September 26, 2015

Photo credits by Lori Waldner

DAVENPORT, Iowa – After St. Ambrose (Iowa) scored a touchdown with 1 minute, 36 seconds left in the game for a four-point lead Saturday afternoon at Brady Street Stadium, Dakota State (S.D.) marched down the field but committed a turnover with 37 seconds remaining and fell short by the score of 39-35.

Dakota State fell to 2-3 overall record.  St. Ambrose, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 national poll, remained undefeated in three games (3-0 overall record).

The Fighting Bees struck first after a 42-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Smith to Brad Connor.  The PAT kick by Matt Cotiguala was good to put SAU ahead 7-0 with 3:05 remaining in the first quarter.

DSU answered back on the ensuing possession, thanks to a 53-yard touchdown run by Jeremy Christner.  Nic Behrens added the PAT extra-point kick as DSU tied the game at 7-7 with 1:09 left in first.

Smith connected to Connor for their second touchdown of the game, this time a 73-yard touchdown pass.  Cotiguala's PAT kick was good to put St. Amborse up 14-7 with 13:08 remaining in the second quarter.

Dakota State responded back on the next possession with 6 plays for 73 yards in 1:51 as Jacob Giles threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Brendon Waldner.  Behrens kicked a successful PAT kick as the Trojans tied the game at 14-14 with 11:18 left before intermission.  During this scoring drive, DSU also had two plays that resulted in 10-plus yard gains (14-yard pass from Giles to Austin Opdahl and 17-yard rush by Robert Johnson).

SAU regained their lead at 17-14 after recording 12 plays for 63 yards in 4:15 with a 26-yard field goal by Cotiguala with less than seven minutes left in the first-half.

After DSU turned the ball on downs on SAU's 21-yard line, the Fighting Bees went on to use 16 plays for 66 yards in 2:39 as Cotiguala hit his second field goal of the game – a 31-yard field goal – for a 20-14 halftime lead.

The Trojans quickly scored to start the second half as Giles threw a 78-yard pass to Waldner (their second touchdown pass of the game between Giles and Waldner).  Behrens' PAT kick was good to give Dakota State their first lead of the game at 21-20 with 14:18 remaining in third.

SAU was forced to punt on their fourth-and-nine situation on their own 19-yard line.  Opdahl blocked Cotiguala's punt and was recovered by Daveon Banks on SAU's 3-yard line and returned for a touchdown.  The Trojans extended their lead to 28-20 with 12:17 left in the third quarter after Behrens' extra-point kick was good.

Dakota State committed a fumble on their own 29-yard line with 10 minutes remaining in the third.  The Fighting Bees were able to convert their scoring opportunity as Cotiguala hit a 40-yard field goal to cut DSU's lead to 28-23 with 8:26 left on the clock.

St. Ambrose regained their lead at 30-28 after recording 9 plays for 53 yards in 4:46 as Smith threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Mosher.  Cotiguala's PAT kick was good with 1:43 left in the third quarter.

The Trojans overtook the lead from the Fighting Bees for the second time in the early fourth quarter.  Giles connected to Preston Nordling for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 14:52 left in the game.  Behrens converted the PAT kick to give DSU a 35-30 lead.  Christner's 25-yard rushing play keyed in the DSU's scoring drive.

Cotiguala made a 35-yard field goal on the ensuing possession as SAU cut DSU's lead to 35-33 with 11:52 remaining.

With less than three minutes in the game with the Fighting Bees regaining possession on their own 20-yard line, SAU went on to use 7 plays for 80 yards in 1:29 as Smith threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Chris Klotz.  The Fighting Bees' 2-point conversion failed as they held on to a 39-35 lead with 1:36 left.

Dakota State started their drive on their own 28-yard line.  After two straight incomplete passes, Giles threw a 28-yard pass to Nordling for a first down on SAU 44-yard line.  Chris Overton intercepted Giles' pass in the end zone with 37 seconds left in the game, falling short the Trojans.

Giles completed 21 passes in 34 attempts for a career-high 334 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for Dakota State.  Christner rushed 19 times for 119 yards with a touchdown. 

Waldner caught four catches for a career-high 147 yards and recorded two touchdowns for the Trojans.  Nordling added six receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown.  Opdahl had six receptions for 53 yards.

Ben Kullos registered 22 tackles – 16 solo tackles and 6 assist tackles – in the game for DSU, his second time this season that he had more than 20 tackles in a single game.  He had three tackles-for-loss of 13 yards and a quarterback sack.  Darion Office added eight tackles.  Office, Tyler Poggemeyer, Cole Potter and Bronson Arguello each had a tackle-for-loss.  Arguello had a sack.

Behrens was perfect 5-for-5 on PAT kicks for the Trojans.  He had five punts for a total of 193 yards (38.6 yards average), with two punts going inside the 20-yard line and a touchback.  Behrens also had six kickoffs for a total of 370 yards (61.7 yards per kickoff). 

Smith was 33-of-47 for 404 yards with four touchdowns for the Fighting Bees.  Mosher had nine receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown.  Connor added six catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns.  Joey Zito rushed 16 times for 94 yards. 

Cotiguala was 4-for-4 on field goals and 3-for-3 on PAT kicks for St. Ambrose.  He averaged 45.3 yards per punt (3 punts for 136 yards with two punts inside the 20-yard line).

Sean Murphy led the Fighting Bees with 12 tackles.  Matthew Martson added 10 tackles.

SAU recorded 34 first-downs in the game compared to DSU 21 first-downs.  The Fighting Bees outgained the Trojans in total offensive yards 578-557. 

St. Ambrose had a time possession of 33 minutes, 20 seconds in the game.  DSU maintained possession for 26 minutes, 40 seconds.  The Trojans converted 8-of-16 third-downs while SAU was 3-of-16.

Dakota State looks to bounce back in the winning column next Saturday as they return home at Trojan Field.  The Trojans host Trinity Bible (N.D.) in the Trojan Days annual homecoming game.  The non-conference action kicks off at 3 p.m. in Madison, S.D.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director