FARGO, N.D. - The top-ranked North Dakota State football team improved to 9-0 on the season with a 38-30 victory over 18th-ranked Youngstown State on Saturday, Nov. 1, before a crowd of 14,607 at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.

The Bison, winners of 13 straight overall and 17 in a row at home, moved to 6-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and one win away from clinching at least a share of their 12th conference title.

North Dakota State scored two touchdowns off Youngstown State turnovers and got a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown from Jackson Williams to highlight a back-and-forth second quarter.

NDSU took over at the YSU 19 after Donovan Woolen intercepted a deflected pass and the Bison scored in four plays on DJ Scott's 3-yard touchdown run to go ahead 14-10. Flash Wilson fumbled the ensuing kickoff and NDSU's Kegan Huber recovered at the 9 to set up a 4-yard Barika Kpeenu touchdown run two plays later and it was 21-10.

YSU answered with a six-play scoring drive to make it 21-17 before Williams escaped multiple tacklers near the sideline and ran over the kicker at midfield on the way to his second career 100-yard kickoff return touchdown. His first came in the 2024 second round playoff win over Abilene Christian.

Youngstown State kicker Andrew Lastovka converted three field goals from 40-plus yards with his longest of the day a 49-yarder that got YSU back within 28-20 in the closing seconds of the first half.

NDSU controlled the ball for nearly 21 minutes in the second half to slow down the Penguins and quarterback Beau Brungard, who went 19 of 30 passing for 203 yards and one score while rushing 15 times for 50 yards and two TDs.

Brungard's 2-yard rushing TD early in the fourth quarter pulled YSU within 35-30, and the Bison had a 12-play drive stall at the YSU 3 before settling for a 21-yard field goal with 6:20 left in the game.

It was still a one-score game with 1:03 left with YSU starting from its own 20, but Bison cornerback Anthony Chideme-Alfaro forced a fumble by Wilson and defensive tackle Zach Vanderpool recovered. Chideme-Alfaro finished with a team-high nine tackles and NDSU kneeled out the clock for the win.

NDSU quarterback Cole Payton went 17 of 24 passing for 194 yards and added 28 yards rushing on 12 carries. Kpeenu had 15 carries for 74 yards and three touchdowns.

North Dakota State is scheduled to play North Dakota at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. The Fighting Hawks are 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the conference after a 26-21 loss at South Dakota.