MOORHEAD, MN – MSU Moorhead’s quarterback and top wide receiver did set records. But the Dragons’ running game helped them past the Jimmies.
MSU Moorhead topped Jamestown 44-20 Saturday at Scheels Field at Nemzek Stadium.
The Dragons (7-3, 6-3 NSIC), who had averaged just 90 yards rushing a game, ran for 305 yards, their largest total since 2016.
In his final home game, MSUM quarterback Jack Strand threw five touchdown passes to become the NSIC’s all-time touchdown passing leader with 123. Senior wide receiver Gage Florence, a native of Sawyer, made 10 catches to set the NCAA Division II record for career receptions with 392.
For Jamestown (1-8, 1-8), quarterback Cole Hentges threw a touchdown pass to Nate Burke, Zach Hammett had a touchdown run and Xander Jarosh had a fumble recovery and his first collegiate touchdown on an interception return.
MSUM’s first possession ended with Jarosh’s recovery of a fumble forced by Hershell Jefferson at their own 19. But the Jimmies couldn’t convert on fourth down inside the MSUM 40.
The Dragons then ran a 10-play scoring drive, finishing with a six-yard touchdown pass from Strand to Brady Perryman and MSUM led 7-0 with 3:03 left in the first quarter.
On the last play of the first quarter, Hentges was intercepted by McKale Pierson. But Jarosh’s score came on the first play of the second quarter when he jumped a route, tipped the ball to himself and returned the interception 18 yards for a tying touchdown.
MSUM shortly scored in just three plays, the last of which was a 48-yard run by Tyson Brandt for six.
But just after that, Hentges connected with Burke on a 45-yard scoring pass and the Jimmies were again tied, this time 14-14, with 11:49 remaining in the first half.
MSUM scored again in just under three minutes. From the UJ seven, Strand threw to Brandt, who was separated from the ball by Jamestown’s Spencer Russell at the one-yard line. Alertly, Perryman picked the ball up and entered the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. The Dragons led 20-14.
They led 27-14 after a Strand two-yard scoring pass to Florence with 1:54 left in the half and 30-14 at the break after a 29-yard field goal by Max Watson.
Jamestown drove to the MSUM 11 on the first drive of the second half, but a 28-yard field goal attempt by Aanon Peterson was blocked by Ashton Sayre.
Later in the quarter, the Jimmies moved to within 30-20 when Hammett ended a 59-yard scoring drive with a one-yard rushing score.
Strand threw a touchdown pass to Owen Wiersma late in the third quarter and another to Perryman early in the fourth quarter.
Hentges was 18-of-33 passing for 229 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He also achieved his fourth 100-yard rushing game this season, carrying 19 times for 110 yards. Hammett ran 17 times for 71 yards. Burke had 107 yards receiving on just three catches for his fifth career 100-yard receiving game and fourth this season.
Jamestown will end its first season in NSIC Football on Saturday, November 15 against Northern State at Rollie Greeno Field at Charlotte & Gordon Hansen Stadium. Coverage will begin at 12:30 PM on The Voice of the Jimmies, Jamestown 107.1. Live and archived video will be available on the NSIC Network.
| UJ | 0 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 20 |
| MSU Moorhead | 7 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 44 |
FIRST QUARTER
MSU Moorhead – Jack Strand 6-yard TD pass to Brady Perryman (Max Watson XP) 3:03 – 7-0 MSU Moorhead – 10 plays, 64 yards, 5:09 – Key plays: Strand 8-yard pass to Gage Florence to UJ 47 on 3rd & 1, UJ holding penalty to UJ 8
SECOND QUARTER
UJ – Xander Jarosh 18-yard TD interception return (Aanon Peterson XP) – 14:53 – 7-7
MSU Moorhead – Tyson Brandt 48-yard TD run (Watson XP) 13:45 – 14-7 MSU Moorhead – 3 plays, 59 yards, 1:04
UJ – Cole Hentges 45-yard TD pass to Nate Burke (Peterson XP) 11:42 – 14-14 – 5 plays, 73 yards, 1:59 – Key play: Hentges 22-yard pass to Zach Hammett to MSU Moorhead 48 on 3rd & 7
MSU Moorhead – Perryman TD recovered fumble in end zone (run failed) 8:51 – 20-14 MSU Moorhead – 7 plays, 71 yards, 2:46 – Key plays: Strand 13-yard pass to Florence to UJ 47, Owen Wiersma 26-yard run to UJ 19
MSU Moorhead – Strand 2-yard TD pass to Florence (Watson XP) 1:54 – 27-14 MSU Moorhead – 3 plays, 79 yards, 1:23 – Key play: Strand 70-yard pass to Kelly Johnson to UJ 2
MSU Moorhead – Watson 29-yard FG 0:00 – 30-14 MSU Moorhead – 9 plays, 47 yards, 1:08 – Key plays: Strand 12-yard pass to Florence to UJ 46, Strand 16-yard pass to Madden Thorson to UJ 32, Strand 18-yard pass to Florence to UJ 11 on 3rd & 7
THIRD QUARTER
UJ – Hammett 1-yard TD run (run failed) 4:15 – 30-20 MSU Moorhead – 7 plays, 59 yards, 3:14 – Key plays: Hentges 28-yard pass to Burke to MSU Moorhead 31, Hentges 19-yard pass to Gage Solano to MSU Moorhead 5
MSU Moorhead – Strand 5-yard TD pass to Wiersma (Watson XP) 1:37 – 37-20 MSU Moorhead – 6 plays, 62 yards, 2:32 – Key plays: UJ face mask penalty to UJ 41, Strand 20-yard pass to Thorson to UJ 21, Wiersma 14-yard run to UJ 7
FOURTH QUARTER
MSU Moorhead – Strand 6-yard TD pass to Perryman (Watson XP) 10:58 – 44-20 MSU Moorhead – 7 plays, 66 yards, 3:49 – Key plays: Brandt 18-yard run to UJ 44, Strand 11-yard pass to Florence to UJ 27, Strand 19-yard pass to Perryman to UJ 8
Individual Statistics
RUSHING
UJ: Hentges 19-110, Hammett 17-71-1 TD, Erastus Antsino 1-(-1)
MSU Moorhead: Brandt 10-116-1 TD, Wiersma 13-101, Isaiah Favors 6-46, Strand 8-21, Grant Warkenthien 2-13, Keegan DeYoung 1-8
PASSING
UJ: Hentges 18-33-229-1 TD-2 INT
MSU Moorhead: Strand 25-34-268-5 TD-1 INT, TEAM 0-1
RECEIVING
UJ: Burke 3-107-1 TD, Hammett 6-53, Solano 2-25, Colton Schumacher 2-19, Antsino 3-13, Cody Pellaton 1-3
MSU Moorhead: Florence 10-93-1 TD, Johnson 2-73, Perryman 5-54-3 TD, Thorson 3-28, Brandt 2-9, Kalen Lucas 1-2
| UJ | MSU Moorhead | |
| First Downs | 22 | 29 |
| Rushing | 37/180 | 40/305 |
| Passing | 229 | 268 |
| Total Yds | 409 | 573 |
| Att/Comp/Int | 18/33/2 | 25/35/1 |
| Punts/avg | 3/32.3 | 2/46.0 |
| Fumbles/lost | 1/0 | 2/1 |
| Penalties/Yds | 4/43 | 3/35 |
| Time of possession | 27:57 | 32:03 |