North Dakota St. win streak ends
Dixie State tops Tarleton State in matchup of Aggie opponents
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Javon Williams Jr. and Romeir Elliott each had a pair of touchdown runs, and Southern Illinois beat top-ranked North Dakota State 38-14 on Saturday that ended the Bison’s 39-game winning streak.
North Dakota State (2-1, 1-1 Missouri Valley), which has won three straight FCS championships, last lost on Nov. 4, 2017 to then-No. 8 South Dakota State.
“We didn’t show up and play very well,” Bison coach Matt Entz said. “There was not any position group that played well.”
It was the Bison’s worst defeat since a 37-6 loss at Cal Poly during the 2005 season.
Williams ran for a 3-yard score and Elliott broke loose for a 20-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Both scores followed a North Dakota State turnover. Elliott finished with 91 yards rushing and Williams had 41, and the pair also had touchdown runs in the second quarter.
The Salukis (2-1, 1-1) snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Bison, who were 16.5-point favorites.
“This game will be recognized for a long time, maybe the biggest win in that stadium,” Southern Illinois coach Nick Hill said of ending North Dakota State’s FCS-record winning streak.
Avante Cox had seven receptions for 138 yards for Southern Illinois. His 65-yard catch set up Williams’ 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down to give the Salukis a 17-0 lead with about a minute left in the second quarter.
Salukis quarterback Nic Baker, making his first career start and filling in for senior Kare Lyles, who left with a rib injury during last week’s game against North Dakota, was 17-of-23 passing for 254 yards. His 6-yard touchdown pass to Landon Lenoir stretched the Salukis’ lead to 24-7 early in the fourth quarter.
“It’s what I hope for, it’s what I’ve dreamed of,” Baker said. “I kind of want those moments.”
Zeb Noland threw a 37-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass that was tipped to Jake Lippe that pulled the Bison to 17-7 at the break. Jalen Bussey’s 63-yard run set up Noland’s 5-yard touchdown run with 2:16 remaining.
Noland was 13 of 24 for 159 yards. Bussey finished with 72 yards on three carries. The Bison were held to 268 yards of offense and their time of possession was just 18:34.
It was Southern Illinois’ first win against the Bison since a 24-14 home victory on Sept. 26, 2009.
DIXIE STATE 26, TARLETON STATE 14: In Stephenville, Texas, Kody Wilstead passed for 350 yards and a touchdown, ran for another and Dixie State forced five turnovers upending Tarleton State in a clash of Division I newcomers on Saturday.
Dixie State (1-0) is New Mexico State’s opponent on March 7 at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. The 0-1 Aggies lost 43-17 to Tarleton State last Sunday in El Paso.
Dixie had never beaten a D-I opponent in football in nine tries while competing as a Division II team.
The aptly named Trailblazers never trailed against Tarleton State (1-2), forging ahead 10-0 after barely more than a quarter. After the Texans cut the lead to 10-7 with an Ryheem Skinner 1-yard score, Wilstead found Chase Hess for 43 yards, pushing the lead back to 10 points at halftime.
Wilstead rushed for another score and James Baird added a 48-yard field goal.