MADISON, S.D. -- Jarrett Wilson hit
Levi Torgerson for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, Wilson and
Anders Thompson found the end zone twice each on the ground, and the No. 6-ranked Montana Tech football team dispatched No. 22 Dakota State, 33-21, Saturday afternoon on the road.
Trailing by a point headed into the fourth quarter, Wilson targeted Torgerson on a picture-perfect 42-yard strike that put the Orediggers (5-1, 1-0 Frontier Conference East Division) in front for good with 8:50 remaining in the game.
The touchdown capped a 10-play, 74-yard drive. Tech then added an insurance touchdown with 3:11 to go on a Wilson two-yard run.
Montana Tech wasted no time drawing first blood. The Oredigger defense forced a three-and-out on DSU's first possession and drove down the field in 14 plays to score the opening touchdown. A Wilson-to-
Nick Michelotti connection for 17 yards set up a first-and-goal, and Thompson finished the drive with a one-yard plunge.
Tech added two more scores, a Wilson 12-yard scramble and another one-yarder by Thompson, to lead 20-14 at halftime.
In the third, the Trojans (4-2, 0-1) halted Tech's opening possession and polished off a nine-play, 80-yard drive to take a 21-20 lead.
But the fourth quarter was all Orediggers. The defense came up huge on the first two plays of the final stanza.
Luke Donally sacked DSU quarterback Tray Hettick on the opening play, and
Kellan Beller intercepted Hettick on the Trojans' second play from scrimmage to set up the go-ahead drive.
It took two key third-down conversions. Facing third-and-15 near midfield, Wilson found
Colby Martinez for a first-down reception that put Tech into Trojan territory. Then, on third-and-16, Wilson tossed a dime to Torgerson for the go-ahead score.
The Oredigger D forced another three-and-out, bolstered by
Trevor Miller's and
Dominic Umile's third-down sack, and drove right back down the field for the insurance touchdown from Wilson.
Defensively, Beller,
Jalen Perkins,
Brady Swenson, and
Luke Donally all made interceptions. Beller and Miller, who notched a sack and a half, led the Orediggers with seven tackles each.
Wilson completed 20 of 30 passes for 256 yards, including a touchdown, and rushed for 47 yards more and two scores on the ground.
Ikaika Ho led the Orediggers on the ground with 74 yards, while Torgerson collected 10 catches for 104 yards.
Montana Tech will return home next weekend to celebrate Homecoming as MSU-Northern visits Alumni Coliseum for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
Visit Montana Tech athletics' home online, GoDiggers.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news and coverage of the Orediggers. Give Montana Tech athletics a like on Facebook, and follow the Orediggers on X and Instagram at @DiggerAthletics.
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