FARGO, N.D.--Mikael Cooper-Falls rushed for 105 yards including a 57-yard TD run to open the third quarter to lead Missouri State to a 21-17 victory over North Dakota State before a crowd of 15,122 in a Missouri Valley Football Conference game and the 36th annual Harvest Bowl at the Fargodome on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The Bison (1-7, 0-5 Valley Football) are off to their worst start since 1962, when they finished 0-10 and have lost five straight games. NDSU dropped to 31-2-2 in the Harvest Bowl and lost for the first time since Northern Colorado posted a 29-7 win in 2002.

Pat Paschall ran for 148 yards and a touchdown for the Bison, but lost a fumble at the Missouri State 1-yard line late in the game. NDSU was moving the ball inside Bears' territory after Warren Holloway blocked his second punt of the season and third of his career.

However, the Bison closed the deficit to 21-17 with 3:01 left on Ryan Jastram's 35 yard field goal. NDSU's defense turned in another three-and-out, but Missouri State held it's ground in the game's final two minutes.

Paschall went over 100 yards rushing for the seventh game this season and for the 11th time in his career. He went over 1,000 yards in the third quarter. He has 1,017 yards on 145 carries this season and also moved to No. 14 on NDSU's all-time list with 2,148 yards.

Redshirt freshman Jose Mohler completed 9 of 21 passes for 126 yards including a 48-yard strike to Gary Williams in the second quarter set up Paschall's two-yard TD run. Mohler connected on a 21-yard scoring pass to Lee Vandal for NDSU's first touchdown.

The Bears (5-3, 3-2 Valley Football) rushed for a season-high 225 yards and held a 33:07 to 26:53 edge in time of possession to record their third league road win of the season.

Cody Kirby completed 9 of 12 passes for 104 yards and a TD for Missouri State. Kirby also ran for a 13-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

Skylar Smith led MSU with 11 tackles, while Antoine Wilkinson finished with 10 tackles and a pair of pass breakups. Luther Roweton blocked a punt in the first quarter to set up the Bears first score.

North Dakota State's defense was led  by Eddie Beson 's game-high 12 tackles including eight solos and a forced fumble, while freshman Brandon Jemison recorded 10. Defensive tackle Matt Phillips had seven tackles including two tackles for loss and a sack.