TERRE HAUTE, Ind.(UND Athletics) – In a game which seesawed each way throughout the contest, Indiana State upset No. 15 North Dakota, 35-31, at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
ISU (4-5, 3-2 MVFC) ate up over 10 minutes of clock in the final stanza to pull off the upset. UND (5-4, 2-3 MVFC) faced 4th & 6 from the ISU 15 to start the final quarter and looked to go for it but settled for a 37-yard field goal from C.J. Elrichs to trim the deficit to 35-31. A false start before Elrichs’ attempt forced the Fighting Hawks to opt for the field goal try instead of going for it. North Dakota had two more possessions in the quarter but neither one ended in points, allowing the Sycamores to hold on for the win.
Elijah Owens for Indiana State was 12-for-18 passing for 163 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 11 times for 58 yards. Rasah Rochelle was his favorite target with six grabs for 72 yards and a touchdown. Running back Plez Lawrence also had a 39-yard touchdown reception to go with 14 rushes for 100 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Simon Romfo finished the game 18-for-26 through the air for 187 yards and a pair of scoring passes, while also surrendering one interception. He added 21 yards rushing and scored UND’s first touchdown of the game on a two-yard scamper. Caden Dennis and Nate DeMontagnac shared the team lead in receptions with five apiece. Dennis had 54 yards receiving, while DeMontagnac recorded 38 yards receiving and a touchdown grab. Isaiah Smith paced the Fighting Hawks on the ground with 11 touches for 104 yards and a score.
In the game, UND accumulated 187 yards through the air and 185 yards on the ground. Comparatively, ISU had 227 yards rushing and 163 yards passing. The Sycamores ended the game with a +1.0 turnover margin.
After halftime, Indiana State’s Plez Lawrence scored a 53-yard rushing touchdown to give the Sycamores a 27-21 lead. The extra point attempt was blocked by Kaden Vig. At the midway point of the quarter, NoDak earned the advantage at 28-27 after an Smith three-yard rush capped an eight-play, 69-yard drive. With 5:20 left in the third period, Lawrence scored in the form of a 39-yard reception from Elijah Owens and the Sycamores converted another two-point conversion to head into the final 15 minutes with the 35-28 lead.
At intermission, the two teams were deadlocked at 21-21. Indiana State scored in the opening seconds of the contest with a 20-yard pick-six. The Sycamores then attempted a two-point conversion that was snuffed out by the Fighting Hawks. UND responded with an eight-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a two-yard Romfo scamper to give the Hawks a 7-6 edge on the scoreboard. The Sycamores were threatening again with just under six minutes left in the opening period and made it down to the UND 2 before Jett Sutton punched out the football and Tyler Erkman recovered the fumble to end the drive.
ISU scored in the early moments of the second quarter to reclaim a lead at 13-7. UND went back on top with 6:38 left before intermission when Romfo scrambled and found Demontagnac for a five-yard touchdown pass to give the edge back to the Fighting Hawks. NoDak had the ball late in the quarter and capped a seven-play, 47-yard drive with a nine-yard Bo Belquist touchdown grab to bring the tally to 21-13. In the final minute-and-a-half of the quarter, North Dakota looked to get the ball back after a punt but muffed the return and Indiana State ended the half with a 16-yard touchdown reception and a successful two-point try to knot the score up at intermission.
In the opening half, North Dakota ran 37 plays for 195 yards, with 115 yards rushing and 80 yards passing. Indiana State had 183 yards on 27 plays, picking up 93 yards on the ground and 90 yards through the air.
North Dakota will host South Dakota State on Saturday. The Fighting Hawks and Jackrabbits will battle inside the Alerus Center at 1 p.m. (CT). The game will air on Midco Sports and will be carried on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
Postgame Notes
- North Dakota holds a 2-1 edge in the all-time series.
- Indiana State’s pick-six to open the game ended Simon Romfo’s four-game streak without an interception thrown.
- Nate DeMontagnac hauled in the first touchdown of his career with a five-yard touchdown reception midway through the second quarter.
- Isaiah Smith had 104 yards on the ground, good for his seventh 100-yard rushing performance of his career and second this season.
- Malachi McNeal notched eight tackles (five solo), two tackles-for-loss, a sack and a pass breakup to lead the defense. Wyatt Pedigo also accumulated eight tackles (three solo).
- ISU’s Plez Lawrence recorded 14 touches for 100 yards rushing and a touchdown, while also adding a 39-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter.
- The Sycamores finished with a +1.0 turnover margin.
How It Happened
First Quarter
14:26 – ISU | Joey Shew scores on a 20-yard pick-six. (Conversion failed). 0 plays, 20 yards, 0:00.
10:03 – UND | Simon Romfo scores on a 2-yard rush. (C.J. Elrichs kick). 8 plays, 65 yards, 4:23.
Second Quarter
11:30 – ISU | Shen Butler-Lawson scores on a 3-yard rush. (Ryan O’Grady kick). 11 plays, 87 yards, 4:40.
6:38 – UND | Nate DeMontagnac scores on a 5-yard pass from Romfo. (Elrichs kick). 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:47.
1:59 – UND | Bo Belquist scores on a 9-yard pass from Romfo. (Elrichs kick). 7 plays, 47 yards, 3:13.
0:44 – ISU | Rashad Rochelle scores on a 16-yard pass from Elijah Owens. (Conversion successful). 2 plays, 34 yards, 0:34.
Third Quarter
12:21 – ISU | Plez Lawrence scores on a 53-yard rush. (Kick blocked). 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:39.
8:13 – UND | Isaiah Smith scores on a 3-yard rush. (Elrichs kick). 8 plays, 69 yards, 4:07.
5:20 – ISU | Lawrence scores on a 39-yard pass from Owens. (Conversion successful). 6 plays, 71 yards, 2:48.
Fourth Quarter
14:56 – UND | C.J. Elrichs connects on a 37-yard field goal. (10 plays, 50 yards, 5:19).
Game Recap: Football | 11/2/2024 3:56:00 PM | Tyler Wells, FightingHawks.com
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