Austin Peay 16, Tarleton 15, San Diego 14, Wofford 14, ETSU 5

By Tom Miller

Miller has covered sports at the Grand Forks Herald since 2004 and was the state sportswriter of the year in 2019 and 2022.

His primary beat is UND football but also reports on a variety of UND sports and local preps.

He can be reached at (701) 780-1121, tmiller@gfherald.com or on Twitter at @tommillergf.

UND football moves up to No. 2 in national poll to set up showdown with No. 4 North Dakota State

UND and North Dakota State will meet Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Fargo in a matchup of Top 5 teams.

Top 25