Box Score FARGO, N.D.--Jamel Alkins returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, and the University of North Dakota's defense responded by allowing North Dakota State only 58 second-half yards as the Fighting Sioux claimed a 12-6 win and the Nickel Trophy in the 109th meeting between the intrastate rivals on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Alkins' return hushed a Fargodome crowd of 19,042 after Bison kicker Cory Vartanian had given NDSU a 3-0 lead with a 33-yard field goal at the 8:07 mark of the second quarter. It was the ensuing kickoff that Alkins returned, slipping through the middle of the pack and bolting past Vartanian down the left sideline.
Vartanian's second field goal of the day brought the Herd within a point with 10 minutes left in the third, but UND posted a safety and a 35-yard Jeff Glas field goal to seal the North Central Conference win.
A spectacular goal-line stand by the Bison kept the Sioux (4-2, 2-1 NCC) lead at 7-6 just past the midway point of the third period. But when NDSU took over on downs from the 1-yard line, the Sioux tackled Bison running back Keontay Jackson in the end zone for a safety, extending the margin to 9-6.
The Sioux went 40 yards in six plays on their following drive and Glas kicked the 35-yarder for the final margin.
UND outgained NDSU 285-210 in total yardage, including a 175-58 margin in the second half.
Riza Mahmoud ran 24 times for the Sioux for 103 yards and back-up quarterback John Bowenkamp was 18 of 26 for 164 passing yards in his first start behind injured quarterback Kelby Klosterman.
NDSU (1-4, 0-3 NCC) got 44 yards from junior running back Rod Malone and 29 from the sophomore back Jackson. Senior quarterback Graig Gorder was 19-for-30 with 132 yards passing.
NDSU is now 45-61-3 against UND all-time in the series, which dates back to a pair of Bison wins in 1894.
The Bison's current four-game losing skid is the longest since 1975, when the Herd lost five straight. The fifth loss in the streak that season was a home game with Mankato State University.
North Dakota State, ironically, will host the Mavericks of Minnesota State-Mankato on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Fargodome. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
NDSU will celebrate homecoming against the Mavs and induct eight former Bison to its athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 18.
