MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team dropped a 55-21 contest to the University of Sioux Falls in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday at Scheels Field in Moorhead, Minn.

MSUM fell to 5-3 on the year while USF improved to 5-3.

The Cougars outgained the Dragons 583-327, including 404-118 on the ground.

"I'm disappointed in how we performed in all three phases," MSUM head coach Steve Laqua said. "But you have to credit USF, they did a great job. Their offensive line did a nice job controlling the line of scrimmage and their running backs ran very hard."

Sophomore running back Zach Simons rushed for two scores.  Sophomore receiver Grady Bresnahan had eight catches for 83 yards and a score. Junior receiver Zach Sweep had five catches for 71 yards. Sophomore quarterback Jake Sinani threw for 170 yards and a score. Junior running back Herman Gray had 35 rushing yards on six carries.

Senior safety Aaron Doan had 10 tackles to lead the defense. Senior linebacker Michael Strand had a forced fumble and five linebackers. Sophomore linebacker Matt Schoh had a fumble recovery.

Big plays were pivotal in the game, as USF scored touchdowns on four offensive plays of 31 yards or more, plus an 85-yard kick return shortly before the half.

MSUM cut a 13-0 lead to six when Simons found the end zone from 1-yard out with 7:07 left in the first quarter. The Cougars pushed the lead to 27-7 before Simons found the end zone again with 10:22 left in the second to make it 27-14.

The Cougars added two more scores to make it 41-14 before Sinani hit Bresnahan from 33 yards out on a fourth and long to make it 41-21. However, a back-breaking kick return by Nate Johnson for a touchdown with five seconds left gave the Cougars a 48-21 lead going into half.

USF added one more touchdown in the third and kept the Dragons off the scoreboard in the second half.

MSUM is back at home to face Minot State on Oct. 27.

Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Through eight games, the Dragons have only thrown three interceptions this season. The last Dragon team to throw fewer than eight picks in a season was the 2002 squad that saw Brad Duerr (4) and Jon Frykman (0) combine to throw just four interceptions.