University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, November 7
Greeley, Colo.
12:00 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
5-4 , 3-4
35
vs
32
Portland State University
7-2 , 5-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Portland State
7
10
0
15
32
Northern Colorado
14
7
7
7
35
Team Stats
PSU
UNCO
Total Yards
493
483
Pass Yards
250
270
Rushing Yards
243
213
Penalty Yards
52
127
1st Downs
27
20
3rd Downs
7
3
4th Downs
2
1
TOP
31:38
28:22
1st Quarter
PSU 0, UNCO 7
UNCO - Alex Wesley 34 yd pass from Jacob Knipp (Jamie Falloon kick) 5 plays, 87 yards, TOP 1:59
PSU 0, UNCO 14
UNCO - B. Cartagena 16 yd run (Jamie Falloon kick), 3 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:08
PSU 7, UNCO 14
PSU - Steven Long 11 yd run (J. Gonzales kick), 6 plays, 53 yards, TOP 1:58
2nd Quarter
PSU 7, UNCO 21
UNCO - Jacob Knipp 1 yd run (Jamie Falloon kick), 13 plays, 67 yards, TOP 4:53
PSU 10, UNCO 21
PSU - J. Gonzales 35 yd field goal 12 plays, 57 yards, TOP 4:40
PSU 17, UNCO 21
PSU - Darnell Adams 19 yd pass from Alex Kuresa (J. Gonzales kick) 9 plays, 88 yards, TOP 1:59
3rd Quarter
PSU 17, UNCO 28
UNCO - Mikhail Dubose 24 yd fumble recovery (Jamie Falloon kick)
4th Quarter
PSU 25, UNCO 28
PSU - Darnell Adams 64 yd pass from Alex Kuresa (David Jones rush) 5 plays, 95 yards, TOP 1:26
PSU 32, UNCO 28
PSU - Steven Long 25 yd run (J. Gonzales kick), 7 plays, 60 yards, TOP 2:13
PSU 32, UNCO 35
UNCO - Trae Riek 2 yd run (Jamie Falloon kick), 5 plays, 88 yards, TOP 0:34
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
18
TD
1
YDS
270
INT
1
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
DE
/ FootballQB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballPhoto by: Rob Trubia
@UNCBEARSFB Puts Together Game-Winning Drive To Knock Off #9 PSU
11/7/2015 6:41:00 PM | Football
GREELEY, Colo. – Undoubtedly the biggest win in Division I program history came on Saturday afternoon as Northern Colorado (5-4, 3-4 Big Sky) knocked off #9 Portland State (7-2, 5-2 Big Sky), 35-32.
This is the first time since making to move to the FCS that the Bears have beat a Top 10 team and is the third win over a ranked opponent since 2006.
With zero timeouts and 57 seconds left on the clock, UNC drove 88 yards on five plays, punching in a two-yard, game-winning touchdown courtesy of redshirt freshman RB, Trae Riek to go up 35-32.
The drive started on the Bears' 12-yard line and on the very first play of the seires redshirt freshman Jacob Knipp connected with fellow redshirt freshman wide out, Alex Wesley for 58 yards. Wesley quickly got out of bounds at the Portland State 30-yard line.
After an incomplete pass, Knipp and Riek got together for a pass down the sideline for 28 more yards placing the ball two yards out from pay dirt.
Stuffed on first and goal, the offensive line dug in and made a big push on second and short with Riek doing the rest, getting across the goal line for the score with 18 seconds to play.
The defense held their end of the bargain, stopping any last attempts at a PSU comeback and sealing the victory for the Bears.
Riek broke the century mark for the second time in as many games, netting 145 yards rushing on 25 attempts (5.8 ypc) and one touchdown. Riek added another 57 yards receiving and five catches for 202 all-purpose yards. The 25 attempts rushing tied his career-high.
Knipp finished the day, 18-30-1 with 270 yards and one TD, which is a career-high in passing yards for the young QB. Knipp also contributed 28 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground.
Wesley led the receiving core with 89 yards on three receptions, catching Knipp's only touchdown toss of the day. The receiving yards were also a career-high for him.
"We work on two-minute drills every Friday in practice and today when we got the ball back with fifty seven seconds and no timeouts I simply looked at Jacob [Knipp] and said, 'Make everybody a believer'," head coach Earnest Collins Jr. explained. "We have a special group of young men. We very easily could have packed it in after last week's loss, but this week we worked on assignment football and I told the guys that if everyone did their job today that we would win this game. The kids responded, came out and did what they were supposed to do."
The Bears jumped out to a 14-0 lead early in the first quarter off Wesley's 34-yard score and a 16-yard touchdown run from redshirt sophomore back, Brandon Cartagena.
The Vikings got on the board late in the first quarter on a 53-yard drive, sealed by an 11-yard scamper from running back, Steven Long to make it 14-7 heading into the second 15 minutes of the game.
It didn't take long for the offense to get going again, finding the end zone for a third time, just three minutes into the second quarter.
A methodical, 13-play, 67-yard drive that took up almost five minutes of game time ended with Knipp charging across the goal line from one-yard out, gave the home team a 21-7 advantage.
UNC's defense was able to hold Portland State to a field goal on the very next series, keeping the Bears on top, 21-10 with 7:02 remaining in the half.
The Vikings found the end zone one more time before the quarter ended, sending the teams into the locker room at 21-17.
"I'm just proud of these guys right now," Collins added. "They showed heart today by not letting last week's game come out and affect them in today's game. The kids are starting to believe in themselves and believe that they can overcome these adversities and come out of games with wins."
The Bears' defense scored its third touchdown of the season in the third quarter after a fumble from PSU's quarterback Alex Kuresa was scooped up by junior DE, Mikhail Dubose and taken 24 yards to the house, giving UNC a two possession advantage, 28-17.
Portland State went on the offensive entering the final quarter of play.
Forcing the Bears to punt to open the fourth, The Vikings got things rolling with a 64-yard touchdown pass and a two-point conversion, cutting the lead to 28-25.
An interception from Knipp put the ball right back in the hands of Portland State with 7:30 left to go.
Portland State made good on the turnover, rumbling 60 yards in seven plays ending with a 25-yard TD run from Long to give the Vikings their first lead of the day.
Northern Colorado was unsuccessful on its first attempt to regain the lead, getting shut down on 4th and 8 at the PSU 37-yard line, handing the ball back to the Vikings with two minutes and some change left on the clock.
As they had done the majority of the day, the defense came through when they needed to, forcing the Vikings go to three-and-out and getting the ball back to the offense for the game-winning drive.
"We've never been in this position before [being 5-4] and have a bunch of young men that are finding their way and starting to believe in themselves," Collins said. "We're going to enjoy this one for the rest of the day and come in tomorrow and watch it, and then get right to work on North Dakota."
Junior safety Taylor Risner once again led the team in tackles, reaching double digit numbers for the fifth time this season with 14 (7 solo, 7 assisted). Risner also added one tackle for a loss, one interception, his first of the season, and his sixth pass breakup of the year.
Northern Colorado now sets its sights to North Dakota (5-4, 3-3 Big Sky) next Saturday, Nov. 14 in a 1:05 p.m. (MT) kickoff in Grand Forks.
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