GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Visiting Weber State took a 17-point first-half lead and held on for a 24-12 victory over North Dakota in the first gridiron meeting between the two programs Saturday at the Alerus Center. The Wildcats (1-9, 1-5 BSC) snapped a nine-game losing skid and won for the first time during the Jay Hill-era, while UND (3-7, 1-5 BSC) dropped its third straight contest.

Senior Jer Garman rushed for a career-high 137 yards for the home team, but the Wildcats would hold UND's aerial attack to 115 yards and pick off true freshman Keaton Studsrud twice in the first half.

Weber State's offense struggled on the ground, which has been the norm for UND's opponents this season, gaining just 41 yards on 36 attempts, but sophomore signal caller Jadrian Clark did enough the through the air to carve out his team's initial league triumph. Clark finished 19-for-31 for 235 yards and three touchdown passes.

“The way we are going to win football games did not happen today,” UND head coach Bubba Schweigert said. “Defensively, we have to be executing right from the start and offensively, we have to be able to move the chains. Those things did not happen today and that hurt us.”

Studsrud, who was making just his second career start, pulled his team to within 24-10 just over midway through the third quarter on a 23-yard scoring strike to Tucker Nordby, but that would be the lone touchdown of the day for UND and only a late safety given up by Weber State would make the final deficit 12 points.

Redshirt freshman Cole Reyes came up with his first-career interception early in the fourth quarter and ran it back 46 yards into Weber State territory at the 48-yard line, but the Wildcats' defense held UND to a quick three-and-out to squelch the potential momentum shift.

After the teams traded punts and still trailing 24-10, UND got the ball back at its own 10-yard line with just over five minutes to play. Garman reeled off a career-long, 50-yard run on the first play to move the ball to the Weber State 40-yard line.

Studsrud would later keep the drive alive with an 11-yard carry on fourth down, but UND would come up empty on its next fourth-down conversion attempt to end any chance of a late comeback.

In the first half, too many miscues and wide receiver Cam Livingston were North Dakota's biggest issues as the visitors jumped out to a 17-3 advantage and would never trail in the game.

Livingston had four catches for 107 yards in the opening 30 minutes and all went for 20-plus yards. He finished with five grabs for 116 yards and his first catch of the day came on a 3^rd-and-10 and helped set up the Wildcats' first points of the game on a 42-yard field goal by Josh Kealamaka.

“We have to do a better job of getting off the field in third-and-long situations,” Schweigert added. “Those are the money downs and they won several of them by getting in space. We gave up some slants and post routes that we just cannot do.”

Those three points came after Alex Tillman had set up UND at midfield with a 32-yard punt return. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Studsrud threw a deep pass to Josh Seibel that the redshirt freshman was able to dive for and get his hands on, but unfortunately the ball bounced right into the waiting arms of Weber State cornerback Deon'tae Florence.

Florence ran the ball back to the Wildcats' 49-yard line to set up the first scoring drive. Livingston added a 36-yard catch on Weber State's next drive, converting another 3^rd-and-long, but Kealamaka would miss from 46 yards out on that drive.

In the second quarter, the Wildcats benefitted from a poor snap by UND's punt unit and took over at the home team's 3-yard line.  Two plays later, Clark found Shaydon Kehano for his seventh touchdown reception of the season to put the visitors ahead 10-0.

Livingston would set up WSU's second touchdown of the opening half after making a diving catch, which was good for 28 yards and got his team down to the UND 1-yard line. That came with his team facing a 2^nd-and-19. Clark would find Jake Kahawaii this time on another 3-yard strike to make it a 17-0 contest.

Studsrud settled down on UND's final drive of the half, moving his team down the field with completions of 11 yards and 33 yards before Reid Taubenheim connected on a 21-yard field goal to make it a 17-3 contest with only 22 seconds remaining.

After Weber State took its opening drive of the second half down for a touchdown, Studsrud returned the favor with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that saw the offense convert a pair of fourth downs. The second was the scoring play where Studsrud and Nordby connected on the first scoring play of both players' careers.

UND will wrap up its home schedule next Saturday at the Alerus Center with a game against No. 25 Northern Arizona at 12 p.m.

GAME NOTES: Captains for today's game were seniors Dwayne Pecosky and Alex Tillman along with juniors Brandon Anderson and Will Ratelle … Senior Jer Garman had the second 100-yard rushing game of his career, finishing with a career-high 137 yards on 24 carries … Garman's 50-yard carry in the fourth quarter was a career-best … Sophomore Tucker Nordby's 23-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was the first of his career and first scoring pass of true freshman Keaton Studsrud's career … Junior Will Ratelle led the team with nine tackles and now has a team-best 97 tackles on the season … Senior Garret Reineke had his team-high fourth sack of the season and finished with seven total tackles ... Redshirt freshman Cole Reyes' fourth-quarter interception was the first of his career.