NORMAL, Ill. — Illinois State had a problem with fumbles going into Saturday night's Missouri Valley Football Conference game against North Dakota State at Hancock Stadium. The Redbirds put the ball on the ground seven times in four previous games, losing three of them.

The bug bit the Redbirds in a big way.

Senior running back Victor Dawson had the ball stripped by Bison defensive end Kelton McCaslin and it was recovered by linebacker Nathaniel Staehling at Illinois State's 47 midway through the first quarter, setting up NDSU's first touchdown.

Quarterback Cole Payton's 13-yard touchdown run, ending with another hurdle over a defender, came seven plays later and gave the Bison a 7-2 lead.

The No. 1-ranked Bison beat the Redbirds 33-16.

"Huge," Bison head coach Tim Polasek s

See Full Page