N. Iowa holds on to beat N. Dakota St.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Northern Iowa scored on four of its first five possessions, then held on to beat North Dakota State 23-13 Saturday in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Northern Iowa (5-2, 3-1), which has won three straight games, intercepted North Dakota State quarterback Ryan Mertens four times and recovered a fumble. The Panthers kept the Bison out of the end zone until midway though the fourth quarter when Mertens hit Kole Heckendorf on a 7-yard fade.

North Dakota State (3-4, 1-3) lost for the fourth time in five games.

Missouri St. 34, Illinois St. 28

NORMAL, Ill. — Cody Kirby ran for three touchdowns and passed for another to lead Missouri State over Illinois State.

Missouri State (3-3, 2-1 MVFC) was down 3-0 after the first period, before Kirby, playing quarterback, ran in a pair of touchdowns in the second period.

The score was an even 14-14 going into the break.

Kirby went on to score another pair of touchdowns in the last period, rushing for 1 yard and completing a 77-yard pass to Justin Fuselier.

Illinois State (2-4, 1-2) out-rushed Missouri State 351 to 190 yards. Geno Blow led the Redbirds with a touchdown in the second period off a 53-yard run. Blow rushed for 140 yards overall.

W. Illinois 56, Indiana St. 0

MACOMB, Ill. — Western Illinois quarterback Zach Wells passed for a pair of touchdowns and ran for a third to lead the Leathernecks over Indiana State.

Herb Donaldson ran for two touchdowns as did Chris Porter for Western Illinois (5-2, 3-1 MVFC). Dre Gibbs ran for one touchdown while Lito Senatus and Drew Helt each caught a Wells pass for touchdowns.

Matt Seliger and Ryan Roberts played at quarterback for Indiana State (0-7, 0-3) combining for 21 yards. They each were sacked once. Wells had 119 yards for Western Illinois.