NDSU Second Half Burst Lifts Bison To 31-22 Win Over Nebraska-Omaha

Saturday, November 3

Fargo, N.D.

North Dakota State Athletics

6-3 , 4-3

Nebraska-Omaha

8-1 , 6-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Nebraska Omaha	2	7	0	13	22
North Dakota State	0	0	17	14	31

NDSU Second Half Burst Lifts Bison To 31-22 Win Over Nebraska-Omaha

11/3/2001 6:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

FARGO, ND--North Dakota State exploded for 31 second half points and knocked the University of Nebraska-Omaha out of the ranks of the undefeated with a 31-22 win over the Mavericks here Saturday afternoon.

The win was the 21st straight at home for North Dakota State and snapped three long streaks for Nebraska-Omaha. The Mavs had won 15 straight North Central Conference games, 18 straight regular season games and eight straight road games before falling to the Herd.

However, it did not look like NDSU was much of a match for the Mavericks in the first 30 minutes. NDSU mustered just 28 total yards in the first half and zero yards rushing while UN-O forged a 9-0 lead. Two excellent defensive stands by NDSU kept the game close.

The Bison stopped UN-O on the Bison 21 by forcing a missed field goal and at the NDSU four by holding on downs, both in the opening quarter.

North Dakota State's offense broke loose in the second half as junior quarterback Graig Gorder, ousted from the starting role in midweek after starting the first eight games, came out to take over the offense in the third quarter and promtly led the Bison on two scoring drives.

He marched NDSU 40 yards after a short UN-O punt to a 20-yard Aaron Pederson field and took the Bison 42 yards after a 37-yard punt return by Richard Lewis, scoring himself on a 13-yard option run.

Lewis came back four minutes later to return another punt, this time for 50 yards and a TD to give NDSU a 17-9 lead. The Bison stretched it to 24-9 when Gorder hit tight end Jared Peck with a 55-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter.

UN-O closed to within two points on a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. Backup quarterback Trey Guidry scored from one yard out and then passed 15 yards to Mike Nizzi and it was 24-22 NDSU with 8:39 remaining.

The Mavs took over the ball with 4:04 remaining and marched to the Bison 41 before Guidry was picked off at the 27-yard line by freshman Jared Essler who then raced down the right sideline and cut back at the 10 into the end zone for the clinching TD with 2:15 left in the game.

The Bison, 6-3 overall and 4-3 in the NCC, finished with 192 total yards in the game and played much of the contest without All-American runningback Lamar Gordon. Gordon picked up 20 yards in seven carries in the first half but reinjured his ankle and did not return.

Nebraska-Omaha fell to 8-1 on the season and 6-1 in the NCC. The Mavs were ranked second in the nation entering the game.

NDSU closes the season next Saturday at St. Cloud State.