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Dakota State drops road football contest at Northwestern (Iowa)
September 22, 2012
MADISON, S.D. – Northwestern (Iowa) – No. 16 in the latest NAIA Football Top 25 Coaches' national poll – outgained Dakota State 499-255 in total offensive yards Saturday. DSU dropped a 47-12 road contest at the DeValois Stadium. It was the third straight opponent that the Trojans had faced a nationally-ranked team.
Dakota State remained winless in five games this season. The Red Raiders, member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, raised their overall record to 3-1.
Northwestern scored the first 23 points of the ball game through second quarter, including two rushing touchdowns from Theo Bartman (12-yards and 24-yards).
Nic Behrens hit two field goals in the late second quarter as the Trojans trimmed their deficit to 23-6 by intermission. He hit a 20-yard field goal with a minute and 34 seconds left. Behrens also added a 35-yard field goal as the first-half's time expired.
Brandon Large connected to Stacey Berg for a 74-yard touchdown pass in the early third quarter with 11:46 remaining. The PAT kick by Behrens was no good as DSU cut NWIA's lead to 23-12.
Brandon Smith scored to next two touchdown runs for the Red Raiders to extend their lead. He scored on a 1-yard and 2-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter as NWIA expanded their lead to 37-12 (both PAT kicks by Mike O'Brien were good).
The Red Raiders added another score in the fourth quarter as Ben Green recorded a 41-yard touchdown pass from Davis Bloemendaal with 14:32 remaining. NWIA made it 44-12 after a successful PAT kick by O'Brien.
O'Brien hit a 46-yard field goal to give Northwestern a 47-12 lead with 11:13 left in the game.
Large was 13-for-25 with 202 passing yards and a touchdown for the Trojans. Berg had five receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown. Kris Dearie rushed nine times for 36 yards. John Niesen added 12 rushes for 24 yards.
Bartman ran 23 times for 168 yards and recorded two touchdowns in the game for the Red Raiders. Smith added 26 rushes for 144 yards with two rushing touchdowns. Bloemendaal was 11-for-24 with 156 passing yards and threw two touchdown passes. Bartman had five catches for 49 yards.
Mat Atnip led the Trojans' defense with 16 tackles. Josh Licht added 12 tackles and a quarterback sack. Dylan VandeGarde recorded an interception and returned for 10 yards.
The Red Raiders outgained DSU 343-45 in rushing yards. The Trojans outpassed NWIA 210-156.
Northwestern had a ball control for 32 minutes and 57 seconds in the game. DSU had a time possession of 27 minutes and 3 seconds.
NWIA had 28 first-downs in the game compared to the Trojans' 14 first-downs.
The Red Raiders converted nine successful third-down conversions in 20 attempts. DSU was 2-of-16 in third-down conversions.
Dakota State looks to record their first win of the season as they return home next Saturday (Sept. 29). The Trojans entertain Concordia (Neb.) of the GPAC in Trojans' annual homecoming football game. Kick-off is set for 4 p.m. at the Trojan Field.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
