BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University Football defeated Minot State University 37-19 on Saturday. BSU rushed for 405 yards and five touchdowns, with 20 of its 22 first downs coming on the ground. The team totaled a season-high 405 rushing yards in the game.
Due to rainy conditions, Bemidji State's offense ran through its ground game, rushing 58 times for 405 yards and five touchdowns while attempting only three passes.
Connor Carver finished with 335 rushing yards and four touchdowns, including a scoring drive that featured his 52-yard run and a separate 47-yard touchdown. Carver set the program record for single-game rushing yards, previously set by John Gronski in 1987. Minot State also leaned on the run with 216 rushing yards, but Bemidji State finished with 22 first downs to MSU's 15 and converted 7 of 11 third downs plus both fourth-down tries.
BSU turned
L'Shawn Taylor's interception into the first quarter's only points, moving 57 yards behind Carver runs of 42 and 11 yards before
Kyle Nadler's 31-yard field goal made it 3-0. The defense later set up two more short fields with
Caden Bolte's fumble recovery at the MSU 24 and a turnover on downs at the 4, but Bemidji St. came away empty on both chances after an interception and a missed field goal. BSU finished the first quarter ahead 3-0.
Bemidji State remained steady on its run game for two Carver rushing touchdowns in the second quarter, including a 9-yard score after his 52-yard run opened a quick drive. After MSU scored to make it 9-6, BSU responded with a 75-yard drive capped by Carver's 10-yard touchdown with 42 seconds left. The second quarter ended with Bemidji State ahead 16-6.
Bemidji State opened the third quarter with a 12-play, 75-yard drive built entirely on the run, capped by Carver's 20-yard touchdown on fourth-and-1 and Nadler's extra point for a 23-6 lead. Minot State answered with a touchdown drive to make it 23-13, but Bemidji State used the final 2:24 to move from its own 8 to the 25 before the third quarter ended.
Bemidji State rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns, including Carver's 47-yard scoring run at 11:26 that made it 29-13 before Nadler's extra point. After Minot State scored on the next drive,
Joey Funderburk blocked the kick, and Bemidji State put together an 11-play, 51-yard drive capped by
Jayden Washington's 3-yard touchdown with 1:56 left. BSU closed out the 37-19 win after
Elijah Hagen stopped MSU on fourth down in the final seconds. The win sent the Beavers into Lake Bemidji for the 24th time in program history, a tradition that began in 1993.
Bemidji State is 2-3 overall and 2-2 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Minot State is 1-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Up next, Bemidji State travels to Aberdeen, S.D., to face Northern State University on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m.
For more information on the Bemidji State Football program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversFB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and like them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversFB).
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
