What was hailed as the biggest game in the 76-year history of University of Minnesota Duluth football wound up producing the program's biggest win ever.
Isaac Odim's two-yard touchdown run in the second overtime and Kiel Fechtelkotter's ensuing interception sealed the Bulldogs' historic 19-13 victory over No. 1 Grand Valley State University in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday afternoon. The road win sends the unbeaten Bulldogs (13-0) into next Saturday's semifinals against California University (Pa.) at a site to be determined while the host Lakers, who lost for just the second time in their last 53 games, end their season at 11-1.
“This was a tremendous win against an outstanding opponent,” said UMD head coach Bob Nielson. "It wasn't pretty at times, but we found a way to get it done. Our defense was consistent all day – they bent a little but didn't break – and offensively we made enough of the right plays to win. We are proud of our effort and the intensity we showed today.”
The Bulldogs found themselves trailing for the first time in 14 games when Grand Valley took at 3-0 lead with 2:57 remaining in the first quarter on Todd Carter's 28-yard field goal. Senior quarterback Ted Schlafke hooked up with Odim on a 16-yard scoring strike to go up 7-3 six seconds into the second quarter before Carter nailed another field goal from 36 yards out three minutes later to pull the Lakers to within one.
It remained 7-6 until D.J. Winfield hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Schlafke late in the third quarter, but freshman placekicker David Nadeau, who had earlier missed a 39-yard field goal, had his extra point conversion kick blocked. Grand Valley, which came into afternoon riding a 29-game home winning streak (it hadn't lost at Lubber Stadium since Oct. 23, 2004), sent the game into overtime on Jonn Mathews' seven-yard scoring reception with only 66 seconds remaining in regulation.
Both teams failed to score in the first overtime – Carter missed his third field goal try of the day (from 37 yards) while Schlafke was picked off on UMD's opening play. Odim then found the endone four plays into the Bulldogs next series before Fechtelkotter sealed the win with his third interception of the year at UMD's 15-yard line.
“While I was dropping back I saw their quarterback (Brad Iciek) shift his eyes so I made a quick break and he threw it right at me,” said Fechtelkotter. "I got my club (his cast protected left arm) on the ball and wasn't about to let go."
The game, played before a crowd of 3,548, featured two of the eight 2008 Harlon Hill Trophy finalists in Schalfke and Iciek. Schlafke, making his 45th consecutive start, connected on 14 of 26 passes for 160 yards and a pair of scores but was intercepted a season-high three times. Iciek also threw three picks (doubling his previous 2008 total) and was just 13-of-46 for 160 yards. It didn't help Grand Valley's junior quarterback that the Bulldogs were credited with a season-high nine pass breakups, including three by senior free safety Tyler Yelk.
"That was the difference in the ball game -- we were able to disrupt their passing attack," said Nielson, whose Bulldogs have now won 14 consecutive games dating back to last year. "Our defense has proven time in and time out that were difficult to run against, but today we didn't let them get anything going through the air."
Odim ran for a game-high 124 yards on 21 carries and scored his 22nd rushing touchdown (which tied the school single-season mark set by All-American running back Ted McKnight in 1976) and his 24th overall touchdowns (equalling McKnight's school record from that same year). The sophomore running back has now amassed 100-plus yards on the ground in each of the past six games and seven times overall this fall.
"Everyone came into this game a little more hungry, because we did know that it was Grand Valley and we knew that not many people gave us a chance to win this game,” said Odim, who has rushed for 1,443 yards -- the second highest single-season total in team history -- on 185 carries for a 7.8 yards per run average.
UMD not only held the potent Laker offense to a mere touchdown on the day, but also just 269 yards of total offense -- almost 200 yards below their season average.
"Our strategy coming in was to attack on defense and those guys did a great job of doing that,” added Schlafke. “ It was great how everyone came together with a little adversity there at the end. But we were still able to pull it out in overtime, and I think that says a lot about this team."
