Final Statistics (PDF)
FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State won its 700th game as a college football program Saturday, Sept. 30, with a 38-11 triumph over Missouri State in the annual homecoming game before 18,892 at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.
The No. 2-ranked Bison, who have the fifth most wins among current FCS programs, improved to 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bears dropped to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference.
Safety
Robbie Grimsley had a game-high 10 tackles and made one of NDSU's three interceptions to lead a Bison defense that went 10 quarters without allowing a touchdown before Missouri State's only TD with 5:15 left in the game. Safeties
James Hendricks and
Tre Dempsey had the other Bison interceptions.
Linebacker
Nick DeLuca returned to the NDSU starting lineup after missing two games with a knee injury. DeLuca made nine total tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
"I was excited for him. You get your whole senior year taken away last year after a couple ballgames, then to think it could have happened again," said NDSU head coach
Chris Klieman. "What he's gone through, everybody felt awful for him. You ask our defensive guys, what a big lift when number 49 is playing. He's a big lift for our team."
Easton Stick was 15 of 21 passing for 220 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 5 of 6 passes for 95 yards on NDSU's opening-drive touchdown, capped by a 32-yard strike to tight end
Jeff Illies.
RJ Urzendowski hauled in six passes for 82 yards including a 26-yard touchdown. The Bison rushed for 214 yards with
Bruce Anderson going 11 times for 106 yards and a score, and
Lance Dunn carrying 10 times for 91 yards and two TDs.
"We were pretty sure they were going to play man coverage on both of our wide receivers, and you have to do that to get enough people in the box to stop the run," Klieman said. "RJ's a great receiver. He's not a role player, but an all-league great receiver, and he showed it today."
Missouri State quarterback Peyton Huslig went 13 of 17 passing for 88 yards and rushed 18 times for 69 yards. Linebacker Kurran Blamey made seven tackles and cornerback Matt Rush had six tackles including a sack to lead the Bears on defense.
North Dakota State is on the road for its next two contests beginning with Indiana State at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 7. The Sycamores were 0-3 heading into their conference opener at No. 8-ranked Illinois State (3-0).
