NDSU beats Nevada 31-17 as kick-six caps wild comeback
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- North Dakota State beat Nevada 31-17 on Saturday night in Fargo.
- Jackson Williams returned a missed field goal 100 yards for a score.
- The win made NDSU bowl eligible in its first year in the FBS.
North Dakota State beat Nevada 31-17 on Saturday night. The Bison trailed 11-0 early in the game. Then they scored 19 points in the second quarter.
The biggest play came on the last play of the first half. Jackson Williams ran a missed field goal back 100 yards for a score. That play gave NDSU a 19-11 lead at halftime.
The Bison never trailed again.
What happened
A slow start for the Bison
Nevada struck first in the second quarter. Quarterback AJ Bianco ran 15 yards for a score. Nevada then scored on a trick two-point play.
A two-point play adds two points after a touchdown. Joe McFadden soon kicked a 39-yard field goal. That kick followed a 41-yard punt return by Gerick Robinson.
Nevada led by 11 points. North Dakota State had yet to score on its first three drives. A drive is one turn with the ball on offense.
The Bison also hurt themselves with penalties. They finished with 11 penalties for 99 yards.
Hayes sparks the comeback
Quarterback Nathan Hayes changed the game. He led a 71-yard scoring drive. He scored on a 5-yard run.
That cut the Nevada lead to five points. Hayes then led a 14-play, 77-yard drive. He threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Collins.
Only 21 seconds stayed on the clock. NDSU led by one point. Hayes finished 19 of 25 passes for 153 yards.
He threw two touchdown passes and no interceptions. He also ran for 42 yards and one score. Hayes sent passes to nine different receivers.
The 100-yard kick-six
Nevada had one last chance before halftime. McFadden tried a 57-yard field goal. The kick fell short of the goal posts.
Williams caught the ball in the end zone. The end zone is the scoring area at each end of the field. Williams ran up the left sideline.
He broke free and ran 100 yards for a score. The crowd of 18,261 roared at the Fargodome. NDSU led 19-11 at halftime.
A missed field goal return for a score is called a kick-six. It is one of the rarest plays in football. Williams finished with 251 all-purpose yards.
All-purpose yards count receiving, rushing, and return yards. He also caught five passes for 58 yards.
A wild third quarter
Nevada opened the second half with a score. Bianco threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Gary Givens III. Givens made a one-handed catch.
Nevada trailed by two points. The Wolf Pack then tried a trick two-point play. NDSU tackle Keenan Wilson forced a fumble.
A fumble is a dropped ball that any player can grab. Defensive end Matthew Stenbroten grabbed the loose ball. He ran it back 74 yards for two points.
That gave NDSU a 21-17 lead. Drew Klein then kicked a 39-yard field goal. NDSU led 24-17 after three quarters.
NDSU closes the game
Hayes found tight end Reis Kessel early in the fourth quarter. The 12-yard touchdown pass made it a 14-point lead. It was Kessel's second touchdown of the season.
Nevada could not answer. Cornerback Marion Moore picked off two Bianco passes. A pick is short for an interception, a caught pass by the defense.
One Moore pick set up Klein's field goal. Linebacker Donovan Woolen led NDSU with seven tackles. Safety Will Steil added six tackles.
NDSU held Nevada to 96 rushing yards. Nevada had run for 212.2 yards per game before Saturday. The Bison held the ball for 38 minutes and 9 seconds.
Nevada held it for 21 minutes and 51 seconds. NDSU outgained Nevada by 59 yards.
Why it matters
The win made NDSU bowl eligible. Six wins earns a team a bowl game invite. A bowl game is a bonus game after the regular season.
This is NDSU's first year in the FBS. The FBS is the top level of college football. The Bison moved up after years in the FCS.
The FCS is the level just below the FBS. NDSU won 10 national titles at the FCS level. Now the Bison are 6-1 in their first FBS season.
They are 3-1 in Mountain West play. They sit tied with Wyoming and Air Force in the league. NDSU has scored at least 30 points five times this season.
Since 1993, the Bison have won 208 games at the Fargodome. The win also showed the Bison can bounce back. They lost 13-7 at UNLV one week earlier.
Hayes threw three interceptions in that loss. He threw none against Nevada. Coach Tim Polasek praised a tough, physical game.
He said his team fought hard and made key plays. Williams called bowl eligibility huge for the program. Week 7 was wild across college football.
Ohio State beat Indiana 19-15 in a Big Ten thriller.
Four unbeaten top-10 teams remain after the wild weekend.
Miami beat Florida State 43-35 in double overtime.
What happens next
NDSU plays at New Mexico next Saturday. New Mexico entered the weekend with four wins and one loss. The Bison must watch two running backs.
Nyeoti Punni hurt his shoulder late in the game. He could miss a couple of weeks, the coaches said. DJ Scott dressed but did not play against Nevada.
He should return next week, the coaches said. Myles Mitchell led NDSU with 49 rushing yards. Punni added 46 yards before he left.
Nevada hosts San Jose State on Saturday. The Wolf Pack fell to 2-4 with the loss. They are 1-2 in Mountain West play.
Bianco started his first game of the season. He finished 17 of 34 passes for 190 yards. He threw one touchdown and two interceptions.
NDSU has one goal left in the regular season. The Bison want to keep winning in league play. A strong finish can lift their bowl game slot.
A bowl game slot is the level of bowl a team reaches. Saturday showed that NDSU belongs at this level. The Bison trailed by 11 points and stayed calm.
They made the two wildest plays of the game. Now they take that belief on the road.
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