The NAU Lumberjacks went toe-to-toe against the 22nd-ranked North Dakota Fighting Hawks Saturday, only to fall short 27-24 in the Skydome in Flagstaff. The Lumberjacks started off the game with a touchdown from Kevin Daniels, but it was a dog fight from that point on. NAU led 7-6 in the second quarter when C.J. Siegel picked off NAU quarterback R.J. Martinez and returned it for a touchdown to give North Dakota a 13-7 lead. Then with 28-seconds left in the first half, Martinez found Coleman Owen on a fade pattern for the touchdown to go into the locker room with a 14-13 lead. The game remained 14-13 until the fourth quarter when the Jacks added a field goal to go up 17-13. Then with 5:26 to play, North Dakota retook the lead on and eight-yard touchdown pass to go up 20-24. NAU comes right down the field on an 11-play drive that finished another 12-yard touchdown pass from Martinez to Owen to put NAU up 24-20 with 1:42 to play. North Dakota then goes down the field in :49-seconds to score a touchdown on a 23-yard reverse pass as the Fighting Hawks win 27-24. Martinez was 33-47 with 324 yards and two touchdowns and Owen had nine catches for 136 yards an two touchdowns for the Lumberjacks. NAU kicks off the Big Sky Conference season at home against the Idabo Vandals Saturday. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. in the Skydome.