SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Sam Ojuri ran for 118 yards and a touchdown, Brock Jensen accounted for two more scores and North Dakota State held off Missouri State 21-17 on Saturday.
After the Bison (8-1, 5-1 Missouri Valley) fell behind on Caleb Schaffitzel's MSU-record 100-yard interception return, Jensen tied it with a 5-yard run in the second quarter before hitting Ryan Smith for a 6-yard score. Ojuri's 5-yard run in the third gave NDSU the lead for good.
Kierra Harris ran 16 yards for a touchdown for the Bears (3-7, 3-4), just the second rushing score allowed by NDSU all season. But Harris struggled in the passing game, completing just six passes for 22 yards, and was intercepted by Christian Dudzik to end MSU's final drive. Austin Witmer added a 44-yard field goal.
The Bison, who allowed just 149 yards of total offense, improved to 10-0 on the road over the last two seasons.