Minnesota
#13 Mavericks Prevail in Home Opener vs. #25 Beavers – Minnesota State University – Mankato Athletics
Jackson Forderer/SPX
29
1-1 , 0-1
31
Winner
2-0 , 1-0
1-1 , 0-1
29
31
2-0 , 1-0
Winner
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 15 | 0 | 14 | 29 |
|
|
0 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
Game Recap: Football |
MANKATO, Minn. — It came down to the final play of the game Saturday evening, but a 31-yard field goal from junior Matthew Jaeger proved to be the difference as #13 Minnesota State bested #25 Bemidji State 31-29.
With the win, MSU improved to 2-0 on the season, including a 1-0 NSIC record. With the loss, BSU dropped to 1-1, including a 0-1 conference record. An attendance of 6,874 was the third-largest attendance in Blakeslee Stadium history and the largest for a home opener.
A scoreless first quarter gave way to an eventful second as the Beavers carried a 15-14 lead into halftime. BSU managed three scores, including a 32-yard field goal from Joey Prondzinski and a pair of touchdown passes from Sam McGath to Brice Peters from 69 and two yards out. Senior Maven Kretche and junior Caleb Paulus blocked BSU’s extra point attempts.
MSU’s two scores of the second quarter came via a 36-yard touchdown run by senior Tony Anger and a six-yard touchdown pass from senior Hayden Ekern to junior TreShawn Watson.
The Mavericks took the lead late in the third quarter as a 13-play drive by the Mavericks was capped off with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Ekern to Watson to put MSU up 21-15 with 2:33 to go in the third.
Both teams combined for three more touchdowns in the third quarter as BSU held a 29-28 lead with 1:55 to go in the game. Peters caught his third touchdown pass from McGath with 8:09 to go, only to see the Mavericks answer right back with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Ekern to Watson with 7:32 left in the game. Trailing 28-22, BSU drove 77 yards in nine plays to reclaim the lead at 29-28 with a one-yard touchdown run by McGath with 1:55 to go.
Starting on their own 28, the Mavericks drove 58 yards down field in nine plays to the BSU 14 with 13 seconds left. After a pair of incomplete passes brought the clock down to :04, the Mavericks sent in Jaeger to attempt the 31-yard field goal. Bemidji State tried to ice Jaeger with a timeout but he was unfazed and his 31-yard kick split the uprights to give the Mavericks the 31-29 win as time expired.
Ekern finished his night completing 20-of-37 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. Watson posted his first three-touchdown game as a Maverick as he hauled in three touchdown passes, to go along with 107 receiving yards. Junior Jeremiah Howard caught five passes for 70 yards also, while senior Gabe Hagen caught six passes for 69 yards.
Anger led the Maverick rushing attack with 60 yards and a touchdown.
Junior Karson Dunn led the Maverick defense with nine tackles, including two for a loss and one sack. Senior Antonio Alzheimer added eight tackles as well, while senior Joey Goettl, senior Khai West and sophomore Jamal Spiyee each notched six tackles.
Minnesota State continues its season on Saturday, Sept. 14, as it travels to Wayne, Neb., to take on the Wayne State Wildcats. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Bob Cunningham Field.
