NATCHITOCHES, La. - Behind an outstanding offensive effort by running back Mitch Sutton and several big plays by the defensive unit, the Fighting Sioux put an end to Northwestern State's three-year, home-opener win streak with a convincing 27-20 victory over the Demons in front of a crowd of 10,258.
The Sioux evened their record at 1-1 with the victory while the Demons fell to 0-3.
Sutton, a redshirt freshman from Plover, Wis., ran for a touchdown, threw for another and blocked a Northwestern State punt in the Demon end zone that resulted in a safety.
The Sioux defense, meanwhile, yield more than 400 yards of total offense but continually came up with big play after big play. UND stuffed the Demons on three of four fourth-down gambles, including a pair of 4th-and-1 situations.
UND also recovered a pair of fumbles, blocked an extra point attempt and punctuated its defensive effort with a second safety in the final minutes. With the Sioux leading 25-20 with just over a minute remaining and the Demons scrimmaging from their two 2-yard line, NSU's shotgun snap sailed over the head of quarterback Tyler Wolfe and through the back of the end zone.
UND (1-1) opened the game by stopping the Demons (0-3) cold on third and fourth down inside the one to blunt a 13-play, 67-yard drive with the opening kickoff.
The Fighting Sioux got a 50-yard Brandon Hellavang (Sr., Fargo, N.D.) field goal on their second series, went up 9-0 on a 47-yard run out of the wildcat formation by Sutton on the next series and would lead the rest of the way.
With the Sioux leading 9-6 midway through the second quarter, Sutton connected with receiver Ryan Dressler (Jr., Bismarck, N.D.) for a 17-yard touchdown on a halfback pass and UND took a 16-6 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Demons cut the lead to 16-13 early in the second half, but UND seized the momentum during a key stretch in the final four minutes of the third quarter. With 3:58 remaining, Sutton blocked a NSU punt that bounced out of the end zone for a safety.
Then on UND's ensuing offensive possession, sophomore receiver Ismael Bamba (Montreal, Quebec) hauled in a Jake Landry (Jr., Grand Forks) pass and scampered 55 yards to paydirt to make it a 25-13 Sioux lead to close out the third quarter.
NSU scored a late touchdown to pull within five on a 9-yard pass from Wolfe to William Griffin.
The Demons failed on an onside kick attempt but used timeouts to force a punt with just over a minute left. On first down from its own 2, Wolfe wasn't looking for a shotgun snap that sailed past him out of the end zone for UND's second safety of the game.
NSU again couldn't recover an onside kick and North Dakota ran out the clock.
Offensively, Sutton led the Sioux with 99 all-purpose yards. He gained 74 yards on 15 carries and another 12 yards on a single reception.
Bamba finished with a career-high 98 yards receiving, including the 55-yard touchdown reception.
Landry (Grand Forks, N.D.) went 12-for-20 for 156 yards with one interception.
The UND defense was led by junior Kris Ankenbauer (DB, Murphy, Texas), who had eight tackles (five solo) and two fumble recoveries. Sophomore Dominique Hawkins (CB, Plymouth, Minn.) and senior Ryan Pollow (LB, Germantown, Wis.) each had six tackles, including one each for loss.
The Demons held a 434-269 edge total offense and boasted 20 first downs, compared to UND's nine.
North Dakota will remain on the road as the team heads back south again next Saturday to take on Stephen F. Austin at 6 p.m. in Nacogdoches, Texas.
GAME NOTES: Game captains were Andrew Miller, Marcus Tibesar, Link Gottbeheat, and Nick Nolte ... Brandon Hellevang has now made at least one 50-yard field goal in the past two games ... Ankenbauer was just one fumble recovery from the UND record three achieved by Ron Green in the Sept. 19, 1964 game against Bemidji State ... Mitch Sutton had a touchdown pass, touchdown run and a safety in tonight's game ... Northwestern State was the 133rd different opponent for the Fighting Sioux.
