FARGO, N.D. – Kalvin Gilbert and Payton Brown each scored their first touchdowns of the season as Southeast Missouri (1-2) fell to #1 North Dakota State (3-0), 41-14, Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of 17,354 at the Fargodome.
 
SEMO played NDSU for the first time and faced its first #1 Football Championship Subdivision opponent since 2021 (Sam Houston).
 
NDSU and SEMO traded scores on quick touchdowns in the first 4:23 of the contest.
 
RaJa Nelson caught a 15-yard pass in the end zone from Cole Payton just 2:45 into the game giving the Bison an early 7-0 advantage.
 
SEMO immediately answered in a short 1:38 when Gilbert scored on a 65-yard reception. Gilbert's first career touchdown tied the game at 7-7 with 10:37 remaining in the first quarter. It also marked the first touchdown scored against the Bison in three games this year.
 
Payton threw his second touchdown of the game, this time on a 75-yard strike to Bryce Lance regaining a 14-7 lead for the Bison at the 7:06 mark. That capped a two-play, 79-yard drive in 46 seconds and NDSU never trailed again.
 
NDSU tacked on three more points in the opening minute of the second quarter. Eli Ozick's 43-yard field goal widened the margin to 17-7.
 
The Bison scored their third touchdown in under 2:15 when Payton hooked up with Mekhi Collins on a 28-yard pass. 
 
SEMO then put together a nice 13-play, 81-yard drive consuming nearly six minutes. 
 
Payton Brown that march when he jumped over a pile at the goal line and landed in the end zone. Brown's first TD of the year made it a 24-14 game with 4:38 to go.
 
NDSU scored once more to take a 31-14 lead at the intermission.
 
The Bison put up 10 more points in the second half to finish off their third win of the season.
 
Jax Leatherwood completed 12-of-23 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown and ran for 20 yards on 10 carries. Gilbert, in his first career start, caught two passes for 67 yards, while Cam Pedro added four receptions for 53 yards.
 
SEMO's defense held NDSU to 2-of-10 on third down. Landon Sylvie led the Redhawks with nine tackles. Sylvie finished as SEMO's leading tackler every game thus far.
 
Payton led NDSU with 348 passing yards and four touchdowns. He ran for 53 yards and another score, as well. Lance had four receptions for a game-high 159 yards, including 91 after the catch.
 
The Bison accumulated 562 yards of total offense.
 
NDSU posted its 27^th-straight win in a home-opener. The Bison also improved to 77-1 at home against FCS non-conference teams.
 
SEMO returns home to host longtime rival #14 Southern Illinois on Sept. 20.