GRAND FORKS, N.D. – After going down 11 points late in the first half, North Dakota (3-2, 2-1 MVFC) ended the game on a 38-10 scoring run to defeat No. 7 Missouri State (2-3, 0-2 MVFC), 48-31, inside the Alerus Center on Saturday afternoon.
An interception led to an MSU touchdown with just over two minutes left before halftime to extend its lead to 21-10, but UND rattled off 24 straight points between that point and the early moments of the fourth quarter to claim a 34-21 lead heading into the final stanza. A Bears field goal in the first moments of the fourth quarter ended their scoring drought to trim the deficit to 34-24, but the Hawks responded five plays later with a 54-yard touchdown scamper from Isaiah Smith to extend the North Dakota lead back to 41-24.
The Hawks added another touchdown seven minutes later with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Schuster to Garett Maag to put the game out of reach for the Bears with just under five minutes to go. Missouri State would score with 1:43 left in the game but was unable to recover the ensuing onside kick and North Dakota ran out the final moments to secure the 48-31 win over Missouri State.
UND had a well-balanced attack, finishing with 515 yards of offense (248 on the ground and 267 through the air). Comparatively, MSU ended with 389 yards of offense with 271 yards passing and 118 yards rushing.
Schuster remained efficient, going 22-of-29 for 267 yards and two touchdowns, while allowing one interception. The Missouri State defense only got to Schuster once on the afternoon.
Bo Belquist was the top receiving target with seven grabs for 55 yards. Maag had the second 100-yard receiving game of his career, pulling down five receptions for 104 yards and two scores.
Tyler Hoosman was the top rusher, piling up 147 yards on 16 carries for a touchdown, while averaging 9.2 yards per carry. Isaiah Smith also saw time in the backfield and had eight rushes for 78 yards and a score, averaging 9.8 yards per rush. Smith also added four receptions for 57 yards.
Devon Krzanowski paced the Hawks on defense with six tackles (five solo, one assisted), to go with a sack and a quarterback hurry. Kadon Kauppinen was next in takedowns with six (three solo, three assisted) to go with a half a TFL. Twenty-four other players for UND accumulated at least one tackle.
After winning the toss and electing to receive, Missouri State marched down the field on its opening possession with an 11-yard touchdown strike from Jason Shelley to Naveon Mitchell to take the 7-0 lead early. On UND's opening drive, the Hawks made it all the way down to the MSU 32 but ended up having to settle for a Brady Stevens 42-yard field goal to trim the deficit to 7-3.
A missed field goal from the Bears at the end of the first quarter gave UND the ball to open the second stanza. North Dakota took advantage on its next drive, going 13 plays and 80-yards, concluding with a three-yard rush from Quincy Vaughn to put the Hawks up 10-7 with 8:30 left in the half. On Missouri State's next possession, it reclaimed the lead with a two-yard touchdown pass from Shelley to Kevon Latulas to go back in front 14-10. On the next offensive play for North Dakota, Schuster was intercepted by Von Young. Four plays later, the Bears pushed their lead to 21-10 with a Trae Thompson touchdown run from two yards out.
North Dakota battled back quickly, scoring two plays later off a 38-yard pass from Schuster to Maag to bring the tally to 21-17. The UND defense stood tall on the next drive and gave the Hawks the ball back at their own 28 with 1:24 left before intermission. The Hawks marched all the way down to the MSU 18 and connected on a 35-yarder from the leg of Brady Stevens to cut the deficit to a single point (21-20) at the break.
The Bears started the second half with great field position, beginning at the UND 26 after recovering its own pooch kick. Once again, the Hawks stood tall defensively and forced a 38-yard field goal for the Bears that landed wide right.
Four offensive plays later, the Hawks found the end zone on a 55-yard touchdown run from Hoosman to get the lead back at 26-20. UND attempted the two-point conversion, which was a pass to Donny Ventrelli, but it fell short of the goal line. Following another three-and-out for MSU, UND chewed up over seven minutes of clock and ended the drive with a one-yard QB sneak from Vaughn. This time, the two-point conversion was successful on a pass from Schuster to Belquist to put the Hawks up 34-21. At this point, it was a 24-0 scoring swing by UND.
Postgame Notes
- The Fighting Hawks now hold a 3-2 lead in the series, having not lost inside the Alerus Center.
- UND has defeated MSU by double digits every time the game has been played inside the Alerus Center – 2017 (W, 34-0), 2020-21 (W, 44-10) and 2022 (W, 48-31).
- Missouri Valley teams are now 1-9 in the Alerus Center since the Fighting Hawks joined the league. Since 2016, MVFC teams are 1-11 inside the Alerus.
- The Fighting Hawks are now 9-1 at home against ranked teams since 2019.
- North Dakota has now either had the lead or a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter in 15 of its last 16 games.
- UND held a 36:05-23:55 advantage in time of possession. It has won the time of possession battle in every game this season but one.
- The Hawks went 1-for-2 on two-point conversion attempts and are 2-for-3 in two-point conversions this season.
- It is North Dakota's first win over a top-10 team inside the Alerus Center since defeating No. 3 South Dakota State, 28-17, on Feb. 27, 2021.
- Missouri State led 21-10 late in the second quarter and would not score again until the first moments of the fourth quarter with a field goal to trim the deficit to 34-21. It was a 24-0 run for UND between those two periods.
- The interception thrown before halftime was UND's first turnover in three games, the first since an interception against Northern Iowa on Sept. 10, 2022.
- It was Garett Maag's first 100-yard receiving game since March 13, 2021, when he hauled in four grabs for 151 yards vs. Western Illinois.
- Tyler Hoosman piled up a career-high 147 yards on the ground, good for his third 100-yard game as a Hawk.
How It Happened
First Quarter
13:02 – MSU | Naveon Mitchell has an 11-yard touchdown grab from Jason Shelley. (Jose Pizano kick). 4 plays, 72 yards, 1:52.
6:55 – UND | Brady Stevens connects on a 42-yard field goal. 10 plays, 47 yards, 6:02.
Second Quarter
8:30 – UND | Quincy Vaughn scores on a three-yard rush. (Stevens kick). 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:30.
4:15 – MSU | Shelley finds Kevon Latulas for the two-yard TD pass. (Pizano kick). 9 plays, 79 yards, 4:10.
2:36 – MSU | Trae Thompson runs it in from two yards out. (Pizano kick). 4 plays, 27 yards, 1:15.
2:06 – UND |
Garett Maag scores on a 38-yard touchdown reception from
Tommy Schuster. (Stevens kick). 2 plays, 80 yards, 0:30.
0:00 – UND | Stevens makes a 35-yard field goal. 9 plays, 54 yards, 1:24.
Third Quarter
11:40 – UND |
Tyler Hoosman runs it in from 55-yards out. (
Donny Ventrelli two-point conversion fails). 4 plays, 79 yards, 1:49.
2:10 – UND | Vaughn pushes it in on a one-yard sneak. (
Bo Belquist two-point conversion successful). 13 plays, 69 yards, 7:20.
Fourth Quarter
14:15 – MSU | Pizano connects on a 32-yarder. 8 plays, 63 yards, 2:51.
11:02 – UND |
Isaiah Smith takes a 54-yard rush to the house. (Stevens kick). 5 plays, 76 yards, 3:07.
4:02 – UND | Maag hauls in an 18-yard TD grab from Schuster. (Stevens kick). 8 plays, 46 yards, 4:51.
1:43 – MSU | Shelley finds Mitchell on a 9-yard touchdown pass. (Pizano kick). 8 plays, 59 yards, 2:03.
