Bison Get Past Jackrabbits 20-17

North Dakota State University clinch at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title with 20-17 win over the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits.

 

 

 

 

North Dakota State University clinch at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title with 20-17 win over the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits.

The North Dakota State University defense came out on fire with junior defensive tackle Leevon Perry dropping Jackrabbit sophomore running back Zach Zenner for a loss on the first play of the game. It was two more plays and a punt for South Dakota State University.

The Bison took their first offensive drive down to the SDSU 2-yard line before being stopped by the Jackrabbits defense. Sophomore kicker Adam Keller would not let the drive end without points as he knocked in a 19-yard field goal to put NDSU on the scoreboard first, giving them a 3-0 lead.

Both defenses were flexing their muscles as they would force each other to punt on consecutive drives. On the Jacks third drive of the game, senior wide out Aaron Rollin fumbled the ball at his own 24-yard line, which senior safety Bobby Ollman recovered.

On the first play after the turnover, junior quarterback Brock Jensen hit his junior tight end Kevin Vaadeland for a 24-yard touchdown pass. The PAT made it 10-0 and that was where the score would stand at the end of the first.

There was not much action in the beginning of the second quarter. Then, the Jacks started to heat up on offense. SDSU took the ball from their 39-yard line and drove it down for a touchdown. The play that put it in the end zone was a pass from sophomore Austin Sumner to junior Brandon Hubert that traveled 26-yards.

The score brought SDSU to within three at 10-7. On the ensuing kick return, junior Ryan Smith fumbled the ball and SDSU picked it up. They would take that turnover and turn it into three points when sophomore kicker Justin Syrovatka knocked in a 46-yard field goal to tie the game at 10.

That would be the score as both teams went into the locker rooms at halftime.

The beginning of the third quarter started to follow the same script as the second quarter with both teams not allowing the other to do anything offensively. NDSU got a big 56-yard run from Brock Jensen to jump start an offensive drive for the Bison.

The Bison would use that run to move the ball deeper into Jackrabbit territory before SDSU stopped NDSU at their 13-yard line. Adam Keller would knock it in from 30-yards out to give the lead back to NDSU at13-10.

Towards the end of the quarter, Brock Jensen threw his fourth interception in the last two games when redshirt freshman Je Ryan Butler jumped an out route and returned the ball to midfield.

The Bison would use a late fourth quarter drive to try and put the game on ice. With 7:54 to go in the game, NDSU put together an 11-play, 50-yard drive that was capped off with a 2-yard touchdown run from junior Sam Ojuri to make 20-10 with 2:39 to go.

The drive was helped out when it appeared NDSU was going to attempt a field goal on a 4th and 3, but SDSU was called for an illegal substitution. That made it 4th and 1 and NDSU would instead go for and get the rushing touchdown from Ojuri.

SDSU wouldn’t go away easily. They quickly marched the ball downfield to score on a 3-yard pass from Sumner to junior Trevor Tiefenthaler. The drive covered 74-yards in 1:47 and keep things interesting.

SDSU would attempt an on-side kick with :46 seconds left but Brock Jensen came up with ball, ending any chance the Jacks would have of coming back.

The offense was lead by Ojuri’s 75-yards rushing and a touchdown. The defense was again the star as they held the Football Championship Subdivision’s leading rusher, Zenner, to 43-yards rushing on 14 attempts. He came into the game averaging 166-yards per game.

With the win, the Bison moved to 9-1, 6-1 in the MVFC. Also, with the win, the Bison clinched at least a share of the MVFC title. The Jackrabbits moved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the Valley.

Up next for NDSU is a game against Illinois State University in Normal, Ill. The Redbirds will be coming off a bye week and have an overall record of 8-2, 5-2 in the MVFC.

 

Dan Gunderson

   

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