Last Minute Pass Play Lifts South Dakota State Past North Dakota State 24-21

Saturday, October 9

Brookings, S.D.

6:40 p.m.

North Dakota State

4-2 , 0-2

South Dakota State

4-2 , 1-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
North Dakota State	0	14	7	0	21
South Dakota State	7	7	0	10	24

Last Minute Pass Play Lifts South Dakota State Past North Dakota State 24-21

10/10/2004 5:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

BROOKINGS, S.D.--Brad Nelson threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Chris Moliter with 39 seconds remaining to lift South Dakota State to a 24-21 win over North Dakota State on Oct. 9 before a Beef Bowl record crowd of 12,323 in the Great West Football Conference. SDSU also claimed the inaugural "Dakota Marker".

The winning Jackrabbits (4-2, 1-2 Great West) drove 80 yards for the score and then stopped North Dakota State's next drive on Hank McCall's interception with 20 seconds to play. SDSU quarterback Brad Nelson engineered the winning drive and finished the game hitting 20-of-35 passes for 198 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

North Dakota State (4-2, 0-2 GWC) led 21-14 on a 22-yard pass from Tony Stauss to AJ Cooper and held South Dakota State to a field goal with 5:43 to play, then had to punt on its next possession, leading to the winning score for the Jackrabbits. Stauss completed 18-of-27 passes for 183 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Anthony Watson rushed for 133 yards and one score for South Dakota State. He was the first opposing running back to rush for 100-plus yards against NDSU this season.

Watson had 115 yards rushing in the first half, with 37 coming on one run that set up his 1-yard touchdown run and the game's first score late in the first quarter.

North Dakota State scored on its next two possessions -- a 3-yard run by Kyle Steffes and a 6-yard run by Cinque Chapman, who led Bison rushers with 75 yards.

The host Jackrabbits tied the score at 14 just before halftime on a 2-yard run by reserve quarterback Andy Kardoes.

South Dakota State held a 373-343 edge in total offense. Each team was 3-for-3 in the red zone, while neither team fumbled or recorded a quarterback sack. Jayd Kittelson led the Bison defense with 10 tackles and an interception, while Craig Dahl recorded 12 tackles and Brian Erenberg added 10 stops. SDSU's defense was sparked by Chris Coauette's game-high 15 tackles, while McCall recorded 11 stops.