FARGO, N.D. -(NDSU Athletics)
North Dakota State scored touchdowns on all five of its first-half possessions and the No. 2-ranked Bison rolled to a 52-3 victory over Tennessee State in the 35th annual Trees Bowl game.
A crowd of 16,811 was on hand for the home-opener at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome to see the Bison (1-1) claim their first win under new head coach Tim Polasek.
Junior wide receiver Bryce Lance had a career-high seven receptions and 106 yards including his first two touchdown catches of 14 and 6 yards from NDSU quarterback Cam Miller, who finished 14 of 18 passing for 181 yards and three TDs.
Four other Bison also scored their first touchdowns. CharMar Brown scored on a 3-yard run, John Gores caught a 12-yard TD from Miller, Mekhi Collins caught a 19-yard pass from Cole Payton, and quarterback Nathan Hayes ran 51 yards to score on his first career attempt.
Redshirt freshman Eli Ozick, who has booted 13 of 15 kickoff attempts for touchbacks in the season’s first two games, connected on a 51-yard field goal midway through the third quarter. It was his first career attempt and the longest field goal by a Bison kicker in eight years.
Tennessee State (1-1) settled for a 19-yard field goal with 5:34 left in the game after the NDSU defense held on first-and-goal from the 3. Defensive tackle Bryce Friday was in on two of the three Bison tackles.
Cornerback Jaquise Alexander and safety Hudson Artz led the Bison with four tackles apiece, and defensive end Toby Anene made three stops including 2.0 tackles for loss, a strip sack and one pass breakup.
NDSU outgained Tennessee State 436 to 200 in total yards and held the Tigers to 4 of 14 on third down.
North Dakota State is back on the road next week traveling to Johnson City, Tenn., for its first-ever meeting with East Tennessee State.
Game Recap: Football | 9/7/2024 6:55:00 PM
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