The North Dakota State Bison passed the first Missouri Valley road test with ease on Saturday, defeating the Missouri State Bears 27-3 in Springfield. On the back of a stingy defensive performance, the Bison stormed to a 5-0 (2-0 Missouri Valley) start. King Frazier also kept up his hot feet in scoring a pair of touchdowns.
The Bears opening drive proved to be somewhat of an anomaly, as the Bears would drive down the field at Plaster Stadium to put their only points of the day on the board. The start was similar to the last time the Bison visited the Bears. Like that game in 2014, the Bison would soon gain control.
The next three Missouri State possessions would yield a combined nine plays and 11 yards. But it would get worse for the Bears.
Missouri State quarterback Brodie Lambert would get picked off by Bison’s sophomore cornerback Jalen Allison to set NDSU up on a short field. Easton Stick would find Darrius Shepherd in the end zone four plays later to put the Bison ahead 10-3 in the second quarter.
The Bison had a chance minutes later to get more points off turnovers as the defense once again flexed their muscles. Nate Tanguay would force Lambert to spill the ball and Stanley Jones would recover for the Bison. The Bears would hold on defensively and force a Bison three and out, the third such occurrence of the first half for the Bison.
“Our defense did a great job of getting takeaways,” said NDSU head coach Chris Klieman after the game.
At the half, the Bison offense still looked to be spinning its wheels. Outside of the Shepherd touchdown, the only other real highlight for the offense was a spectacular catch by RJ Urzendowski. Stick would find Urzendowski downfield, and the receiver would have to jump a stretch to make the one-handed juggling grab.
The Bison only mustered 52 yards rushing in the opening half, but that was still better looking than the Bears. Missouri State struggled to get anything going. They were held to a mere 58 yards total, with 10 on the ground in the first half.
The Bison looked to put the game away with a strong opening drive of the second half. NDSU would reach the Bears’ eight-yard line with a 12 play, 66-yard drive. The opportunity would be missed as Missouri State’s Dylan Cole popped the ball free from King Frazier’s grasp. The Bears would recover to keep the Bison from scoring.
The final dagger would come courtesy of another Bears’ miscue. Lambert would cough up the ball attempting a pump fake while scrambling to his left. The ball simply slipped out of his hand and recovered by Aaron Steidl.
On the next play, King Frazier would prance into the end zone from the 22 to give the Bison a 17-point lead.
Frazier would put the score beyond a doubt in capping off a nine play, 72-yard drive, with a four-yard score.
“I thought we did a phenomenal job in that third and fourth quarter of running the football,” said Klieman after his rushers finished with a combined 269 yards.
The cherry on the cake would be provided by Robbie Grimsley. The sophomore safety would read Lambert all the way and undercut the pass to seal the game at 27-3.
For the third straight week, the Bison defense would give opponents nowhere to run. After conceding only 30 yards to the Bears, they have now allowed less than 40 rushing yards in each of the last three games.
The Bison’s big play ability was also on display. The Bison averaged 6.6 yards per play, and had a bunch of big gainers. The longest play from scrimmage came from Bruce Anderson. Returning from a high ankle sprain, the sophomore running back got away on a 53-yard run in the third.
Stick would finish the day with the one touchdown along with 159 yards on 11-20 passing.
The Bison return to the Fargodome to play South Dakota State for the Dakota Marker at 2:30 P.M on October 15.