BEMIDJI, Minn. – With just 1:38 left on the clock, Minnesota State University, Mankato's Mitch Randall threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Sample to give the Mavericks a three-point lead and stun the No. 22 Bemidji State University Football Team and a crowd of nearly 2,000 fans.
 
Down 30-13 at halftime, the Beavers rallied to score 21 unanswered points and took a 34-30 lead with 8:57 left to play in the fourth quarter. The Beavers' "gang-green" defense forced the Mavericks to a three-and-out and regained the ball with 6:50 to play after a Maverick punt. However, after the ensuing drive stalled, Minnesota State retook possession with 3:15 to play at their own 15-yard line after a Maximo Rodriguez 42-yard punt.
 
Minnesota State drove the ball to the Beavers' 49-yard line but the Beavers' defense forced MSU to a fourth-and-long with 1:59 left on the clock. Randall completed a 32-yard pass over the middle Sample to convert the fourth down and on the next play Sample wrestled a jump ball from a BSU defender to score the game-winning touchdown.
 
Bemidji State out-gained the Mavericks 425 yards to 331 including 367 yards through the air compared to 235 by MSU. Minnesota State out-rushed the Beavers 96 yards to 58. However, the Mavericks' defense forced four turnovers and scored off two of those turnovers.
 
Redshirt-junior Brandon Alt led the BSU passing attack and went 29-of-48 through the air with 367 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. Two of those touchdowns were to junior Sage Booker who had three catches for 90 yards including a 66-yard touchdown of the first drive of the game. Senior Dhel Duncan-Busby led all pass catchers with six receptions and totaled 48 yards and one touchdown.
 
Booker and junior Jalen Frye each totaled 32 yards on the ground to lead the Beavers while Booker scored the BSU's lone rushing touchdown of the game to cap-off a three-score game for the Minneapolis, Minn., native.
 
On defense, junior Spencer Wehr led BSU with 10 tackles (5s-5a) while Colton Herman followed with eight (2s-6a) and added an interception. Princeten Harris also had an interception for the defense and added three tackles (2s-1a). Stephen Hoffman and Marco Cavallaro each recorded a sack as well.
 
Bemidji State will look to get back on track next Saturday and will face another formidable opponent in Augustana University, Sept. 10. The Beavers will travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., to face the Vikings who were voted to finish first in the league's preseason coaches' poll. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State football program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeaversFB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversFB).
 
Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooden region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, BSU sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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