SPRINGFIELD – North Dakota State (3-1, 2-1 MVFC) accounted for one-third of its offensive output on two big first-half plays and relied on its defense to take it from there in a 25-0 Bison win over Missouri State here Saturday in the Missouri Valley Football Conference home opener for the Bears.
Missouri State registered 14 first downs on the afternoon and drove into Bison territory four times. However, the 18 points in the second quarter by the visitors proved too much to overcome, dropping the Bears to 1-1 in conference play.
North Dakota State got on the board first, capitalizing on a Bears turnover and parlaying that into seven points 12 plays later to take a 7-0 lead. The Bison used a fake punt to extend the drive and finished it with a seven-yard touchdown strike from Zeb Noland to Noah Gindorff with 1:49 left in the opening quarter.
In the second, a 53-yard rush by Jalen Bussey with 6:24 left in the half was the first of two huge strikes by the Bison in the period. Their 15-0 lead turned into 25-0 in short order with a 38-yard field goal by Jake Reinholz at the 1:25 mark and then an unlikely 81-yard pass and score from Noland to Braylon Henderson with just eight seconds left in the half that made it 25-0 at the midway point.
Neither team scored in the second half with the Bears holding NDSU to just 144 total yards over the game’s final 30 minutes. The Bison punted four times on six second-half possessions with a fumble and a series that resulted in a red zone stop by Missouri State in the fourth quarter.
“We got beat by a really good football team,” said Bears head coach Bobby Petrino. “I was happy with the way our defense came out in the second half. Offensively, we didn’t have the consistency, and when we had to throw the football, they were able to tee off on us. They’re a good defense. They don’t make mistakes, and they make you earn everything.”
Missouri State threatened on several occasions on the day but couldn’t find paydirt. In the first quarter, Jeremy Webb snagged an interception to give the Bears the ball at the NDSU 28 and potentially take the early lead. However, the Bears fumbled the ball back on the very next play, ultimately leading to the Gindorff TD reception.
On Missouri State’s next possession, a 42-yard field goal attempt by Jose Pizano was blocked by NDSU’s Brayden Thomas to halt a 12-play, 57-yard drive and keep the home side off the board again.
MSU also drove to the North Dakota State 33 in the second half, ultimately turning the ball over on downs after a 12-play, 61-yard march that failed to yield the desired outcome.
On the afternoon, Bears starter Jaden Johnson was 13-of-21 through the air for 132 yards and no interceptions. Damoriea Vick caught 6 passes for 73 yards with Lorenzo Thomas snagging 3 catches for 28 yards. On the ground, MSU’s top ball carrier was Louisville transfer Tobias Little who gained 46 yards on 8 touches, while Jeremiah Wilson carried 12 times for 37 yards.
Missouri State racked up 221 total yards for the game, while NDSU finished with 407 yards and 15 first downs.
Noland was 10-for-15 for 135 yards, an interception and two touchdowns for the No. 6-ranked Bison who carried 48 times for 272 yards as a team – 90 by Bussey and 76 by Dominic Gonnella.
Missouri State starts a two-game road swing next week when the Bears travel to South Dakota for a 1 p.m. start in Vermillion. The team’s next home date is March 27 against Southern Illinois.
Tickets for the SIU game are available at MissouriStateBears.com or by visiting the Old Missouri Bank Box Office at JQH Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular box office hours.
