DATE: August 31, 2006
Bulldogs break open 7-7 game with 16 points in final 5:04 of third quarter

BEMIDJI, Minn. - On a night dictated by strong defensive performances on both sides of the ball, a safety on a wild punt snap into the end zone in the third quarter sparked a 16-point rally for the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, who broke open a 7-7 tie and toppled Bemidji State, 23-7, in the season opener for both programs.

As the game progressed into the third quarter, the Beavers and Bulldogs were locked in a defensive struggle which had seen the teams combine for just 302 yards of offense through two quarters. A nine-yard sack derailed BSU’s opening drive of the third quarter after 11 plays netted 30 yards, and the Bulldogs garnered a single yard on four snaps on their first possession of the third. However, the Bulldogs took advantage of a strong wind coming off Lake Bemidji to cap that drive with a 49-yard punt, and stuffed BSU wide receiver Anthony Schreiber (Berkeley, Ill.) for zero yards on the return to give the Beavers the ball at their own 24.

BSU went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, and on the punt attempt long snapper Tony Wanie (Tomahawk, Wis.) sent the snap over the head of punter Michael McDonald (Muskegon, Mich.). McDonald pursued the errant snap back to the goal line and kicked the ground ball out of the back of the end zone for a safety and a 9-7 Bulldog lead.

The Bulldogs took the free kick and marched 44 yards downfield in seven plays, capped by a three-yard touchdown dive from quarterback Ted Schlafke, to help the Bulldogs push their lead to 16-7.

BSU’s Josh Williams (Downey, Calif.) was intercepted on the first play of the next Beaver drive, and Schlafke found Dominique Johnson from 25 yards out with 55 seconds to play in the third. The extra point put UMD ahead 23-7, gave the Bulldogs 16 points in a span of 4:09 and essentially put the game away for the visitors.

The 16-point rally overshadowed a strong performance by the BSU defense. The Bulldogs, who in 2005 averaged better than 365 yards per game, were limited to 266 total yadrs on 71 plays, an average of 3.7 yards per snap. The Bulldogs garnered 84 yards rushing on 34 attempts, and while Bulldog quarterback Ted Schlafke completed 24 of 37 passes he netted just 182 yards through the air.

Three different BSU defenders reached the 10-tackle plateau on the evening, led by a career-high 13 stops from linebacker Zach Christ (Buffalo, Minn.). Safety Jeremiah Johnson (Glidden, Iowa) added 12 tackles for his 14th career 10-tackle game, and defensive end Seth Iverson (Hatton, N.D.) turned in a spectacular performance with 10 tackles.

Iverson, in additon to his 10 stops and career-high five solo tackles, added two sacks for -13 yards and broke up a pass.

Junior Matt Heber (Mundelein, Ill.) also put up big numbers in his debut as a starter, finishing with seven tackles, a career-high five solo stops and a career-high three tackles for loss.

Still, BSU’s defensive efforts could not overcome a rough night by the Beaver offense which struggled to just 203 yards on 73 plays from scrimmage - an average of 2.8 yards per play. Junior quarterback Josh Williams (Downey, Calif.) made his collegiate debut and attempted 37 passes - the most-ever by a Jeff Tesch-coached quarterback in his first career start. Williams displayed a run threat which BSU has not had from its quarterback position in recent years, rushing for 35 yards - including a 30-yard run which marked the longest run by a BSU quarterback in six years - but completed just 15 of his 37 passes for 128 yards and three interceptions.

Williams found Schreiber from four yards out in the first quarter for BSU’s only score of the contest. The touchdown reception was the 10th of Schreiber’s career, moving him into a three-way tie for 10th on BSU’s career list, and gave BSU at least one touchdown pass in each of its last 32 games played.

Eurice Watson (Dayton, Ohio) settled in for his first collegiate start at running back, finishing with 83 hard-earned yards on 23 carries.

“It was tough (after the turnover) to deal with the adversity but I thought we fought through it and we were still playing well enough,” BSU head coach Jeff Tesch said. ”Our defense played well and we made corrections but we just couldn’t overcome the mistakes. We had four or five chances within the 40-yard line at the end of the game and just couldn’t make plays for a variety of reasons.”

Bemidji State, meeting Minnesota Duluth in a non-conference contest for the first time since Sept. 22, 1951, dropped to 10-35-1 all-time against the Bulldogs and fell for the fifth consecutive time in the series. The loss brought BSU’s all-time record in season openers down to 38-39-4 and snapped a streak of three consecutive season-opening victories. BSU also saw its five-game home winning streak, which had been tied for seventh-longest in school history, come to a close.

Bemidji State returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 9, when it takes to the road for the first time in a non-conference tilt at Minot (N.D.) State. It will be the eighth consecutive year for the “Beaver Bash” rivalry, extending the longest continuous non-conference series in BSU football history. The game is slated for a 1:30 p.m. Central time kickoff at Minot’s Herb Parker Stadium.

--beavers--