FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Despite a scoreless third quarter, there were plenty of fireworks in the fourth quarter with North Dakota (2-1) escaping Northern Arizona (1-2) with a 27-24 win on Saturday afternoon.
The Lumberjacks found the end zone to take a 24-20 lead with 1:42 remaining and the Fighting Hawks went to work from their own 25. Tommy Schuster started with four consecutive pass completions to get UND down to the NAU 23. It was the next play that was the difference when Schuster found Jack Wright in the end zone for the go-ahead score. The play was a reverse flea flicker pass that looked to be a Tyler Hoosman rush that turned into a Bo Belquist end around and then found its way back to Schuster who found Wright in the end zone for the touchdown. Brady Stevens connected on the extra point to give the Hawks a 27-24 advantage late. Schuster was a perfect 5-for-5 passing on the final drive.
NAU got the ball back with 53 seconds remaining and started at its own 25 yard-line. The Lumberjacks marched all the way down to the 50 with one play remaining with three seconds left. After facing pressure, R.J. Martinez found a receiver at the UND 39, but he immediately went down when attempting to pitch the ball to allow the Hawks to leave with the 27-24 victory.
Schuster was efficient once again, going 21-of-32 through the air for 206 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Belquist was his favorite target with six receptions for 56 yards, including a touchdown that put UND up 20-17 with just over five minutes left. Garett Maag hauled in five receptions for 47 yards.
Hoosman had the second 100-yard rushing game of his career, gaining 102 yards on the ground on 12 carries for 8.5 yards per carry.
Defensively, UND was led by Kadon Kauppinen with nine tackles and a half a tackle-for-loss. Wyatt Pedigo was next in tackles with eight, followed by Marcus Vaughn-Jones, Ted Mullin, Caden White and Devon Krzanowski each with seven tackles. C.J. Siegel made the Lumberjacks pay for throwing his way, taking a 50-yard interception to the house early in the second quarter.
Northern Arizona struck first, scoring on a 14-yard touchdown run from Kevin Daniels to cap a 7-play, 72-yard drive midway through the first quarter. North Dakota responded in the early seconds of the second quarter, connecting on a 38-yard field goal from Stevens to trim the deficit to 7-3.
On the next drive, North Dakota marched down the field but had to settle for a 22-yard Stevens field goal to bring the score to 7-6. A few plays later, Siegel picked off Martinez and took it to the house for a 50-yard pick six to put UND up 13-7 with 9:33 left before the half. Neither team would find the end zone again until the Lumberjacks scored on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds left before intermission to reclaim the 14-13 lead.
Neither team would score in the third quarter, but the Lumberjacks would extend their lead to 17-13 with 13:40 left in the game when Collin Robbins made a 42-yard field goal. The Fighting Hawks reclaimed the lead at 20-17 after an amazing effort from Belquist to find the end zone on an eight-yard reception, not giving up on the play, breaking a tackle and leapfrogging a defender to score.
Postgame Notes
· The win snaps a five-game road winless skid for North Dakota.
· North Dakota is now 3-5 all-time against Northern Arizona. This was UND's first win in Flagstaff.
· UND has now either had the lead or a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter in each of its last 14 games.
· Nine of North Dakota's last 11 games have been decided by one score. The Fighting Hawks have won four of the last five one-score games.·
· UND won the time of possession battle for the third straight game (31:15-28:45).
· Northern Arizona held a 448-318 edge in total offense, including advantages through the air (324-206) and on the ground (124-112).
· The Fighting Hawks won the turnover battle, 1-0.
· C.J. Siegel recorded his first sack of the season, forcing a 42-yard Lumberjack field goal early that landed wide right.
· Siegel had a 50-yard interception return for touchdown, becoming the first Hawk to score on a pick-six since Hayden Galvin vs. Missouri State (W, 44-10) on April 24, 2021. It was also Siegel's first touchdown of his career.
· Siegel is now tied for No. 8 on UND's Division I list for interceptions in a career with four.
· Bo Belquist moves up to No. 5 on UND's Division I list for touchdown receptions in a career with 10.
· UND has now recorded an interception in each of its first three games.
· Peyton Lotysz took over at center in the second quarter.
· Jack Wright recorded his first touchdown reception of his career and it was the game-winner.
· Tyler Hoosman had his second 100-yard game of his career, piling up 102 yards.
· This is the first time since Sept. 2-16, 2000, that UND has had a 100-yard rusher in its first three games to start a season.
· UND has won its two games by an average 2.5 points.
How It Happened
First Quarter
6:07 – NAU | Kevin Daniels scores on a 14-yard touchdown run. (Collin Robbins kick.) 7 plays, 72 yards 01:54.
Second Quarter
14:57 – UND | Brady Stevens connects on a 38-yard field goal. 14 plays, 54 yards, 06:04.
10:08 – UND | Stevens makes a 22-yard field goal. 8 plays, 55 yards, 03:30.
9:33 – UND | C.J. Siegel takes a 50-yard interception to the house.
0:28 – NAU | Coleman Owen scores on a 12-yard touchdown reception from R.J. Martinez. (Robbins kick.) 10 plays, 69 yards, 00:57.
Third Quarter
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Fourth Quarter
13:40 – NAU | Collin Robbins makes a 42-yard field goal. 15 plays, 56 yards, 07:47.
5:26 – UND | Bo Belquist scores on an eight-yard touchdown grab from Schuster. (Stevens kick). 7 plays, 45 yards, 04:26.
1:42 – NAU | Owen puts the Lumberjacks up 24-20 with a 12-yard touchdown grab (Robbins kick.) 11 plays, 78 yards, 03:38.
0:53 – UND | Schuster connects on a 23-yard TD pass to
Jack Wright. (Stevens kick). 5 plays, 75 yards, 00:49.
