No. 7 Missouri State football drops third straight in poor performance at North Dakota

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A poor defensive efficiency from Missouri State has the Bears coming again to Springfield on a three-game dropping streak.

Missouri State (2-3, 0-2) could not do something to decelerate North Dakota (3-2, 1-1) in a 48-31 loss on Saturday afternoon in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

The Bears went into halftime with a one-point lead earlier than the Combating Hawks exploded within the second half to place MSU away. The seventh-ranked Bears actually will not be ranked close to as excessive come Monday morning’s ballot releases.

It will not get any simpler for Missouri State, nonetheless, it is going to return house subsequent week. The Bears host Southern Illinois at Plaster Stadium on Oct. 8 at 2 p.m.

It solely took 4 performs for Missouri State to seek out itself within the endzone with working again Jacardia Wright breaking away for a 55-yard run on the primary offensive play of the sport. In fewer than two minutes, quarterback Jason Shelley discovered Naveon Mitchell for an 11-yard landing cross to take a fast lead.

North Dakota responded with a 10-play drive that stalled on the Bears’ 25. The Combating Hawks settled for a 42-yard area aim that went by way of the uprights with 6:55 left within the opening quarter.

After exchanging empty three-and-outs, Missouri State put a promising drive collectively that resulted in nothing. The Bears had chunk performs by Wright with a 16-yard run adopted by an 11-yard reception. The Bears’ drive stalled on the UND 13 however Jose Pizano missed a 30-yard area aim.

North Dakota took benefit with a 13-play, 80-yard landing drive. The Combating Hawks picked up a fourth-down conversion on the drive and took their first lead of the sport with a three-yard landing run by power-running backup quarterback Quincy Vaughn for a 10-7 lead with 8:30 left within the half.

It did not take too lengthy for Missouri State to reply because it went 79 yards over 9 performs to retake its lead. A 28-yard cross from Shelley to Jahod Booker set the Bears up in UND territory. A 16-yard cross to Raylen Sharpe put the Bears on the UND 9 earlier than a third-and-goal two-yard landing cross to Kevon Latulas to go up 14-10.

Momentum stayed within the Bears’ favor when a tipped cross on North Dakota’s first play of its subsequent possession landed in Von Younger’s palms deep in UND territory. A brief drive, aided by a cross interference name on UND, resulted in Trae Thompson punching in a two-yard landing to take an 11-point lead with 2:36 left within the half.

Thirty seconds later, North Dakota reclaimed the momentum with a two-play landing drive to deliver the sport again inside 4. A display screen cross from Tommy Schuster to Isaiah Smith went 42 yards to the Bears’ 38. On the following play, Schuster scrambled to his left and rotated to discover a wide-open Garett Maag who ran down the sideline 38 yards for a landing.

A fast three-and-out for Missouri State, and continued undisciplined play, became extra factors for the Combating Hawks proper earlier than halftime. First, the Bears held North Dakota to fourth-and-1 and it appeared they’d get off the sphere. As a substitute, the Combating Hawks’ offense lined up in its personal territory in an apparent spot the place it will attempt to get the Bears to leap offsides. It labored because the Bears jumped and the UND drive continued.

Following the Bears’ offsides blunder, an 11-yard connection between Schuster and Smith moved UND into MSU territory and was aided by a private foul name on Tahj Chambers who continued to take part in a play after having his helmet knocked off.

As time ticked away within the second quarter, UND moved the ball all the way in which to the MSU 18 and needed to settle with a third-down 35-yard area aim from Stevens to make it a 21-20 sport within the Bears’ favor on the break. The second half appeared prefer it was going to start out completely for the Bears. A pooch kick on the opening kickoff hit the bottom with the Bears recovering on the UND 29. The Bears adopted by going three-and-out with Pizano lacking a 38-yard area aim to maintain the rating at 21-20.

On the fourth play following the missed area aim, UND tailback Tyler Hoosman discovered area on a run up the center for a 55-yard landing run. A failed two-point conversion gave the Combating Hawks a 26-21 lead early within the third.

A 3-and-out for the Bears’ offense rapidly put their struggling protection again on the sphere and the Combating Hawks took benefit. A 13-play, 69-yard drive noticed UND take over seven minutes off the clock en path to the endzone. A 29-yard completion on third-and-14 stored the Hawks’ drive alive which resulted in Vaughn punching in his second landing of the sport. A two-point conversion gave UND a 32-21 lead with 2:10 left within the third.

Proper after, a promising drive from the Bears solely resulted in a area aim. A 46-yard connection between Shelley and Ty Scott bought the Bears to the UND 11. An offensive cross interference name on the next play backed the Bears as much as the place they settled for a 32-yard area aim early within the fourth to chop UND’s result in 10.

Needing a cease on protection, the Bears could not get one. As a substitute, a misdirection play on third-and-three bought Smith in area and he went untouched 54 yards for a landing to offer North Dakota a 41-24 lead with 11:02 remaining.

The Bears turned the ball over on downs of their subsequent possession. Chipping away on the clock, North Dakota marched 46 yards in a drive that was capped off by an 18-yard landing connection between Schuster and Maag on fourth all the way down to double the Bears up at 48-24.

Within the remaining minutes, Shelley related with Mitchell for a nine-yard landing that did not actually matter in the long run.

Scoring abstract

• 1Q 13:02 – Shelley 11-yard landing cross to Mitchell. MSU 7-0.
• 1Q 6:55 – Stevens 42-yard area aim. MSU 7-3.
• 2Q 8:30 – Vaughn three-yard landing run. UND 10-7.
• 2Q 4:15 – Shelley two-yard landing cross to Latulas. MSU 14-10.
• 2Q 2:36 – Thompson two-yard landing run. MSU 21-10.
• 2Q 2:06 – Schuster 38-yard landing cross to Maag. MSU 21-17.
• 2Q 0:00 – Stevens 35-yard area aim. MSU 21-20.
• 3Q 11:40 – Hoosman 55-yard landing run. UND 26-21.
• 3Q 2:10 – Vaughn two-yard landing run. UND 34-21.
• 4Q 14:15 – Pizano 32-yard area aim. UND 34-24.
• 4Q 11:02 – Smith 54-yard landing run. UND 41-24.
• 4Q 4:02 – Schuster 18-yard landing cross to Maag. UND 48-24.
• 4Q 1:43 – Shelley nine-yard landing cross to Mitchell. UND 48-31.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield Information-Chief. You possibly can contact him at 417-371-6987, by e mail at wwheeler@news-leader.com or Twitter at @WyattWheeler_NL. He is additionally the co-host of Sports activities Discuss on Jock Radio weekdays from 4-6 p.m.