It’s never easy going on the road one week after an emotional rivalry win and moving up to #1 in the polls, but Murray State proved to be the right opponent at the right time, as
NDSU rolled to a 59-6 win in Murray, Kentucky.
The Bison scored on all six first-half possessions, en route to a 42-3 halftime lead and never looked back in moving to 8-1 on the season, and 5-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Murray State, a newcomer to the conference, was winless in league play at just 1-6 overall, and the visitors made sure there was no drama in this one.
The Bison scored three first quarter touchdowns in three different fashions. Touchdown number one came on a CharMar Brown 7-yard run, followed by a 74-yard bomb from Cam Miller to Bryce Lance to make it 14-0. Then late in the first quarter, the Code Green defense got on the board, as Enock Sibomana, making his first college start, intercepted a pass and returned it 34 yards for a 21-0 lead heading to the second quarter.
Brown notched his second rushing score of the day from 3 yards out, and after Murray State answered with a field goal, Miller and Lance hooked up again on a 17-yard connection. Miller’s day was done, and backup Nathan Hayes kept the scoring parade alive hitting Lance from 6 yards out just before the intermission, and the rout was on with a 42-3 halftime score.
NDSU substituted freely in the second half, but CharMar Brown wasn’t yet done. His third TD of the day, from 1 yard out, made it 49-3 early in the third. The teams traded field goals from there, and NDSU closed out the scoring as Hayes hit John Gores on a nine-yard strike with just over a minute to play, and NDSU closed out a 59-6 win.
NEWS AND NOTES
Bryce Lance ended the day with 108 receiving yards and three touchdowns, while CharMar Brown carried the ball 13 times for 97 yards and three scores. Hayes, in relief of starter Cam Miller, went 9 of 15 passing for 141 yards and two touchdowns.
Miller was efficient, going a perfect 5-for-5 for 128 yards and two touchdowns before calling it a day. The offense, as a whole, was dominant, as NDSU did not need to even run a third down play in the first half, in scoring their six touchdowns. NDSU piled up 459 yards to Murray State’s 308, while giving plenty of backup players a chance to get some valuable playing time. NDSU rushed for 190 yards on the day while passing for 269.
Sibomana was not the only defensive hero. Darius Givance had his second interception in three games, Jaquise Alexander made his first career interception, Luke Weerts caused a fumble recovered by Austin Altepeter, and Will Steil recovered a fumble as well. The Bison defense held Murray State out of the end zone, and forced three field goal misses, including a blocked kick by Kody Huisman.
Murray State did not punt a single time, electing to kick field goals or run fourth-down plays at every opportunity. It was the fourth time in 8 games that the Racers gave up 50 or more points.
North Dakota State returns home next Saturday, Nov. 2, to face Northern Iowa at 2:30 p.m. at the Fargodome.
NDSU has held its last three opponents to single-digit points. The Bison allowed three points at Southern Illinois, nine against South Dakota State, and six to Murray State. NDSU’s only loss was to FBS Colorado in Boulder, a loss that looks better by the week. This past weekend, The Buffaloes beat Cincinnati 34-23 for their sixth win, making them bowl eligible at 6-2. Colorado is ranked #23 in this week’s AP Top 25.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS
Northern Iowa, once a powerhouse in the FCS, has fallen on hard times. The Panthers have lost six straight games and sit 2-6 on the season.
UNI fell 49-42 on Homecoming last week to Missouri State, and the six-game losing streak is the worst in the 24-year coaching tenure of Mark Farley.
During the losing streak, the Panthers defense has allowed opponents to score 34, 36, 41, 42, 31 and 49 points. It allowed nine plays of 20 yards or more last week against the Bears.
“You look for answers and it’s obvious the explosive plays are killing us,” Farley said after the game. “At the same time, the wear and tear of getting to the fourth quarter with your defensive line who’s had to be out there the whole game (means) you just don’t have the same pass rush you had earlier.”
UNI has faced strong financial headwinds in recent years, and the story of Panther Athletics cannot be told without including this note. The Cedar Rapids Gazette has reported that faculty members have sharply criticized the administration’s support of athletics, at the expense of the academic programs, and are calling for the athletic department to cut expenses to stay self-sufficient. The Gazette says that the school is strapped for cash and tuition revenue is sliding, while the administration sent $4.3 million to the athletic department last year, which is $1 million more than planned.
The numbers haven’t looked good on the field either. From 2001 to 2011, the Panthers won the Missouri Valley title seven times, with six 10-win seasons, but have missed the playoffs three of the last four years. Since making a national title game appearance in 2005, the Panthers have not made it past the quarterfinal round.
FCS COACHES POLL – OCT. 27, 2024
FIRST PLACE VOTES RECORD POINTS LAST WEEK
1 North Dakota State (24) 8-1 648 1
2 Montana State (2) 8-0 620 2
3 South Dakota State 6-2 602 3
4 UC Davis 7-1 559 5
5 South Dakota 6-2 534 4
6 Southeast Missouri State 8-1 518 6
7 Tarleton State 7-1 493 8
8 Montana 6-2 460 9
9 Central Arkansas 6-2 402 10
10 UIW 6-2 391 11
11 Idaho 6-3 356 12
12 Richmond 6-2 348 13
13 Villanova 6-2 316 14
14 Rhode Island 7-1 307 16
15 North Dakota 5-3 293 7
16 Mercer 7-1 282 17
17 Missouri State 6-2 214 18
18 ACU 5-3 202 19
19 Illinois State 5-3 180 20
20 Stony Brook 6-2 141 24
21 North Carolina Central 6-2 132 21
22 Dartmouth 6-0 106 22
23 Jackson State 6-2 82 23
24 William & Mary 5-3 65 15
25 Chattanooga 5-3 63 25
SCHEDULE
Thu, Aug 29 @ Colorado L 31-26 0-1 (0-0)
Sat, Sep 7 Vs Tennessee State W 52-3 1-1 (0-0)
Sat, Sep 14 @ East Tennessee State W 38-35 2-1 (0-0)
Sat, Sep 21 Vs Towson W 41-24 3-1 (0-0)
Sat, Sep 28 @ Illinois State W 42-10 4-1 (1-0)
Sat, Oct 5 Vs North Dakota W 41-17 5-1 (2-0)
Sat, Oct 12 @ Southern Illinois W 24-3 6-1 (3-0)
Sat, Oct 19 Vs South Dakota State W 13-9 7-1 (4-0)
Sat, Oct 26 @ Murray State W 59-6 8-1 (5-0)
Sat, Nov 2 Vs Northern Iowa 2:30 PM
Sat, Nov 16 Vs Missouri State 2:30 PM
Sat, Nov 23 @ South Dakota 1:00 PM
