Bears Cap Season with 24-13 Win Over Portland State

Saturday, November 22

Greeley, Colo.

12 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

4-8 , 2-6

Portland State

1-11 , 1-7

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Portland St.

Northern Colo.

Photo by: Lexie Martin

11/22/2025 4:51:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Jacob Willig Ties Division I Season Field Goal Record

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – A dominant ground attack and a timely defensive stand powered Northern Colorado to a 24-13 win over Portland State on Saturday afternoon at Nottingham Field, as the Bears closed their season with a complete, balanced performance on both sides of the ball.

UNC (4-8, 2-6 Big Sky) piled up 215 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 32 attempts, highlighted by a pair of explosive scoring drives in the second quarter that flipped the momentum. Justin Guin jump-started the Bears with a 44-yard burst to the end zone early in the frame, and after a defensive stop, Brandon Johnson capped a short-field march with a one-yard score to send Northern Colorado into halftime up 14-7.

The Bears kept their foot on the gas in the third quarter, answering a Portland State field goal with their longest drive of the day: a 75-yard march finished by a bruising three-yard touchdown from Mathias Price to extend the lead to 21-10. Jacob Willig added a 22-yard field goal with 38 seconds remaining to seal the victory, his 13th of the season, tying Northern Colorado's Division I single-season record.

\Quarterback Eric Gibson managed the offense efficiently, completing 12 of 17 passes for 94 yards without a turnover, allowing UNC's rushing trio to control the pace. Guin led all ball carriers with 115 yards on nine attempts for one touchdown and the game's longest play: a 59-yard sprint in the fourth quarter, while Johnson added 33 yards and a score.

Defensively, the Bears were relentless, posting 70 total tackles and 11 tackles for 51 yards loss. Hudson Voggesser anchored the unit with 11 stops, while Dominic Butts and Levi Little combined for a sack and 19 yards of TFL yardage. Linebacker Zach Nowatzke delivered a momentum-shifting interception late in the second quarter that set up UNC's second touchdown of the half.

Northern Colorado held Portland State to 163 passing yards and just 13 points, including only six after halftime, and blocked a Viking field-goal attempt in the third quarter to preserve the two-score margin.

The win closes Northern Colorado's season on a high note, and with Willig's record-tying mark, matching the most conference wins since 2022 and the most overall wins since 2016.

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