2001 North Dakota Fighting Sioux football
NCAA Division II champion
NCC champion
ConferenceNorth Central Conference
Ranking
AFCANo. 4
Record14–1 (7–1 NCC)
Head coach
CaptainDan Graf, Kelby Klosterman, Travis O'Neel, Eric Schmidt
Home stadiumAlerus Center
Seasons
← 2000
2002 →
2001 North Central Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 North Dakota $^   7 – 1     14 – 1  
No. 15 Nebraska–Omaha ^   6 – 2     8 – 3  
No. 22 North Dakota State   5 – 3     7 – 3  
Northern Colorado   4 – 4     7 – 4  
South Dakota State   4 – 4     5 – 6  
Augustana (SD)   3 – 5     5 – 5  
Minnesota State   3 – 5     4 – 7  
St. Cloud State   3 – 5     4 – 7  
South Dakota   1 – 7     2 – 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

The 2001 North Dakota Fighting Sioux football team represented University of North Dakota in the 2001 NCAA Division II football season.[1] The Fighting Sioux won the NCAA Division II national championship, the team's first. Their head coach was Dale Lennon, a former fullback for the school. The team's quarterback was junior Kelby Klosterman, who threw thirty-two touchdowns and seven interceptions. The leading rusher was Jed Perkerewicz, who rushed for almost eight-hundred yards and seven touchdowns. Three receivers had at least eight touchdowns; Dan Graf had ten, Jesse Smith had nine, and Luke Schleusner had eight. Mac Schneider, an American attorney who now serves as United States Attorney for the District of North Dakota, started three games in a backup role as offensive lineman for the team and served as team captain his senior year. The defense had a plus nineteen turnover margin and allowed fewer than thirteen points a game and just three rushing touchdowns all season. Eric Schmidt led the defense with ten sacks.

Schedule

North Dakota got off to a 6–0–0 start, before playing on October 24 to face the 6–0–0 UNO Mavericks of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The game was tied at the end of regulation, with UNO winning in overtime, 27–24, by the margin of a field goal. The Omaha team lost 2 of its last 3 games, while the Sioux won all three of theirs, for the NCC title.

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
August 30at Central Washington*No. 14
W 17–141,250[2]
September 8Minnesota–Crookston*No. 12
W 57–6[3]
September 15Northern ColoradoNo. 11
  • Alerus Center
  • Grand Forks, ND
W 13–79,265[4]
September 21New Haven*No. 11
  • Alerus Center
  • Grand Forks, ND
W 42–108,850[5]
September 29South Dakota StateNo. 11
  • Alerus Center
  • Grand Forks, ND
W 44–99,182[6]
October 6No. 2 North Dakota StateNo. 11
W 19–713,500[7]
October 13at St. Cloud StateNo. 3
W 35–283,133[8]
October 20No. 2 Nebraska–OmahaNo. 3
  • Alerus Center
  • Grand Forks, ND
L 24–27 OT12,580[9]
October 27at Minnesota StateNo. 8
W 28–141,741[10]
November 3Augustana (SD)No. 6
  • Alerus Center
  • Grand Forks, ND
W 37–149,847[11]
November 10at South DakotaNo. 5
W 48–73,735[12]
November 17No. 13 Winona State*No. 4
W 42–286,700[13]
November 24No. 6 Pittsburg State*No. 4
  • Alerus Center
  • Grand Forks, ND (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal)
W 38–08,222[14]
December 1No. 12 UC Davis*No. 4
  • Alerus Center
  • Grand Forks, ND (NCAA Division II Semifinal)
W 14–211,696[15]
December 8vs. No. 2 Grand Valley State*No. 4
W 17–146,113[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game

[17]

2001 NCAA Division II Playoffs

After finishing the season at 10–1–0 and winning the North Central Conference title, The University of North Dakota qualified for the playoffs as a home team. The first-round game brought the Winona State Warriors to Grand Forks on November 17. Kelby Klosterman threw six touchdown passes, tying the Division II playoff record. The first two TDs were made from catches by John Kyvig, and the last four were to Jesse Smith, and the Sioux won 42–28. Brian Wilhelmi also had one assisted tackle on the punt team to cap the victory.

The Pittsburg State Gorillas were the next team to visit Grand Forks, on November 24 for the quarterfinal round. Cameron Peterka broke the NCAA playoff record with a 59-yard field goal at the close of the first half. The Sioux held Pittsburg State to minus 17 (−17) yards rushing on their way to a 38–0 win.

The semifinal game on December 1 brought the UC-Davis Aggies to Grand Forks, and the Sioux had a 14–0 lead with 30 seconds left. With UND on its own 3 yard line on fourth down, Coach Dale Lennon directed Klosterman to down the ball in the end zone for a safety, giving the Californians their only points in the 14–2 game. North Dakota earned its first ever trip ever to the Division II championship game in Florence, Alabama, to face the Lakers of Michigan's Grand Valley State University.

Though UND had a 7–3 lead at the half, the Lakers took a 14–10 lead with 2:46 to play after Ryan Brady ran 12 yards for a touchdown. The Sioux had the ball on their 20-yard line as the game was winding down. Klosterman's first two passes were incomplete, and on third, he ran for yardage, but the Sioux were still 2 yards short on fourth down. Klosterman gambled and ran seven yards to keep the drive alive. Three downs later, the Sioux were at their 41-yard line, and it was fourth down again. Gambling again, Klosterman completed a pass to Luke Schleusner to get the first down, but Schleusner eluded a tackler and, with the help of a block by Jesse Smith, made it to the one yard line. With 29 seconds to play, Jed Perkerewicz took the handoff for the winning touchdown, giving the Sioux the 2001 Division II national championship.

Roster

2001 North Dakota Fighting Sioux football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 2 Jesse Smith Jr
WR 89 Luke Schleusner Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
CB 1 Thayne Bosh Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: 2001-11-11

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 10, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2018.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "North Dakota scores early, holds on to beat Central Washington". The News Tribune. September 1, 2001. p. C3. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Bakken, Ryan (September 9, 2001). "UND starts strong in Alerus Center". The Bismarck Tribune. p. 4D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Bakken, Ryan (September 16, 2001). "Perkerewicz sparks UND over Northern Colorado". The Bismarck Tribune. p. 6D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Klosterman leads Sioux past Chargers". The Bismarck Tribune. Associated Press. September 22, 2001. p. 3D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Bakken, Ryan (September 30, 2001). "Sioux roll past SDSU". The Bismarck Tribune. p. 5D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Collins, Kerry (October 7, 2001). "Sioux-per display by UND's defense". The Bismarck Tribune. p. 1D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Hatten, Mick (October 14, 2001). "Huskies' 'D' gets tricky". St. Cloud Times. p. 5D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Bakken, Ryan (October 21, 2001). "Omaha surges late in game to defeat Sioux". The Bismarck Tribune. p. 1D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Klosterman leads UND past Mavericks, 28-14". The Bismarck Tribune. Associated Press. October 28, 2001. p. 4D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Augustana falls at North Dakota". Argus-Leader. Associated Press. November 4, 2001. p. 4C. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Sioux clinch NCC crown". The Bismarck Tribune. Associated Press. November 11, 2001. p. 5D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "North Dakota ousts Winona State in D-II regional". St. Joseph News-Press. Associated Press. November 18, 2001. p. D3. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Klosterman leads way as North Dakota rips Pittsburg State, 38-0". Argus-Leader. November 25, 2001. p. 3C. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Bakken, Ryan (December 2, 2001). "Defense shines as Sioux make national finals for first time". The Bismarck Tribune. p. 1D. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Sioux rally for title". Star Tribune. Associated Press. December 9, 2001. p. C7. Retrieved May 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "2001 M Football Schedule". University of North Dakota Athletics. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
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