Southern (2-9, MVFC 1-7) fell 65-17, to number one ranked North Dakota State (11-0, MVFC 8-0) in their final game of the year.

After the game, the NDSU was able to add a win in the all-time series making it 8-3, and the Bison have won the last seven meetings between the two teams in the series dating back to 1963.

The last time SIU beat NDSU was Sept. 26, 2009, when the Dawgs won at home.

The Salukis are now 1-4 against number one ranked FCS opponents with their lone win coming against Western Kentucky in 2005.

Southern was looking to rebound after their loss to South Dakota State last week for the senior game.

The Dawgs scored on the first play of the game as freshman wide receiver Je’Quan Burton returned the kickoff for the touchdown and the kick by freshman kicker Griffin Cerra was good to put Southern ahead 7-0 15 seconds into the game.

After a five-play drive by the Bison, they tied it up to make it 7-7 early in the first quarter with a 36-yard rushing play for the touchdown.

North Dakota State put 50 yards on three plays resulting in a touchdown to give the Bison a 14-7 lead with 10:19 left in the first quarter.

Senior quarterback Matt DeSomer completed the pass to senior wide receiver Raphael Leonard for 59 yards for Southern’s second touchdown of the day tying it back up at 14-14 halfway through the first quarter.

DeSomer finished with one touchdown and two interceptions for 144 yards in the final game for the senior.

A 60-yard pass by North Dakota State ends in a touchdown for the Bison pulling them back ahead 21-14 with 6:32 remaining in the first quarter.

A fumble by SIU ends with the ball in NDSU’s hands and another touchdown by the Bison to make it 28-14 in the first quarter.

DeSomer handed it off to Leonard for no gain to end the first quarter as the Salukis trailed North Dakota State 28-14 after one.

The Bison scored first in the second quarter as senior quarterback Easton Stick completed a 31-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 35-14.

Stick finished with three touchdowns and one interception and 302 yards in his final regular season game at North Dakota State.

The third turnover of the day for the Dawgs and second interception of the game by DeSomer gave the ball back to NDSU on the Bison’s ten-yard line.

An interception by sophomore safety Joe Patterson helped to end the drive by North Dakota State and gave the ball back to the Salukis with 2:13 left in the half.

After giving up four touchdowns in the first quarter the Southern defense held the Bison to one touchdown in the second quarter to go into halftime down 35-14.

North Dakota State received the kickoff to start the second half and they scored on a nine play 85-yard drive to extend the lead to 42-14 early in the third quarter.

A bad snap by SIU ends in a safety adding two points on the board for NDSU to make it 44-14 with 9:37 left in the third quarter.

North Dakota State scored another touchdown after the safety on a two play 57-yard drive to make it 51-14 with 8:48 left in the third quarter.

The Salukis ended a nine-play drive with a 25-yard field goal by Cerra to make it 51-17 with just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter.

The third quarter ended with the Bison on their own 47-yard line with a second and seven yards to go for the first down leading with a score of 51-17.

NDSU scored on a 16 play 75-yard drive ending in a 19-yard rushing touchdown to make it 58-17 with 9:57 left in the game.

Senior quarterback Sam Straub of the Salukis entered the game after the touchdown by the Bison.

Straub recorded the fourth turnover in the game by Southern and the third interception thrown by an SIU quarterback in the fourth quarter.

A 20 yard rush by junior running back Adam Cofield extended the Bison lead out to 65-14 after the interception by Straub.

After the touchdown by North Dakota State freshman quarterback Nic Baker entered the game as the third quarterback for Southern.

With SIU at the NDSU 2 yard line, they failed to convert on fourth down which gave the ball back to the Bison with 1:32 left in the game.

This game marked the end of the season for Southern as they finished the season 2-9 being their worst record since 2001 when they finished 1-10.

Sports reporter Adam Warfel can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @warfel_adam.

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