GRAND FORKS, N.D.--If Fighting Sioux head coach Chris Mussman had a checklist for tonight's 2008 season opener, he'd likely be ecstatic with the way it looks.
A win in the program's first game as a Division I Football Championship Subdivison member?
Check.
A win in his head coaching debut, gatorade shower included?
Check.
Turnover-free offense?
Check.
A defense that got better as the game went on?
Check.
A crowd of 11,434, the largest for a season opener in Alerus Center history?
Icing on the cake.
UND scored 34 straight points in the second and third quarters to roll to a 40-14 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville tonight in front of the 10th-largest crowd in Alerus history.
Sioux senior wide receiver Brady Trenbeath sparked the offense, snagging nine catches for a career-high 171 yards and touchdown receptions of 25 and 28 yards.
Trenbeath and the Sioux offense rebounded from a slow start that saw UND put together just two first downs and three points – a 31-yard Brandon Hellevang field goal – in the first quarter. In fact, the visiting Javelinas led 7-3 after the opening 15 minutes on a Logan Morris 1-yard touchdown plunge.
But the Sioux heated up and put together a pair of scoring drives in the second quarter to take hold of the momentum.
First, facing 3rd-and-19, senior quarterback Danny Freund connected with Trenbeath on a 25-yard effort to put the Sioux up 10-7 early in the second quarter.
Then just under seven minutes later, Freund plowed his way into the zone from one yard out, pushing the Sioux lead to 17-7 going into the half.
The Sioux offense picked up right where it left off, piling up 21 third-quarter points to put the game away.
Sophomore running back Josh Murray raced around the left end and deftly cut past a Javelina defender to score from 13 yards out, then senior back Brandon Brady hit paydirt on a 1-yard plunge to make it 30-7 with 5:34 left in the third quarter. The Sioux were unable to add the extra point after a botched snap that was recovered by Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Trenbeath added the punctuation mark to the third-quarter explosion, reeling in his second touchdown grab on a 28-yard hookup from Freund with 32 seconds left in the period.
The Javelinas' finally stopped the Sioux scoring run with a 21-yard Jareko Taylor touchdown catch with 9:01 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Hellevang capped the scoring with a 32-yard field with 6:15 left on the clock.
As impressive as Trenbeath's career night turned out to be, it could have been even more spectacular. The Cavalier, N.D., native nearly had a third touchdown catch, but lost his footing on the Javelina 1-yard line at the end of a 41-yard strike from Freund, leading to Freund's touchdown run two plays later.
Trenbeath also had a 33-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter nullified by a holding penalty. That drive would ultimately end with Brady's scoring run.
Freund finished the game 18-for-25 for 260 yards, adding two touchdown passes and one scoring run.
Four Sioux running backs, led by 57 yards on 12 carries from Murray and 55 yards on 11 carries by freshman Catlin Solum, combined for 165 yards rushing. Murray had a 68-yard rushing touchdown called back because of a holding penalty on UND's second possession.
Javelina starting quarterback Billy Garza completed nine of 22 passes for 95 yards and an interception before being relieved by Daniel Ramirez. Ramirez finished 10-for-22 for 133 yards and a touchdown.
The Javelinas managed just 58 net yards on the ground.
The Sioux defense was led by senior corner Drake Otto's three solo tackles and three pass breakups. UND's defense also hurried Garza and Ramirez 10 times.
UND (1-0) returns to action next Saturday when it hosts former North Central Conference foe St. Cloud State at the Alerus Center. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:07 p.m.
