Duluth, MN (NSUWolves.com) – The Northern State University football team continued their win streak on Saturday, defeating Minnesota Duluth on the road. The Wolves win over the Bulldogs was the first since 2015, as Northern grabbed a 23-15 victory at home. It’s the first win for the Wolves IN DULUTH since 1999.
THE QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: NSU 24, UMD 21
Records: NSU 3-4 (3-3 NSIC), UMD 3-3 (2-3 NSIC)
Attendance: 2089
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The two teams played scoreless football through the first quarter with Northern breaking through in the opening minute of the second
- Wyatt Block pushed through the goal line on a 1-yard run to give the Wolves a 7-0 lead
- Daniel Britt connected with Ty Wiley on a 33-yard, back of the endzone passing touchdown with 1:02 left in the half and the Wolves led 14-0
- The Bulldogs tallied a 17-yard receiving score as time expired in the half and Northern entered the locker room with a 14-7 halftime lead
- Similar to the first, neither team was able to break through in the third with some stellar defensive play, including an interception for both squads
- Northern’s final drive of the third quarter ended with a 12-yard rushing touchdown by Hank Kraft at 14:55 in the fourth
- Minnesota Duluth clawed back, scoring back-to-back touchdowns at 8:01 and 2:23 to tie the game at 21
- Noah Smith opened the Wolves game winning drive with a 31-yard kick return
- With just over two minutes remaining in regulation, the Wolves trotted 44 yards down the field, putting Jeremy Caruso within field goal range with one second remaining
- The sophomore sent his second longest attempt of the season, 38-yards, straight through the uprights as time expired
- The win marks the Wolves third straight and the second over an NSIC opponent they hadn’t defeated in nearly a decade
- NSU recorded a game leading 159 yards passing and added 139 yards rushing on a Bulldog defense that entered the contest leading the NSIC giving up just 34.0 yards rushing on average per game
- In addition, they averaged 28.0 yards per kick return, went 9-of-14 on third down and 2-of-3 on fourth down, scored all three times they entered the redzone, and sacked the Duluth quarterback on three occasions
- Britt threw for 143 total yards, completing 15-of-20 attempts with one touchdown, one interception, and a 33-yard long
- Block led the team for the third straight game with 77 yards rushing and one touchdown, averaging 4.5 yards per carry with a 21-yard long
- Tanner Branson led the receivers with a season high 70 yards, averaging 14.0 yards per reception with a 32-yard long
- Defensively, seven Wolves tallied four tackles or more in the win led by Jake Adams with nine, including six solo stops
- Max Van Landingham recorded his second straight game with two sacks, while Matthew Baker added the team’s third; the pair combined for 11 total tackles in the win
- Kegan Mountain pulled down his third interception of the season on the Bulldog’s opening play of their first drive of the third
- Caruso tallied 225 yards on kickoff, went 3-of-3 in PATs, and sealed the game for the Wolves on his 38-yard field goal; his fourth make of the season
NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
Wyatt Block: 77 yards rushing, 1 touchdown, 21-yard long
Ty Wiley: 32 yards receiving, 1 touchdown, 33-yard long, 25 kick return yards
Jeremy Caruso: 38-yard field goal, 3-3 PAT, 225 kickoff yards
Matthew Baker: 7 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, 1.0 sack for a loss of 12 yards
Max Van Landingham: 4 tackles, 2.0 sacks for a loss of five yards
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Here is the “call of the game” w/ the GW FG by Jeremy Caruso, as heard of Fox Sports Aberdeen w/ David Tukesbrey:
UP NEXT
Northern returns to Dacotah Bank Stadium next Saturday, October 19, hosting Southwest Minnesota State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in the annual Blackout Cancer game. Pregame coverage begins at 5:15p on Fox Sports Aberdeen 1420AM & 98.5FM with the play-by-play voice of the Wolves, David Tukesbrey.