5 things you might've missed in UND's 38-19 win over Southern Illinois

Oct. 18—CARBONDALE, Ill. — The UND football program won a second-straight road game for the first time since 2022 in a 38-19 blowout of Southern Illinois on Saturday at Saluki Stadium.

Here are five things you might’ve missed during the game.

On a 45-yard run in the second quarter, UND running back Gaven Ziebarth stayed down on the turf and needed to be attended to by medical staff.

Ziebarth didn’t come back in the game and was wearing a sling in the second half.

“It doesn’t look good,” UND head coach Eric Schmidt said. “I don’t want to too much, just because you know the family and him, but you can look in a kid’s eye and know. When he feels like it’s serious, you know. He just doesn’t have a great look in his eye right now. So we’ll know more tomorrow and get him with the doctors tomorrow morning. We’ll let (the media) know on Monday.”

UND traveled true freshman Charles Langama, who had six carries for 41 yards after Ziebarth’s exit.

Schmidt received surprise information pre-game against Southern Illinois on his kicking situation.

Starting field goal kicker C.J. Elrichs suffered an injury during warm-ups.

Kenten Laughman, who had handled UND’s kickoffs this season, connected on all five extra points.

Laughman also drilled a short 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

“That’s why you bring two holders, two kickers and two punters,” Schmidt said. “Kenten had to go today because C.J. felt something pop in warm-ups. Kenten did a agreat job coming in and answering the bell there. I always say, you’ve got to work while you wait. And I think he’s done a great job of that. I was excited for him to be able to go out there and step in and not miss a beat.”

UND learned late Friday afternoon while on the team’s charter plane that forecasted inclement weather was going to push the Fighting Hawks’ kickoff from 2 p.m. to noon.

“There’s maybe a little adversity; here’s one of the harder places to play in the league as far as you’ve got to drive an hour away and drive another hour in the morning,” Schmidt said, referencing how opposing teams often stay in Mount Vernon, Ill., due to the limited lodging options in Carbondale. “We just told our guys, bad teams worry about the circumstances they’re under. We’re going to be anybody, anytime, anywhere.”

UND’s 311 yards were a season-high on the ground as a team.

Sawyer Seidl led the way with 108 and three rushing touchdowns, while Gaven Ziebarth had 53 rushing yards, Jerry Kaminski had 42 rushing yards and Charles Langama had 41 rushing yards.

Langama, a rookie from Maple Grove, Minn., had a 26-yard run in the fourth quarter in the most extensive action of his young career.

“Chuck’s going to be a really good player for us,” Schmidt said. “To have a stable of backs like that and run behind the offensive line we have, that’s going to be our identity here for a long time. That’s how you go on the road and win is just establish dominance at the line of scrimmage. Keep running the football. And I thought our guys did a great job of that.”

UND held Southern Illinois to 5-for-15 on third down.

The Fighting Hawks started the game forcing SIU into consecutive three-and-outs. Both drives featured third-and-2 situations.

“We were able to get off the field,” Schmidt said. “I do think a little bit … the way teams are trying to attack us on third down. You know, we’ve proven that we can stop the run. I think anytime you’re trying to throw the ball on third-and-2, you’re going to get some of those but we talked to our guys. That’s the respect you have as a defense now.”

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