Box Score MACOMB, Ill. --Third-ranked North Dakota State University scored 24 unanswered points to beat No. 17 Western Illinois in front of 15,619 fans at Hanson Field Saturday. The win snapped WIU's 32-game non-conference regular season home streak and spoiled the Leathernecks' homecoming.
The Bison (4-0), who have won eight straight games, trailed Western Illinois 21-17 with 7:34 left in the first half before 24 unanswered points gave NDSU a 41-17 lead midway in the third quarter. North Dakota State led 31-21 at the halftime. The Bison improved to 2-0 against ranked teams this season and 5-0 over the past two years.
The Bison saw a career best day from tailback Tyler Roehl with three rushing touchdowns. Roehl reached the end zone on runs of three, 41 and one yards and finished the day with 136 yards on 27 carries. He recorded his third 100-yard plus performance in four games this season. Pat Paschall added 68 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown of his own for the Bison.
Kicker Shawn Bibeau had a career long 51-yard field goal that gave the Bison a 34-21 lead in the third quarter. Bibeau also connected from 40 yards for the first score of the game at the 9:20 mark of the first quarter. His previous career long field goal was 42-yards against Ball State in 2006.
Quarterback Steve Walker finished the day 13-for-21 for 181 yards and one touchdown and distributed the ball to six different receivers. His touchdown pass to Kole Heckendorf came from 16 yards out with just 20 seconds left in the first half. It was the 10th time in the last 15 games the Bison have scored with less than two minutes remaining in the half. Heckendorf finished with five receptions for 99 yards, which were all recorded in the first half.
Defensively, the Bison were again led by middle linebacker and Buchanan Award candidate Joe Mays, who recorded his sixth career double-digit performance for tackles in a game with 12 including 2.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks.
Mays had plenty of help from a balanced defensive effort. Linebacker Mike Maresh recorded his fourth career interception and Nick Schommer, whose pick in the first half set up the touchdown pass from Walker to Heckendorf, recorded his seventh. Linebacker Ramon Humber made a key pass breakup with the Leathernecks driving deep into NDSU territory in the fourth quarter, while defensive end Joe Lardinois recorded six tackles including 1.5 sacks.
In a game where the wind played a large part, Mike Dragosavich punted four times for an average of 51.4 yards per punt. Dragosavich recorded a 62-yard punt and placed two inside the 20-yard line to pin down Western Illinois.
North Dakota State turned the ball over three times and Western Illinois two. The Bison held a 385-316 advantage in total offense and an advantage in time of possession of 32:16 to 27:44.
For Western Illinois, Herb Donaldson carried the ball 19 times for 97 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Matt Barr was 18-of-33 for 195 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Western Illinois is a member of the Gateway Football Conference, which North Dakota State will join beginning next season. NDSU will next host Great West Conference opponent UC Davis (2-3 overall, 0-0 in the Great West Conference) Saturday, Oct. 6 for homecoming at 1:07 p.m. in the Fargodome. The game will be televised statewide by KVLY-TV on the North Dakota NBC network.
