Levi Jordheim recovered three fumbles, Robbie Grimsley had a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown and host North Dakota State took advantage of five turnovers to beat Northern Iowa 30-14 on Saturday.
Jordheim's three fumble recoveries, two created by teammate Nick DeLuca, tied the school record set in 1976 by Don Meyers.
The Bison (8-0, 5-0 Missouri Valley), ranked No. 2 in the FCS, entered the game as the nation's top-ranked defensive team and had six sacks and 12 tackles for loss. NDSU held the Panthers (4-4, 3-2) to just 48 yards rushing. DeLuca led the defense with seven tackles, four solo, two sacks and two tackles for loss.
Grimsley's pick-six tied the score at 7-all at halftime. Ty Brooks scored on a 22-yard run for the Bison in the second half, Cam Pedersen kicked a 23-yard field goal, Easton Stick threw a 31-yard score to RJ Urzendowski and Bruce Anderson scored on a 1-yard run.
Eli Dunne threw two touchdown passes to Daurice Fountain for Northern Iowa (4-4, 3-2).
South Dakota State 52, Western Illinois 24: Taryn Christion threw for 386 yards and five touchdowns and ran for another score as the Jackrabbits (6-2, 3-2 MVC) pulled away from the Leathernecks (5-3, 2-3) in Macomb, Ill.
SDSU scored 21 points in the third quarter and eclipsed the 50-point mark for the second week in a row and fourth time this season. Christion, a junior, moved into second place in school history with 58 career touchdown passes. He's thrown 21 TDs in eight games this season.
Christion put South Dakota State ahead for good, 24-17, on a 1-yard scoring pass to Jake Wieneke 55 seconds before halftime. In the third, he threw scoring passes to Marquise Lewis for 46, found Wieneke from 6-yards out and Mikey Daniel ran it in from 2 yards out.
