Sept. 18, 2008
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Pocatello, ID --- Idaho State's largest ever comeback is 22 points, but Russel Hill and Jaron Taylor nearly topped that. Down 31-7 in the third quarter, Hill and Taylor helped ISU nearly storm all the way back, but after cutting the lead to three, a backbreaking touchdown pass from North Dakota's Danny Freund was the difference as the Fighting Sioux remained perfect on the season with a 38-35 heart-stopping win at Holt Arena.
Down 31-7 after North Dakota's opening drive of the second half, the Bengal offense went to work in what amounted to a perfect second half, scoring four touchdowns on four drives. First, Hill hit Jaron Taylor for their second connection of the game, this one a 47-yard rainbow. After a punt, Clint Knickrehm rumbled in from seven yards out, and it suddenly was a game at 31-21. Then after forcing another punt, the Bengals cut the lead to 31-28 with 9:03 to go when Ken Cornist capped a 91-yard drive with a stunning 13-yard run, bringing the Holt crowd to life, but North Dakota then started a back-breaking march.
Starting from their own 20, Freund led a 12-play, 6:40 drive that mostly saw yardage come on the ground. Freund ended it though with his third touchdown pass, this to Marcis Tibesar from 7-yards out, putting the Fighting Sioux back up by 10 at 38-28 with just 2:23 to go. ISU got the ball back at their own 22, but the Bengals ran out of time, with Edsel Logan hauling in a third touchdown pass from Hill at the gun to account for the final score.
Much like the first two games of the season, ISU found themselves down big at the half. Idaho State came up empty on a nice opening drive when Jarrett Huk missed wide right on a 45-yard field goal attempt. North Dakota promptly went 72 yards in seven plays with Freund finding his favorite target Brady Trenbeath for a 17-yard score.
UND pushed the lead to 21-0 after two more scores in the second quarter. First, Josh Murray, who ran roughshod to the tune of 204 yards, scored from 26 yards out, and then Freund found Brandon Brady for another touchdown. The Bengals finally got on the board when Hill nailed Taylor on a picture perfect 41-yard bomb, but North Dakota was able to get a 43-yard field goal was ISU couldn't run out the clock at the end of the half, a field goal that eventually would come back to haunt the Bengals.
"You know, we again did some good things, but we have to look at ourselves in the mirror, and I mean all of us, and get things started out faster," said John Zamberlin. "I love how we came out in the second half, but we can't get down 17, 21, 24 and expect to win games, not against good teams, and North Dakota is a very good, physical team."
Hill was brilliant in the loss, throwing for a career-high 396 yards, his four 300-yard game in his last six, and it was the 13th-most passing yards in school history. Jaron Taylor racked up eight catches for a career-high 159 yards, the 19th-most receiving yards in school history as well. Ryan Phipps defensively had another stalwart game, with 11 tackles, including 3.5 for loss. Jon Vanderwielen also averaged 45.3 yards per kick, hitting two inside the 20.
Still the Bengals are now 0-3 on the season, the worst start for a Bengal team since the 1997 team went 0-5 under Tom Walsh in his first season. Idaho State now has to face nationally-ranked Eastern Washington in Cheney on the road in a game that will be broadcast on Altitude Sports. Kickoff is 1:37 pm Mountain Time.
NOTES: Eddie Thompson left the game in the second quarter after his fifth catch of the game, ending just one catch behind Ed Bell for second place. He is expected to be back in the lineup for Saturday, needing seven catches for the ISU career receptions record ... the Bengals have not kicked a field goal this year, and Hellevang's field goal for UND was the first against ISU this year ... the game marked the first game in the Zamberlin era that was decided by one score or less ... ISU's defense has not recorded an interception yet through three games.
