NDSU Wins Overtime Thriller Over Youngstown St.
The North Dakota State Bison won a tough matchup over a top-ten ranked Youngstown State in enemy territory in thrilling fashion.
It took overtime for the Bison to take down #8 Youngstown State on their home turf, but when all is said and done, NDSU is still undefeated at 6-0. The Bison, now 3-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference, kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime from Cam Pedersen to claim a 27-24 victory in a hard fought road win.
NDSU quarterback Easton Stick ran for 172 yards, which included a fourth quarter 80-yard touchdown run that gave the Bison a 24-17 lead at the time. Stick also threw for 113 yards on 11 of 20 passing.
The Bison trailed early, down 10-0 after the first quarter before fighting their way back. Stick hit R.J. Urzendowski on a 16-yard pass in the second quarter to make it a 10-7 score. NDSU would tie it up just before the half on a Pedersen 19-yard field goal with just three seconds left in the half.
The two teams exchanged touchdowns in the third quarter. Penguins quarterback Nathan Mays threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to give Youngstown State a 17-10 lead before Stick hit Nate Jenson with a 22-yard score to make it 17-17.
Stick's long 80-yard touchdown put the Bison up 24-17 early in the fourth quarter, but the Penguins had a 90-yard drive on their last possession of regulation to tie the score at 24-24 on a 1-yard run by running back Tevin McCaster.
In overtime, the Penguins had a chance to go ahead, but kicker Zak Kennedy missed a 39-yard field goal, before NDSU took over on their overtime possession and later winning with the Pedersen field goal.
NDSU will host Western Illinois next Saturday at 2:30 p.m.