GRAND FORKS, N.D. - University of Sioux Falls senior quarterback Lorenzo Brown threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score in leading the Cougars to a stunning 28-13 victory over the Fighting Sioux on Saturday at the Alerus Center.
The loss was the first of the season for the Sioux (3-3) on their home field, while the defending NAIA National Champions remained undefeated at 7-0. Brown accounted for 337 of his team's 360 yards as he threw for a game-high 237 yards and ran for game-high 100 yards.
Brown tossed three touchdown passes in the opening half to give the Cougars a 21-6 advantage going into the locker room and it would be a lead the visitors would not relinquish.
Brown's first scoring toss to Scott LeBrun from seven yards out put USF ahead 7-0 in the first quarter. The teams swapped punts before the Sioux cracked the scoreboard early in the second with a 23-yard field by placekicker Brandon Hellevang (Sr., Fargo, N.D.).
Brown and the Cougars did not relent and built their lead to 11 when the Bristol, Conn., native connected with Brad Theilen on a 12-yard scoring strike with 10:29 remaining in the half.
USF then took advantage of the first turnover by UND in three home games this season. Cougar defensive back Trevor Holleman picked off UND quarterback Jake Landry (Jr., Grand Forks, N.D.) and returned the interception 34 yards to USF 49-yard line.
Four plays later Brown found Alex Anderson from 32 yards out to make the Sioux deficit 21-3. On the ensuing possession, the Sioux scored points, but once again had to settle for a field goal as Hellevang sent his second kick through the posts from 43 yards out.
The Cougars outgained the home team 195-162 in the opening half as Brown went 13-for-22 for 145 yards and also added 41 yards on the ground, accounting for all but 10 of USF's yardage.
For the third straight game, the Sioux opened the second half by scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, which cut the deficit to a single score at 21-13. Landry capped the eight-play, 64-yard drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Konrath (White Bear Lake, Minn.).
Brown and the Cougars answered right back though as this time the USF quarterback used his legs to find the endzone, scoring on a five-yard run to push their lead back to 15 at 28-13.
Following a UND punt, USF held the ball for the remainder of the third period, but got zero points out of a drive that lasted more than nine minutes as a Braden Weiking missed on a 28-yard field goal attempt.
The Sioux had opportunities late in the contest to get back within a touchdown, but the Cougar defense picked off a pair of Landry passes inside the redzone late in the fourth quarter to thwart any thoughts of a UND comeback.
Both teams finished the contest with 360 total yards of offense. Landry went 23-for-38 for 218 yards and his seventh touchdown pass of the season.
UND will return to Great West conference action next Saturday on the road at Southern Utah.
Game Notes: Junior Steven Battle (RB, Amesbury, Mass.) rushed for a season-high 58 yards on seven carries and had a career-long run of 36 yards in the second quarter … Sophomore wide receiver Ismael Bamba had a streak of three consecutive 100-yard receiving games come to an end after he finished with three catches for 78 yards (career-long reception of 56 yards) … The Fighting Sioux scored a touchdown on its first possession of the second half for the third straight game (all at the Alerus Center) … After not turning the ball over in the previous two games, the Sioux had three in the contest, while USF did not have turnovers.
