FARGO, N.D.--Brock Jensen threw three touchdown passes, D.J.
McNorton ran for two more, and North Dakota State stayed undefeated with
a 51-21 victory Saturday, Oct. 15, over winless Missouri State before 18,029 in the Fargodome.
Jensen had 211 yards passing for the Bison (6-0, 3-0 Missouri Valley)
and completed a career-high 19 of 23 attempts, the longest a 47-yarder for a
touchdown to Warren Holloway in the second quarter. The three TD passes matched a career-high for Jensen.
Jensen also hit Holloway
from 31 yards out in the first quarter and Matt Veldman on a 10-yarder
in the third. Holloway led the Bison with six catches for 109 yards, the fifth career 100-yard receiving game. Ryan Smith added a career-high six catches for 48 yards and Veldman had a career best five receptions for 38 yards.
Jensen completed his first 15 passes to set a school record for consecutive completions in a game. He broke the record of 10 set three times previously, the last by Steve Walker at Northern Colorado in 2004.
Jensen also broke Walker's mutiple-game consecutive completion record of 16 set over three games in 2004. Jensen hit 19 in a row dating back to the second half at Southern Illinois. He recorded his fourth 200+ yard passing game.
McNorton rushed for 92 yards on 14 carries, with TD runs of 20 yards
in the second quarter and 9 yards to cap the scoring in the fourth.
Marcus Williams returned the second-half kickoff 90 yards for a
touchdown, and Ryan Jastram matched a career-high by kicking three field goals. Williams kickoff return was the first for NDSU since Mike Sigers went the distance at Eastern Washington in 2010.
Missouri State (0-7, 0-4) led 14-10 early in the second quarter
behind Trevor Wooden's two touchdown passes. Wooden added a
third-quarter rushing score. Wooden completed 18 of 25 passes for 222 yards and rushed 10 times for 32. Ian Starnes caught six passes for 79 yards and a TD, while Mike Crutcher led the Bears defense with a game-high 13 tackles.
North Dakota State took advantage of three fumble recoveries including a pair from defensive end Coulter Boyer and one from linebacker Brandon Jemison. Linebacker Chad Willson led the Bison with seven tackles, while Kyle Emanuel and Bryan Shepherd each had a forced fumble.
