Upcoming Event: Football at Youngstown State on October 4, 2025 at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT
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6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT
Football
at Youngstown State
South Dakota State University Athletics
Saturday, November 18
Fargo, N.D.
6 p.m.
South Dakota State University
7-4 , 3-1
28
at
41
North Dakota State
10-1 , 4-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
South Dakota State
0
14
7
7
28
North Dakota State
10
0
21
10
41
SDSU title run ends at Fargodome
11/18/2006 4:00:00 PM | Football
Fourth-ranked North Dakota State, 10-1 overall, scored 31 second-half points, highlighted by an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown by Travis White with 6:13 remaining in the game. The Bison finished GWFC play 4-0.
SDSU, ranked 19th in NCAA Division I-AA, had its seven-game winning streak snapped as the Jackrabbits finished the season 7-4 overall, 3-1 in league play.
The Bison took a 10-0 first-quarter lead as Shawn Bibeau connected on a 41-yard field goal on their opening drive and Kyle Steffes scored on a 12-yard run following an interception.
The game was played before a Fargodome-record crowd of 19,053 fans.
As they did throughout the season, SDSU countered with a 14-point second quarter to take a 14-10 halftime lead. Anthony Watson capped a six-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run at the 12:49 mark of the second quarter. Quarterback Andy Kardoes completed two passes to tight end Chris Wagner for 64 yards on the drive, including a 51-yard pass play.
After forcing NDSU to punt on its next possession, the Jackrabbits took advantage of a Bison roughing-the-punter penalty. Three plays after the penalty, Kardoes hit Micah Johnson behind two Bison defenders for a 43-yard touchdown.
Each team scored on its first possession of the second half. NDSU wasted little time as on the opening play from scrimmage John Majeski rumbled 65 yards on an end around to put the Bison deep in SDSU territory. Three plays later, Tyler Roehl went up and over the Jackrabbit defense with a 1-yard plunge.
Kardoes led the Jackrabbits on another scoring drive, rushing for 16 yards and throwing for 49 yards as SDSU put together a 12-play, 81-yard drive. Watson picked up the final six yards, including another 1-yard run to put the Jackrabbits back on top at 21-17.
NDSU again ran the end around to perfection on its next two possessions. Majeski knifed through the Jackrabbit defense for a 45-yard score and then got SDSU to bite on an end-around play fake as Steve Walker found a wide-open Kole Heckendorf for a 41-yard score with 15 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Trailing 31-21, the Jackrabbits got right back in the game on its opening drive of the fourth quarter. Watson gained 24 yards on the first play and Johnson again got loose behind the Bison defense for a 59-yard touchdown pass from Kardoes.
The tide turned for good midway through the final quarter as the Jackrabbits were forced to punt. White fielded Neal Bainbridge's punt at the Bison 16, found a hole and broke a pair of arm tackles before rolling down the left sideline for the decisive score.
Bibeau tacked on a 38-yard field goal with 2:10 remaining for the final scoring of the game.
SDSU held a 442-382 advantage in total offense, running 12 more offensive plays than the Bison, 63-51. Kardoes, playing in his final game, threw for a career-high 337 yards, completing 22-of-38 passes. He was picked off twice, including one on the next-to-last play of the game.
Wagner led the Jackrabbits with seven catches for 120 yards. Johnson caught six balls for 137 yards and two scores.
Watson paced the Jackrabbit ground game with 16 carries for 91 yards.
For NDSU,
Defensively, Marty Kranz recorded 10 tackles, including a sack, for the Jackrabbits. Justin Kubesh and Jeff Hegge each tallied six stops.
The Bison defense was led by Craig Dahl's nine tackles to go along with an interception.
Team Stats
SDSU
NDSU
Total Yards
442
382
Pass Yards
337
173
Rushing Yards
105
209
Penalty Yards
63
50
1st Downs
21
17
3rd Downs
2
5
4th Downs
1
0
TOP
27:57
32:03
1st Quarter
SDSU 0, NDSU 3
NDSU - Bibeau 41 yd field goal 9 plays, 57 yards, TOP 3:52
SDSU 0, NDSU 10
NDSU - Steffes 12 yd run (Bibeau kick), 4 plays, 34 yards, TOP 3:26
2nd Quarter
SDSU 7, NDSU 10
SDSU - Anthony Watson 1 yd run (Parker Douglass kick), 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:55
SDSU 14, NDSU 10
SDSU - Micah Johnson 43 yd pass from Andy Kardoes (Parker Douglass kick) 6 plays, 84 yards, TOP 2:39
3rd Quarter
SDSU 14, NDSU 17
NDSU - Roehl 1 yd run (Bibeau kick), 4 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:57
SDSU 21, NDSU 17
SDSU - Anthony Watson 1 yd run (Parker Douglass kick), 12 plays, 81 yards, TOP 6:14
SDSU 21, NDSU 24
NDSU - Majeski 45 yd run (Bibeau kick), 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:11
SDSU 21, NDSU 31
NDSU - Heckendorf 41 yd pass from Walker (Bibeau kick) 2 plays, 50 yards, TOP 1:06
4th Quarter
SDSU 28, NDSU 31
SDSU - Micah Johnson 59 yd pass from Andy Kardoes (Parker Douglass kick) 2 plays, 83 yards, TOP 0:59
SDSU 28, NDSU 38
NDSU - White 84 yd punt return (Bibeau kick)
SDSU 28, NDSU 41
NDSU - Bibeau 38 yd field goal 4 plays, 4 yards, TOP 1:23
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