With only two games remaining in the regular season, the Bison football team trekked into Youngstown, Ohio, on Saturday to face Youngstown State.

On the heels of their 59-7 win at home last week against Western Illinois, North Dakota State and newly promoted redshirt freshman quarterback Easton Stick defeated Youngstown State 27-24 with a late fourth quarter comeback. As Stick continues earning experience and adjusting to his role as starting quarterback, big plays and big numbers follow.

“He’s been putting nice balls out there,” head coach Chris Klieman said about Stick after the game. “He needed a challenge in a game where he had to make plays in the fourth quarter.”

Stick scored the game-winning touchdown, taking the ball up the middle of the field for the four yard score, capping off a nine-play, 54-yard drive. After seeing much success in last week’s game, throwing for 197 yards and four touchdowns, Easton seems to be finding his groove as the Bison’s new number one behind center.

While the team saw success late on the offensive, the Bison converted just 3-of-13 third down attempts. Stick was 9-of-18 passing for 176 yards, including a 66-yard pass to senior Zach Vraa that set up a field goal to get the Bison on the scoreboard in the second quarter.

With star quarterback Carson Wentz out for the rest of the season, Easton has approached the starting job uncannily, throwing for seven touchdowns and even rushing for more than 400 yards in the last four games.

Saturday’s win showed Bison fans Stick is more than up for the task he’s been given. But the fans aren’t the only ones noticing Stick’s efforts. Junior DE teammate Brad Ambrosius showed his support for Easton while talking to media after the game Saturday, citing not only his impressive efforts on the field, but saying also “Easton is just a great guy.”

“He handled it amazingly,” commented freshman running back Bruce Anderson when asked of his QB’s performance. “He kept his composure and worked his magic”.

That magic keeps the Bison tied with Illinois State atop the Missouri Valley Football Conference standings at 6-1 and will hopefully push them to close the season with a win. When asked how it felt walking into the end zone for the game-winning score, Easton didn’t need to say much: “It was joy”.

The Bison play Missouri State at the 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Fargodome.