DAVIS, Calif. ? After a back-and-forth scoring battle in the first half, UC Davis pulled away from the University of North Dakota to take a 34-21 victory in the Great West Conference opener for the Fighting Sioux.
The game had two lead changes in the first 18 minutes of play, but after that, the home team seemed to take control scoring consecutively with two touchdowns and two field goals. The UCD scoring was capped at 2:45 in the fourth quarter while UND kept pressuring until just 33 more ticks remained on the board.
This is the second road loss for North Dakota this season and the sixth straight home victory for the Aggies. UND is now 5-2 overall with a 0-1 mark in the GWC. UC Davis improved to 5-4, 1-0 GWC. The two-game series is now tied at 1-1.
Offensively, the Aggies led UND in nearly every category. They doubled the Sioux first down total (28-to-14) and both out-rushed (95-to-68) and out-passed (320-to-177) their visitors. The Aggie offensive statistic lead was aided by a tally of four sacks for a loss of 33 yards.
Senior quarterback Danny Freund (Kenosha, Wis.) finished with 177 yards on 21 completions and an in-air touchdown. He also tabbed a rushing TD of his own after driving a one-yard quarterback sneak in with 33.5 left on the clock. It was the only touchdown for the Sioux in the second half of play.
Sophomore running back Josh Murray (Pepin, Wis.) led the Sioux on the ground with 82 yards on 11 carries, senior wide receiver Brady Trenbeath (Cavalier, N.D.) had eight catches for 54 yards and senior safety Rory Manke (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) led the UND defense with eight total tackles.
Each team was successful on all three of its fourth down tries, but UC Davis was much more effective on third down, converting seven of 14 attempts while the Sioux made good on just four of 14.
This was the highest scoring game between the two teams as their first meeting ended with a total of 16 points ? 14 scored by UND alone.
For the ninth time this season, UC Davis found the end zone on its opening drive. With 9:16 on the clock, Greg Denham sent a short, four-yard toss to Bakari Grant for the Aggies' first-ever touchdown against the Fighting Sioux. Denham's pass was set up by a 12-play, 60-yard possession by UCD which included five first-downs.
Three plays in a span of one minute and thirteen seconds knotted the game at 7-7. A four-yard rush by Freund followed by a 16-yard rush by Murray brought UND to the 50-yard line. On the next play, Freund found freshman Ismael Bamba (Montreal, Quebec) on the far sideline for a 50-yard TD pass. Not only was this Bamba's second reception of the season, but it was his second TD as well. His first and longest was a 61-yard catch versus St. Cloud State (Sept. 6).
The teams went into the second quarter with UC Davis holding a 14-7 lead after scoring with nine seconds left before the whistle. On the third play of the possession, the Aggies were forced to a 1st-and-23 as Brad Kelley (Coon Rapids, Minn.) brought Denham down for 13 yards of loss. Able to jump back from the loss, UCD walked the ball down for a nine-play, 56-yard touchdown with 3:48 in possession which was capped by a Brandon Rice 11-yard touchdown reception.
On their first possession of the new quarter, UND took the ball 61 yards on seven plays. The Sioux moved into Aggie territory on a 46-yard run by Murray. Four plays later, Brandon Brady (Bloomington, Minn.) powered through the line from one yard out and with the Brandon Hellevang (Fargo, N.D.) kick, the scored was tied for the second time of the half.
With the game looking similar to a back-and-forth tennis match already, UC Davis took its first possession of the second quarter into UND territory and across the goal line to take a 21-14 lead. As the Sioux had just done, the Aggies pushed in from one yard out, this time the ball was in the hands of Dean Rogers.
Forced to punt on the next possession, UND put the ball back into the grips of the home team with 1:57 left on the clock. With the Aggies at 1st-and-19, Joel Schwenzfeier nabbed an inception in the end zone, but an offsides call on UND nulled the catch and gave it back to UCD. Unable to work their way into the end zone, Sean Kelley dropped in a field goal from 30 yards out.
The third quarter was scoreless, but it wasn't without its chances. In its second possession of the third quarter and longest of the game, UND tossed its way to the UCD15. A 12-yard sack for loss pushed the Sioux too far to chance it on fourth down. Hellevang setup for the 44-yard punch-in, but it was blocked by the UCD defense. It was the first time this season a UND field goal has been touched and the second time John Faletoese has had a hand on the ball this season.
The following UC Davis possession was ended after six plays as Matt Bodoh snatched a Denham pass and returned it for six yards. Unable to convert a 46-yard field goal attempt, the Aggies gained control once again.
As was done four possessions previous, Rogers plowed in from one yard out to put six more on the Aggie board. The extra point after solidified the lead and gave UCD the 31-14 advantage.
Seven minutes later, the Aggies pushed further ahead with a 36-yard field goal from Kelley.
In their last drive of the game, the Sioux kept fighting as they moved the ball 58 yards in a little over two minutes. Freund completed nine passes to four different receivers to bring the ball to the UCD one-yard line. He cut the lead by six himself with a quarterback sneak. Another PAT by Hellevang would set the score at a final UC Davis 34, North Dakota 21.
? Go Sioux ?
GAME NOTES: With his 160th reception in the second quarter, Brady Trenbeath moved into the No. 2 spot on the all-time receptions list (including postseason). Coming into the game, he was tied with Dan Grossman (2002-05) with 159 ... With a TD pass to Ismael Bamba, Danny Freund moved into the No. 3 spot on UND's all-time list ... Freund is also now tied for the No. 8 spot in all-time passing yards, he is also No. 9 in single-season TD passes ...
