DULUTH, Minn. – The No. 16/12 Bemidji State University Football team went on the road and recorded the big 38-31 win over No. 25 Minnesota Duluth in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Saturday at James S. Malosky Stadium.
Bemidji State (7-1, 7-1 NSIC) improved to 4-0 on the road this season and won for the second straight time in Duluth and third overall in the series. The Beavers piled up 483 yards of total offense, throwing for 271 yards and rushing for 212 more. The win also vaults the Beavers into a three-way tie for first in the NSIC with Augustana falling at Wayne State.
Brandon Alt completed 19-26 for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Dhel Duncan-Busby caught six passes for 76 yards. Jake Hill added four receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown. Mike Wandmaker collected two catches for 41 yards, with Drayton Lehman adding two for 37 yards. Brice Peters added the other receiving TD on two catches for 22 yards.
On the ground, Sage Booker broke a long 74-yard TD score to go along with seven carries for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Averaging 17.1 yards per carry. Ali Mohamed carried the ball 12 times for 57 yards. Jayden Washington had 14 attempts for 53 yards. Sam McGath had the other rushing score on his only attempt from two yards out.
Cole Sorby and Colton Herman led the defense with six tackles apiece. Herman, Theodus Ringgold and Stephen Hoffman all had a tackle for loss.
Early starts have been a theme this season and the Beavers got right to it. On the first drive, BSU converted a big third-and-seven with an Alt pass to Joey Baron for 10 yards to move the ball to the Minnesota Duluth (7-2, 6-2 NSIC) 35. Faced with another third down, this time third-and-two, Alt found Hill for the 16-yard TD strike for the 7-0 lead nearly five minutes in.
After the defense forced a three-and-out, the offense went right back to work. Starting at the BSU 15, the big play was an Alt to Wandmaker 24-yard pass. On the play, the Bulldogs were hit with a roughing the passer to move the ball to the UMD 36. Two plays later, Booker broke free for his first rushing touchdown from 30 yards out for the 14-0 lead late in the first quarter.
Minnesota Duluth answered with a touchdown to close out the first quarter and then added a field goal in the second quarter to leave BSU with the 14-10 advantage. Just when UMD was back into it, the Beavers answered right back. Following a short kickoff that was returned 25 yards by Herman had the ball out near midfield. After three rushes had the ball at the UMD 38, Alt found Hill for 22 yards down to the 16. Then on the next snap, Alt hit Peters for the 16-yard touchdown for the 21-10 lead.
Following another three-and-out, the BSU offense had one more score left in them before the break. With Washington accounting for 29 straight yards on three plays, the ball was out near midfield. Alt then looked to Duncan-Busby for 14 yards and then again for 12 more yards to get into the red zone. On third-and-goal at the two, McGath took the direct snap into the end zone for the 28-10 lead.
Bemidji State stretched the lead to 31-10 scoring first in the third quarter when Landon Arends connected on the 21-yard field goal at the 9:13 mark.
Minnesota Duluth didn't go away using a 78-yard pass play touchdown on the ensuing drive to leave BSU ahead at 31-17. After the teams traded possessions, Booker broke free for the longest run of the game. At the BSU 26, Booker looked to be stopped at the line, but bounced it outside and went untouched 74 yards for the touchdown to stretch the lead to 38-17 late in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs then made things interesting. UMD carried a drive over from the third quarter scoring just over a minute into the fourth quarter to trim the lead to 14. The Bulldogs held BSU and cashed in another touchdown to cut the lead to 38-31 with still 9:29 to play in the game.
BSU went three-and-out, but the defense responded for the Beavers. With the ball at the UMD 41, the Bulldogs picked up one first down, but would be forced to punt. With still four minutes to play, Bemidji State started the drive getting an 11-yard run from Washington for a first down. Then on third-and-eight, Alt found Duncan-Busby over the middle for a big 22-yard pass play and first down. That allowed the Beavers to run out the clock and preserve the 38-31 victory.
The BSU win, coupled with the loss by Augustana at Wayne State (14-12) now has three teams tied for first. Minnesota State won at home over Southwest Minnesota State (30-12), which leaves Augustana, Bemidji State and Minnesota State all tied for first at 7-1 in NSIC play. Minnesota Duluth is in fourth at 6-2.
The Beavers return home to host MSU Moorhead next Saturday starting at 1 p.m. at Chet Anderson Stadium. The game will be an Orange Out and Lions Club Day. MSU Moorhead picked up the 20-17 win at home against Winona State on Saturday for their sixth win of the season.
For more information on the Bemidji State Football program, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversFB). Like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversFB).
Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooded 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).
