DULUTH, Minn. – MSU Moorhead trailed by 15 points on the road to 19^th-ranked Minnesota Duluth with time waning in the final period on Saturday afternoon. The Dragons pieced together two epic drives to erase the deficit and eventually top the Bulldogs on a game-winning two-point conversion attempt. 
 
The win is the first ranked win for the Dragons in the tenure of Steve Laqua. It is also the first time MSUM has beaten the Bulldogs since October 2, 1999. 
 
Minnesota Duluth would open the game with possession, working the ball down to the Dragon 30-yard line. The MSUM front stiffened up from there, forcing a field goal try from the Bulldogs. Curtis Cox would nail an impressive 47-yard boot to put the home team up 3-0 early in the first quarter. Minnesota Duluth's defense would limit the Dragons to a six-play drive that stalled on the ensuing possession. 
 
However, MSUM's defense would continue to build valuable momentum early in the contest as the Bulldogs began driving again. Minnesota Duluth would travel just 27 yards on eight plays to make it to MSUM's 35-yard line. The Dragons would then stop the Bulldog drive in its tracks, forcing a turnover on downs thanks to a sack from Denver Sheets.
  The effort would propel MSUM's offense towards a score as time waned in the first period. Jack Strand would find Carson Elbert for a 17-yard play to kickstart the Dragon drive. Elbert made a phenomenal play on the ball, reeling in a pass that was slightly behind him with one hand. Strand would find Elbert again later in the drive before the junior quarterback scampered for 13 yards to put MSUM at UMD's 18-yard line. Out of the shotgun, Strand would find an open Brady Perryman on a post route to provide the game's first touchdown. 
 
Minnesota Duluth would quickly respond before the first quarter ended, catching the MSUM defense off guard with some big pass plays. The Bulldogs scored their first touchdown of the game with 1:03 remaining in the period to push them in front, 10-7. The home team would continue to sway the momentum after forcing a Dragon punt on the ensuing possession. Minnesota Duluth would notch another field goal in their next drive to lead 13-7. 
 
A Strand interception on the next Dragon drive continued to help the home team. Strand had his throwing arm hit while releasing with the wobbling football ripe for the picking. MSUM's defense would hold firm in the pinch, forcing the Bulldogs to punt after a five-play drive. The teams would again trade punts to end the first half with Minnesota Duluth leading 13-7. MSUM would run only 24 plays to UMD's 42 with the Bulldogs doing a great job of keeping the dynamic Dragon offense on the sidelines. Minnesota Duluth had possession for nearly 20 minutes in the first half. 
 
Beginning the second half with the ball, MSUM seemed to settle in on the offensive end, piecing together their best drive of the season to that point. Strand would dunk and dive the Dragons downfield as part of a 12-play, 75-yard drive. The campaign spanned over six minutes of game time and ended with Strand finding Perryman again for a 10-yard touchdown. MSUM led 14-13 as the midway point of the frame neared. 
 
The Dragon defense would force a punt, but MSUM would turn the ball over on downs, giving the Bulldogs good field position. Minnesota Duluth took advantage just before the quarter break on a touchdown to take a 19-14 lead. At the top of the fourth quarter, UMD would add a field goal to make the count 22-14. MSUM, in need of a score, would cobble together another splendid drive, going 73 yards on 19 plays. The Dragons would get down to the Bulldog two-yard line but would eventually turn the ball over on downs again. Minnesota Duluth responded with another swift touchdown as their lead ballooned to 15 points, 29-14 with six minutes to play. 
 
And then MSUM began to stir just as Minnesota Duluth seemed primed for another victory in the longtime series. The Dragon offense would move quickly down the field, needing two touchdowns and a little luck. MSUM took 12 plays to travel 65 yards, eventually landing on the UMD eight-yard line with three minutes to play. A common occurrence on the day, Strand again found Perryman for the tandem's third touchdown of the afternoon. MSUM would convert on a two-point try to pull within a score, 29-22. 
 
MSUM opted to rely on their defense to get a needed stop as the onside kick was taken off the table. While Minnesota Duluth earned some big plays to open the drive, they would only be able to manage a field goal attempt with just over 90 second left. The kick was missed, giving MSUM the ball back on their own 23-yard line. 
 
Strand would proceed to paint his magnum opus of the afternoon, first finding Perryman and then Madden Thorson and then Luke Imdieke. Regardless of down or yards to go, the Dragon quarterback and his receivers would not be denied on this day. The Dragons converted on both a fourth and five and a fourth and 10 as part of an 18-play drive with time ticking away.
 
An incredible sideline throw from Strand was caught by Thorson to push MSUM to the UMD three-yard line with just six seconds remaining. The ensuing play saw Strand search for a receiver as time waned. With the clock nearly at zero, Strand delivered a pass over the middle that found the hands of Imdieke. The senior stretched across the goal line to give the Dragons six points with no time remaining. 
 
And then, a decision needed to be made. Should the Dragons take the extra point and play in overtime? Or would they try to end the game in their favor right now? Head coach Steve Laqua, a 'riverboat gambler' of sorts, opted to leave his offense on the field. The winning formula came from the playmaking pairing of Strand and Perryman one last time. Strand rifled a bullet to the junior on a quick slant as Perryman crossed the goal line and completed the inconceivable comeback for MSU Moorhead. 
 
Top Dragons

• Jack Strand: 44-69: 418 yards, four touchdowns
• Brady Perryman: Nine catches, 101 yards, three touchdowns
• Cyrinus George: Eight tackles (seven solo)
• Madden Thorson: 12 catches, 140 yards
• Josiah Behm: Seven tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sack
• Luke Imdieke: Six catches, 40 yards, one touchdown
• Gage Florence: 10 catches, 60 yards
• Denver Sheets: Five tackles, 1.5 sacks.

 
Up Next
 
MSUM (1-1, 1-1 NSIC) is back on the road again next weekend, this time making the long trek to Lebanon, Ill., for a non-conference matchup with McKendree. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Saturday.