GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Redshirt freshman Mitch Sutton (RB, Plover, Wis.) rushed for a season-high 190 yards and scored three touchdowns to lead North Dakota to a 27-12 Homecoming victory over South Dakota in the Great West Conference opener for both teams.
"USD is a good football team and Noah Shepard is a heck of a football player," said head coach Chris Mussman. "That team is going to do some damage before the season is over.
"I give our kids credit, they came back this week after Stephen F. Austin with a bit of a chip on their shoulder and really came to work today."
It was the seventh-consecutive Homecoming victory for UND (2-2, 1-0 GW), who played in front of the largest home-opening crowd (12,431) at the Alerus Center in program history.
"The crowd was awesome," said Mussman. "It was as loud as I have ever heard it on some of those downs. I give our fans credit. They really came out today. It was a great atmosphere for our players to play in.
"They (the Alerus Center staff) made this place look even more like the home of Sioux football and today running out of the helmet will be an experience our players will never forget."
Junior Jake Landry (QB, Grand Forks, N.D.) threw for a career-high 270 yards (16-of-25) and two touchdowns as UND defeated South Dakota for the 13th time in the last 14 meetings between the rivals.
Landry's favorite target was sophomore Ismael Bamba (WR, Montreal, Quebec), who had six catches for a career-high 141 yards.
The Sioux defense tightened up in the second half, holding the Coyotes scoreless and to just 114 yards of offense after the break. Defensive back Joel Schwenzfeier (Jr., Hallock, Minn.) led the defensive efforts with eight tackles, including three for a loss and also forced a fumble. Linebacker Curtis Dublanko (Jr., Thorsby, Alberta) also finished with a career-high eight tackles (seven solo) and registered his second pass breakup of the season.
UND missed out on the first scoring chance of the game when Brandon Hellevang's (PK, , Sr., Fargo, N.D.) 38-yard field goal attempt was pushed wide left. Bamba had a 38-yard reception on the drive to move the ball into Coyote territory.
The Coyotes capitalized on their first scoring opportunity after recovering their own fumble inside the five-yard line. USD tight end London Landry alertly scooped up the loose ball after Schwenzfeier stripped Coyote quarterback Noah Shepherd on the one-yard line. The forced fumble was the first of Schwenzfeier's career.
Landry's recovery allowed running back Isaac Newton to score on the next play as he dove in from one-yard out. Newton was flagged for an unsportsman like penalty after his touchdown, which would prove to be costly. In the meantime, UND defensive lineman Broc Bellmore (So., West Fargo, N.D.) blocked the extra-point to make it only a 6-0 lead for USD.
The Sioux accepted Newton's penalty on the ensuing kickoff, making the Coyotes kick from the 15-yard line. Bamba made them pay for the short kick, racing it back 39 yards to the Coyotes' 28-yard line.
It took UND just three plays from there to find the endzone. Sutton accounted for all 28 yards on the drive, posting runs of six, 20 and his two-yard scoring rush.
USD answered right back as Shepherd connected with Ben Oberle on a nine-yard scoring strike on the opening play of the second quarter to cap a seven-play, 66-yard drive. Shepherd finished the contest completing 14-of-27 passes for 173 yards. He also rushed for 47 yards.
The Coyotes once again had the extra-point attempt blocked as this time defensive lineman Ross Brenneman (RFr., Omaha, Neb.) got his hand on the kick, making the USD lead 12-7.
The touchdown trading continued as UND found the endzone on a Landry scoring strike to Jarrel Davis (RB, Jr., Miami, Fla.) from 13 yards out. Bamba once again had a big play on the drive, hauling in a 40-yard pass on the second play of the series.
The Sioux had their own extra-point struggles after Davis' score as a poor snap forced holder Ryan Konrath (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) to make a run for two points. His effort came up short, leaving the Sioux with a 13-12 advantage.
UND was able to take that one-point advantage into the lockerroom after the USD kicking woes struck again. This time back-up placekicker Sam Sawyer sent a 21-yard attempt wide right in the closing seconds of the half.
The Sioux extended their lead to 20-12 by scoring a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half. Landry evaded a number of Coyote defenders on a 3-and-4 from the USD 12-yard line before finding Sutton running across the field for his second scoring strike of the game. Sutton's receiving touchdown was the first of his career.
Trailing by eight, USD moved the ball into the Sioux territory early in the fourth quarter, but UND defensive lineman Devin Benjamin (RFr., Minneapolis, Minn.) tipped a pass into the air that linebacker Ryan Pollow (Sr., Germantown, Wis.) corralled for the first turnover of the game.
UND turned Pollow's second career interception into six points when the Sioux took advantage of a personal foul penalty on an 18-yard field goal attempt by Hellavang. The penalty gave the home team a fresh set of downs and Sutton plunged in from one-yard out on the next play. Sutton's third score of the game (second rushing) put the Sioux ahead, 27-12.
The Sioux iced the victory with a goal-line stand late in the fourth quarter as UND held the Coyotes out of the endzone on four-consecutive attempts from the one-yard line.
Newton led the Coyotes in rushing with 74 yards and a touchdown, while Tom Flanagan was USD's top receiver with five catches for 61 yards.
UND will return to action next Saturday at home against Stony Brook in the annual Potato Bowl U.S.A. contest at the Alerus Center. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
GAME NOTES: Game captains, Marcus Tibesar, Andrew Miller, Nathan Wayne, and Jeff Tescher ... Saturday's game marked the 91st meeting between the Fighting Sioux and the Coyotes ... UND leads the series 58-28-5 since 1903 ... North Dakota is now 10-0 against South Dakota on Homecoming and is 2-0 when that game is played on Oct. 3. Overall, the Sioux hold a 8-5-2 record on the third day of October and are 43-32 on Homecoming ... With the win, Mussman is now 8-6 at UND ... UND now has an all-time record of 597-355-30 ... Sutton's 190 yards rushing is the 34th best showing in UND history
