Bulldogs Beat Beavers

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

One of these times, Bemidji State University is going to find a way to win in Duluth. But just not this time.

Drew Bauer helped see to that Saturday afternoon by figuring in on all five touchdowns in the University of Minnesota Duluth’s 38-10 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division victory over the visiting Beavers.  The sophomore quarterback threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more as the No. 2 Bulldogs extended their regular season winning streak to 16 games and posted their 21st home triumph in a row against their long-time rivals. Bemidji State, which had won three straight coming into the day, hasn’t prevailed in Duluth since Oct. 10, 1941 and hasn’t beaten the Bulldogs anywhere in the last 15 years (going 0-13 over the stretch).

Bauer hooked up with junior wide receiver Justin Fowlkes on a 36-yard touchdown pass with 3:57 to go in the first quarter to give the unbeaten Bulldogs (8-0 NSIC; 4-0 North Division) a lead it wouldn’t relinquish the entire afternoon. Kyle Fodness cut the Bemidji State (3-5; 3-1) deficit to 7-3 on the ensuing series with a 31-yard field goal, but UMD then reeled off 24 straight points and went into the fourth quarter up 31-3. UMD parlayed a pair of Beaver turnovers into 10 points — a 19-yard field goal by junior Andrew Brees and a 6-yard run by Bauer. Bauer’s score came three plays after true freshman cornerback Dillon Martinez returned an interception 57 yards down to the Beaver nine-yard line. That touchdown was also the final play of the day for Bauer, who completed 20 of 25 passes for 228 yards with one pick while improving to 19-2 as a collegiate starter. Senior wide out Zach Zweifel paced both clubs with six receptions for 111 yards and one touchdown (a 42-yarder for UMD’s longest pass play of the season) and, in the process, moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Bulldogs’ all-time catch list (154).

The Bulldogs held Bemidji State to just 11 first downs on the afternoon and 95 passing yards and amassed 434 yards of total offense themselves. For only the third time this season, no UMD player cracked the 100-yard rushing plateau. Junior Logan Lauters did finish with a game-high 69 yards, but his 4.6 yards per carry was almost half of his season average.

Junior inside linebacker Brent Stiglich came off the UMD bench to record a career-high 11 total tackles and forced one fumble.

UMD, which is now a perfect 23-0 in lifetime home NSIC North Division outings, will pay a visit to Crookston, Minn., next Saturday to take on winless University of Minnesota-Crookston.

“Right now this isn’t about any other team,” said UMD head coach Curt Wiese. “This is about us continuing to get better every week.”