Joe Molberg prepares to throw the ball earlier this season agaisnt Montana. Molberg has become one of the top freshman quarterbacks in the FCS after a 355 passing yard performance last weekend against the Eagles. File photo.

The North Dakota football team (2-4, 1-2 Big Sky Conference) will look to bounce back from a tough Homecoming loss against Eastern Washington this weekend by hosting Sacramento State at the Alerus Center.

Saturday’s contest will be the first ever visit for Sacramento State to the Alerus Center, and just its second trip to Grand Forks.

The last time the Hornets visited was 34 years ago when North Dakota blanked Sacramento State 31-0 at Memorial Stadium. A win this weekend would bring UND back to the .500 mark in conference play and keep playoff hopes alive in week seven of the season.

“The energy and the passion that you watch these kids play with has really stepped up,” UND coach Chris Mussman said. “For improvements these past two weeks, that’s what I really point to.”

Sacramento State also served as UND’s inaugural Big Sky Conference opponent last season in Sacramento. North Dakota’s ground offensive had an impressive outing that game against the Hornets, as it posted 294 rushing yards — a mark that has remained a team best since moving to the Big Sky Conference.

UND fans will have an opportunity to witness school history in the making as senior wide receiver Greg Hardin chases the all-time receiving yards record. Hardin already has claimed the single-season receiving yards record with 3,022 with five games left to play in his collegiate career.

Former North Dakota wide receiver Weston Dressler owns the current receiving yards record with 3,382 — a figure that Hardin could surpass within two contests. In addition to receiving yards, Dressler also owns the career receptions record with 199, while Hardin sits at 180 after last week’s five-reception performance against Eastern Washington.

North Dakota also finds deep reception threats in sophomores Kenny Golladay and Jameer Jackson. The underclassmen both posted career highs in receptions against Eastern Washington this past weekend. Golladay hauled in nine passes for 125 yards, while Jackson added a game-high 10 receptions for 110 yards.

The Green and White’s passing offense has been anchored this season by redshirt freshman quarterback Joe Mollberg. Mollberg has cemented himself as one of the top freshmen quarterbacks in the FCS this season after a huge 355 passing yard performance against the Eagles last weekend. The freshman has completed 64.7 percent of his passes this season, placing him 21st overall in the FCS while his 1,226 passing yards rank third most amongst freshman FCS quarterbacks.

October has been designated North Dakota Strong Month for North Dakota athletics in support of the fight against Breast Cancer. Saturday’s contest against Sacramento State has been designated as the North Dakota Strong football game in the campaign against breast cancer in the region.

Kick-off for Saturday’s game at the Alerus Center is slated for 2:35 pm. Fans may watch the game for free on an online stream at www.WatchBigSky.com and on Midco Sports Network.

David Butz is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected]