FARGO, N.D. – It took No. 3-ranked North Dakota State a dozen plays and more than seven minutes, but with the game tied and the outcome in the balance, the Bison drove 62 yards for the go-ahead score with just under five minutes left in the game to secure a 27-20 victory over visiting Missouri State.
Cam Miller’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson capped the drive, which started at the NDSU 38 and included a 32-yard pass to Watson on the MSU 19. From there, the MSU defense scratched to keep things tied including a sack from Kevin Ellis, but six plays Miller hit Watson at the right pylon for the score.
It was the first time the unbeaten Bison (7-0, 4-0 MVFC) led all game as the No. 17 Bears (4-3, 3-2) racked up 321 yards of total offense and played a strong defensive game.
“I want to give a lot of credit to our assistant coaches and players for their preparation throughout the week,” said Bears head coach Bobby Petrino. “You gotta give them credit for making the change at quarterback and him coming in and getting a couple of touchdown passes.”
Jason Shelley completed 16-of-25 passes for 242 yards, while Tyrone Scott led the MSU receiving corps with six receptions for 104 yards. It was Shelley’s seventh straight 200-yard passing game to start his Missouri State career.
After Missouri State took a 13-10 lead into the half, the third quarter was a balancing act of turnovers, big plays and tense moments. The Bison tied the game, 13-13, on their opening drive of the third, which was set up on a 45-yard completion to from Quincy Patterson to Christian Watson on the first play. The Bison drive stalled at the Bears’ 23 before Jacob Reinholz converted three points for the home side with a 41-yard field goal.
Missouri State retook the lead three minutes later as Shelley helped march the visitors 75 yards on six plays with precision passing, including a 15-yard pass to Scott on a key third-and-eight play, and later on a 23-yard strike to Xavier Lane to the NDSU 5. Tobias Little then punched it in on the next play for his second score of the game to make it 20-13 at the 9:08 mark.
From there, the teams exchanged interceptions with Kyriq McDonald snagging one for the Bears, the first of his career, and NDSU picking off Shelley on MSU’s next drive at the Missouri State 21-yard line. However, the Bears’ defense stepped up in a big way and kept the Bison off the scoreboard with a stop on fourth-and-two at the 13, preserving the 20-13 MSU lead heading into the final period.
The Bison wasted little time tying the game again early in the fourth, as the home side capped a 59-yard scoring drive just 80 seconds into the final period with a 29-yard pass from backup Cam Miller to Phoenix Sproles. NDSU got good field position to start the drive after the Bears punted from their own 18 to end the third.
Missouri State’s ensuing possession resulted in a three-and-out before Grant Burkett punted it back to the Bison at their own 38. That’s when Miller started the go-ahead march to the delight of the 15,559 fans in attendance at the Fargodome.
On Missouri State’s final possession of the afternoon, Shelley had a 20-yard first-down pass to Xavier Lane to the NDSU 36, but two false start penalties and two Bison sacks ultimately led to the Bears turning it over on downs to end the game.
The Bears’ 20-point scoring output against the Bison marked the team’s most in the series since 2013.
Tylar Wiltz had 12 tackles to pace a game Missouri State defense, while Ferrin Manuleleua brought down eight ball carriers.
Tobias Little led the MSU ground attack with 40 yards on 9 carries (4.6 ypc), and Lane caught five passes for 91 yards.
Miller was 7-for-9 through air in his late-game heroics for the Bison, throwing for 112 yards and a pair of TDs. Watson tallied 106 yards on his 4 receptions for the home side.
Missouri State stormed out of the gates to take a 10-0 lead less than six minutes into the game. A 62-yard return by Montrae Braswell on the game’s opening kickoff set up a 47-yard field goal by Jose Pizano moments later to give MSU an early edge. The Bears then forced NDSU to punt after three plays and quickly scored again after a 31-yard pass to Scott and a 26-yard pass to Lane set the visitors up at the NDSU 11. Little then covered the distance on the next play to give MoState a double-figure lead.
The Bears kept their foot on the gas later in the quarter, driving to the North Dakota State 18 on a lengthy, 58-yard excursion. But a fourth-and-two play from there was cut down by the Bison defense to keep it a 10-0 game.
NDSU had a 60-yard TD pass called back on a penalty on its next possession before the Bears’ defense ultimately stepped up and forced NDSU into its third punt of the half. But a muffed punt return by Missouri State was recovered by the home side at the Bears 15. QB Quincy Patterson then kept it himself on the very next play and found paydirt, making it a 10-7 contest with 12:09 to go in the opening half.
Pizano added a 25-yard field goal with 1:13 left in the second to give the Bears a 13-7 lead at the time. It capped an impressive 11-play, 84-yard drive that included a 40-yard completion to Scott on third down, and later 22-yard pass to Isaac Smith on fourth-and-one.
But North Dakota State rallied in the final moments of the half, capitalizing on an MSU unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a third-down incompletion by the Bison that extended the drive. Ultimately, the home squad got close enough for a 46-yard field goal attempt by Jake Reinholz as time expired to make it a 13-10 contest at its midway point.
Missouri State outgained North Dakota State by a 218-114 margin in the opening half. The Bison flipped it in the second half with a 219-103 edge in total yards.
The Bears return to Plaster Stadium next Saturday for a 2 p.m. kickoff against North Dakota on Sept. 30. Special ticket discounts for the UND game will be announced early next week.
