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Ben McDonald shouldn't have too much trouble ever remembering his first collegiate pass reception.

The junior linebacker-turned tight end latched on to a one yard roll-out pass from junior quarterback Drew Bauer with 3:39 remaining to lift the University of Minnesota Duluth to a 28-24 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory over previously unbeaten Upper Iowa University at a fog-infested James S. Malosky Stadium Saturday night.  The Bulldogs, who hiked their home winning streak to 13 games, are now 2-2 overall and a perfect 6-0 lifetime versus the Peacocks (3-1).

Bauer accounted for nearly 85 percent of the UMD's total yardage on the evening, rushing 24 times for 117 yards and one touchdown while throwing for another 272 yards and a pair of scores. He was 14-of-26 with no picks and even caught one pass (his fifth with the Bulldogs) while improving his career record as a starter to 26-5. Bauer hooked up with senior wide receiver Justin Fowlkes on an 18-yard touchdown pass on the opening series of the night and then scored from two yards out before four minutes into the second quarter to put UMD up 15-0. The first of two field goals from senior placekicker Andrew Brees -- a season-best 41-yarder -- with 90 seconds before halftime extended the UMD lead to 18-0. In the third quarter, the Peacocks struck for a field goal and a 34-yard touchdown pass, both of which came after they recovered a pair of Bulldog fumbles, to cut the deficit to 18-10. Brees nailed his fifth three-pointer in as many tries this season with 12:48 to go in regulation before Upper Iowa's Derik Portis hit pay dirt twice on bolts of 45 and 33 yards to give the Peacocks their first lead at 24-21 a the 6:13 mark. On the ensuring possession, Bauer engineered a six-play, 66-yard scoring drive that was capped off by his short toss to McDonald. Upper Iowa took over with 3:39 still on the clock, but turned the ball over on downs two minutes later after Portis was stopped for no gain on a four-and-two rush from UMD's 44-yard line.

"We were lucky to get out of here with a win tonight, so I feel good about that" said UMD head coach Curt Weise, whose appearance Saturday was his 100th with the Bulldog coaching staff. "In the same sense, we understand that we have some work to do."

In addition to registering the sixth, 100-yard rushing game of this UMD career, Bauer also hit Dominic Bonner (who paced both teams with seven receptions) with a 78-yard pass -- the longest by a Bulldog since the 2010 season. Senior All-American running back Logan Lauters, UMD's No. 2 all-time rushing leader, had just two carries before calling it a night with an injury (he was one of a handful of Bulldogs to exit early).

Senior free safety David Boegel was credit with a UMD-high 10 total tackles and senior linebacker Brent Stiglich had nine stops for a defense that allowed 199 yards on the ground and another 202 yards via the right arm of quarterback Dimitri Morales.

UMD, which has faced an unbeaten opponent in each of its four games thus far, will be in Moorhead, Minn. next Saturday night for a clash with the 3-1 Dragons.