North Dakota routs S. Illinois in a spring season opener

Updated Feb. 20, 2021 4:45 p.m. ET

Associated Press

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Tommy Schuster threw three touchdown passes, Otis Weah had 91 yards rushing and a score, and North Dakota beat Southern Illinois 44-21 on Saturday in a FCS spring season opener.

Weah carried 13 times and his 1-yard TD run midway through the third quarter gave the Fighting Hawks a 22-14 lead. Schuster had added two of his three TD passes later in the third to stretch the lead to 37-14. Schuster finished 15-of-23 passing for 118 yards.

to give North Dakota a 16-7 lead with 1:39 remaining. Lyles left the game with a rib injury and did not return.

Nic Baker led a 75-yard drive, capped by Romeir Elliott’s 1-yard TD run, to cut the Salukis' deficit to 16-14 at halftime.

North Dakota (1-0, 1-0 Missouri Valley Football Conference) began its first season as a MVFC member after spending the previous two as an FCS Independent. The Fighting Hawks face South Dakota State at home on Saturday.

Southern Illinois (1-1, 0-1), which beat Southeast Missouri 20-17 on Oct. 30, hosts North Dakota State on Saturday. Schools which played in the fall will have their results considered in the selection process for the spring championship field.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25