MSUM Football Falls to Minnesota Duluth

Minnesota Duluth rallied with 13 fourth-quarter points to take a 23-14 win over the Dragons

MOORHEAD, Minn. — The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team took a 14-10 lead into the fourth quarter but Minnesota Duluth rallied with 13 fourth-quarter points to take a 23-14 win over the Dragons in action Saturday at Scheels Field at Nemzek Stadium in Moorhead, Minn. The game was the homecoming contest for MSUM.

MSUM fell to 2-4 overall and in the NSIC while Minnesota Duluth improved to 4-2 overall and in the league.

The Dragons outgained the Bulldogs 285-273, including 266-179 through the air. UMD had a 94-19 edge in rushing yards. MSUM’s offense committed four turnovers in the game (three fumbles, one interceptions) and a penalty wiped out a touchdown run in the first half.

“Offensively we had too many penalties and too many turnovers,” Laqua said. “They defended our run game extremely well. Our lack of a consistent run game made it tough to get into a rhythm offensively.”

The defensive effort was led by sophomore cornerback Deiondre Taylor and senior defensive lineman Jake Busse with 10 tackles lead. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Darin Gipson had eight tackles, a sack and two blocked kicks (one field goal, one extra point).  Sophomore defensive end Derek Porozinski had a fumble recovery. Gipson and sophomore linebacker Malique Delbrune each had 2.5 tackles for loss.

“Defensively we played as well as we have since Week 1,” Laqua said. “We were physical and assignment sound. They were put in a lot of tough situations and I was proud of what our defense did.”

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Grady Bresnahan had a big day, catching nine passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. Senior receiver Damon Gibsonhad five catches for 81 yards. Senior quarterback Demetrius Carr was 19-of-40 passing for 266 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He rushed for a 20-yard score as well.

MSUM had chances in the first half to score. Later in the first quarter Carr rushed for an apparent 10-yard touchdown but the play was called back because of a holding penalty. MSUM was pushed back and later tried a field goal but missed it, leaving the score at 0-0. One drive in the second quarter was stopped at the Bulldog 7-yard line when the Dragons were stopped on a fourth-and-short.

UMD scored late in the first half to make it 7-0, which was the halftime score. The Bulldogs added a field goal early in the third quarter to make it 10-0.

MSUM rallied to erase that deficit. Bresnahan caught a 23-yard touchdown from Carr with 9:35 left in the third to make it 23-14. Later in the quarter, after a 30-yard punt return by Bresnahan but MSUM near midfield, the Dragons drove into Bulldog territory and scored on Carr’s 20-yard run.

“I am proud of the effort that our kids competed with,” Laqua said.

The Dragons had the ball with a 14-10 lead going into the fourth quarter but punted. The Bulldogs scored to make it 17-14 with 11:31 left. MSUM then fumbled on its next possession at its 30-yard line and UMD turned that into a 10-yard touchdown run by Anthony Wood to make it 23-14.

MSUM had the ball three more times in the fourth quarter but two drives ended on punts and another desperation drive ended with an interception in the end zone.

The Dragons play at St. Cloud State on Oct. 14.