Like most Power Five teams, Iowa has one game against an FCS team on its 2016 schedule.

For most teams, that’s usually penciled in as a blowout victory. Minnesota and Rutgers destroyed their FCS foes on Saturday, both of which were 50-point outputs.

Iowa isn’t treating its FCS opponent like an FCS opponent. The fact that North Dakota State won five straight FCS national titles and currently has a No. 1 FCS ranking certainly has something to do with that.

Iowa running back LeShun Daniels gave North Dakota State plenty of respect:

Iowa, of course, is coming off a 42-3 trouncing of intrastate rival Iowa State. Is that throwing a little shade at ISU to say that an FCS team is better than a Power Five team? Perhaps, but that doesn’t appear to be the main source of Daniels’ comment.

He’s well aware of the fact that the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, Carson Wentz, came from NDSU. The Bison have another capable quarterback in Easton Stick, who will present the Hawkeyes with their toughest dual-threat challenge to date.

After looking at their offense, Kirk Ferentz offered up a different comparison:

NDSU also enters Saturday’s game with an impressive track record against FBS teams. The Hawkeyes have likely been made well aware of that, too:

Screen Shot 2016-09-13 at 2.22.42 PM

On the flip side, NDSU hasn’t faced a team like Iowa yet. The No. 13 Hawkeyes enter Saturday riding a streak of 14 straight regular-season wins.

Still, FCS schools have fared well against some of the nation’s best this season.

Nicholls pushed No. 9 Georgia to the brink last weekend. LSU also needed Danny Etling to provide a spark to get past Jacksonville State. And not that Iowa State is one of the nation’s best, but the Cyclones fell victim to Northern Iowa in the season opener.

Inevitably, someone will predict NDSU to pull off the upset and they’ll recite all the elements previously mentioned.

So fear not, Iowa fans. NDSU is not being looked over.