MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team led 7-0 early, but No. 25-ranked Minnesota Duluth scored 34 unanswered points to earn a 47-14 win over the Dragons in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action at Scheels Field at Nemzek Stadium.
MSUM fell to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the NSIC North, while the Bulldogs improved to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the north.
The Bulldogs outgained MSUM 555-233, including 335-115 on the ground. The Dragons rushed for 115 yards on 38 carries.
"We've got to get the running game going and start to get into a rhythm going offensively," MSUM head coach
Steve Laqua said.
Sophomore quarterback
Demetrius Carr 56 yards and a touchdown while throwing for 118 yards and a score. Sophomore receiver
Damon Gibson had six catches for 65 yards to lead the receiving corps while junior receiver
Cory Ambrose had three catches for 33 yards and a score.
On defense, junior safety
Jesse Beilke led the way with a game-high 14 tackles. He had six solo stops, eight assists and also recorded a sack on the day.
"I thought
Jesse Beilke had a good football game," Laqua said.
Redshirt freshman linebacker
Joe Rademacher had six tackles and a forced fumble while sophomore safety Abe Roerich recovered a fumble. Senior defensive lineman
Steve Schutz blocked a field goal for the third time this season.
The game got off to a promising start for MSUM as the Dragons put together an impressive 14-play, 75-yard drive on the game's first possession. Carr capped off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown, and with redshirt freshman
Joe Tjosvold's extra point, the Dragons led 7-0 with 10:43 left in the first quarter. Carr's running accounted for 59 yards on that drive.
The Bulldogs scored 10 points to take a 10-7 lead after the first quarter. MSUM's defense got a turnover early in the second as Rademacher stripped the ball from UMD's Justin Fowlkes near midfield. Roehrich recovered and brought the ball all the way to the Bulldog 31-yard line. However, MSUM was unable to capitalize as the Dragons turned the ball over on downs inside the 25.
UMD added two second-quarter touchdowns — and two 2-point conversions — to take a 26-7 lead into halftime. The lead grew to 34-7 early in the third quarter after a touchdown run by Bulldog quarterback Drew Bauer.
MSUM cut into the deficit later in the quarter. Thanks to a three-and-out by the MSUM defense, the Dragons took the ball over in Bulldog territory. A 13-yard run by freshman
Herman Gray brought MSUM inside the UMD 30, and on the next play, Carr hit Ambrose for a 29-yard touchdown. With the extra point, MSUM was within 34-14.
The Bulldogs added a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to make the final count 47-14.
A key factor in the game was UMD's ability to hold the ball. The Bulldogs had 34:46 in possession compared to 25:14 for MSUM. The Dragons were just 6-of-17 on third down.
"Offensively, we've got to be better on third down," Laqua said. "We've got to get into a rhythm offensively so we can sustain drives."
MSUM continues NSIC North play next week at Northern State. Kickoff is 3 p.m. in Aberdeen, S.D.
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: The Dragons manufactured 233 total offensive yards today vs. Minnesota-Duluth and 275 last week at Southwest. This marks the first time the Dragons have not eclipsed the 300-yard mark in back to back games since gaining 225 yards during a 23-7 loss at the University of Mary on Oct. 20, 2012, then only accumulating 274 yards a week later in a 31-10 loss to Minot St. in Moorhead.
