BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University Football defeated Southwest Minnesota State University, 38-0, on Saturday. Bemidji State held Southwest Minnesota State to 57 total yards and an 0-for-14 mark on third down.
Bemidji State turned an early defensive takeaway into points when
Nah'Shawn Keith sacked Macloud Crowton and recovered the fumble, and
Jayden Washington scored from 15 yards out on the next play for a 7-0 lead at 13:28. The defense kept Southwest Minnesota State behind the sticks with tackles for loss by
Dominick Battle III,
Joey Funderburk,
Carter Drake-Metzger and
Frankie McAninch, then
Cameron Steele intercepted Crowton at the Bemidji St. 40 midway through the quarter.
Bart McAninch followed with a 44-yard completion to
Hudson Omoke and an 11-yard throw to
Kaleb Miller before finding Omoke for a 6-yard touchdown, with
Kyle Nadler's second extra point making it 14-0 at 3:45. Bemidji State closed the quarter with another stop after a long kickoff return and moved into Southwest Minnesota State territory on its final possession, finishing the first quarter ahead 14-0.
In the second quarter, Bemidji State scored twice and kept Southwest Minnesota State off the board, closing the quarter with a 28-0 lead. Earlier,
Bart McAninch opened the quarter with a 41-yard completion to
Tyree Lockett to the SMSU 2, then scored on a 1-yard run at 13:51 before Nadler's kick made it 21-0. The defense forced punts on all four Mustang possessions in the quarter and recorded four sacks, including pressure from
Jason Eagle Jr.,
Tavon Rice, Keith and Funderburk. The Beavers also put together a 53-yard drive from its own 40 to the Mustang 7 behind completions to
Trey Borchers, Lockett and
Lucas Peterson, but turned it over on downs with 4:50 left. After another defensive stop gave Bemidji St. the ball at the SMSU 44,
Antonio Brown carried on all four plays of the drive and finished it with a 12-yard touchdown before Nadler's second extra point set the quarter-ending score.
The only points of the third quarter came on Bemidji State's 13-play, 81-yard drive that ended with Nadler's 21-yard field goal at :41, making it 31-0. Earlier,
Isaiah Tisdle helped move the opening possession with repeated gains on the ground, and
Bart McAninch hit
Zavery Guerra for 12 yards on third down before the drive stalled near midfield. The defense kept SMSU from building momentum, with Funderburk recording a 7-yard sack and
Mike Watkins and Steele breaking up third-down passes on separate stops.
Mack Molander later led the long scoring march, completing four passes to Miller for 58 yards on the drive, including a 37-yard gain to the SMSU 9-yard line.
Ben Watson recovered a muffed kickoff after the field goal, but BSU. gave the ball back on an interception and carried a 31-0 lead into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Bemidji St. scored the only points with a 13-play, 67-yard drive that took 6:41 off the clock and ended when Molander hit
Jack Carlson for a 5-yard touchdown before Nadler's kick made it 38-0. Earlier, the defense ended the Mustangs' opening possession when
Frankie McAninch broke up a fourth-down pass at the Beaver 33. Bemidji State converted key downs on the scoring march, including Molander's 14-yard completion to
Cedric Wall on third down and his 21-yard completion to
Trey Borchers on fourth down, while Tisdle added repeated gains on the ground. After the touchdown, Deshaun Sager intercepted a pass at the SMSU 48, and BSU later added defensive stops from
Kaine Larocque,
Ryan Carroll and
Elijah Hagen as the game finished as a 38-0 win.
Bart McAninch completed 13 of 20 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for a score. Keith recorded six tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Lockett finished with three receptions for 77 yards. Omoke caught two passes for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Bemidji State is now 1-1 overall and 1-0 in NSIC play. Southwest Minnesota State is also 1-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play. Up next, Bemidji State travels to Mankato, Minn., to face Minnesota State University, Mankato on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 2 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).
