The University of Minnesota Duluth football team rushed past Minot State University 35-21 Saturday afternoon at James S. Malosky Stadium in Duluth, Minn. behind an impressive 292 rushing yard team performance.

The Bulldogs improved to 4-4 overall on the 2024 season, and 3-4 against Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foes behind a career-high three touchdown performance from redshirt freshman Alex Riley out of the backfield. UMD tallied 448 total yards of offense throughout the matchup, doubling the efforts from the Beavers who tallied 212 total yards. 

UMD was quick to establish its dominant run game, and put the first points of the day up on the board at the end of the first quarter with a four-yard rushing touchdown from Riley. A quick three and out from Minot State to start the second quarter gave the Bulldogs the opportunity to add on to the lead, and UMD went  up 14-0 with a 12-yard passing touchdown from Kyle Walljasper to Cole Ewald at 9:23.

The Beavers finally got on the scoreboard with their next drive with a touchdown reception of their own to make it 14-7 at the 7:57 mark, but the Bulldogs matched that effort with another rushing touchdown from Riley, a 38-yard run for his second touchdown of the afternoon with 3:23 left before halftime.

UMD began the third quarter with a 21-7, but a MSU interception to open the second half led to a Beaver touchdown, and cut that advantage to 21-11. Riley ran for his third rushing touchdown of the day on a 1-yard run at 8:56 to push the Bulldogs lead back to two scores.  The two teams again traded touchdowns on each of their next drives, keeping a two score difference – Minot managed to score with 1:38 left in the third, but UMD responded with a 30-yard pass from Walljasper to Durocher at 12:43 of the fourth quarter in what ended up the final points of the game.

Riley led the 292 rushing yard outing with a total of 103 yards and three touchdowns in the game, picking up 8.6 yards per carry along the way. Derrick Johnson also tacked on 74 yards on the ground, picking up 4.4 yards per carry. Walljasper led the Bulldogs' passing attack with 156 yards through the air, tossing 15-22 (68.2%) with two touchdowns, and Durocher shined as Walljasper's favorite target of the afternoon, reeling in six catches for 51 yards and one score.

The Bulldog defense kept Minot State under 150-yards on both the ground and through the air, allowing 96 passing and 116 rushing yards all while totaling eight tackles for loss. Andrew Klopp helped pace the UMD defensive effort, recording seven total tackles and five tackles for loss in the contest.

UMD returns to action next weekend to take on the Winona State University in Winona, Minn.. Kickoff against the Warriors is currently scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1:00 PM.

BULLDOG NOTES: Alex Riley's three rushing TDs was a season-high for the Bulldogs on the ground … as a team, UMD has a season-most 49 rushing attempts to pair with its season-best 292 rushing yards.