South Dakota tops North Dakota 42-36 behind Bouman, Pierre and Theis

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- — Aidan Bouman threw three touchdown passes, Charles Pierre Jr. and Travis Theis both ran for more than 100 yards and a touchdown and South Dakota held on to beat North Dakota 42-36 on Saturday.

Theis, who had 150 yards on 16 carries, scored on an 8-yard run early in the fourth quarter to make it 35-21. Then Pierre, who had 173 yards on 15 carries, broke loose for a 76-yard touchdown to stretch the lead to three touchdowns with 9:35 to play.

Simon Romfo scored on a 7-yard run and then found Bo Belquist for a 3-yard touchdown pass and threw a 2-point conversion with 23 seconds left.

But the Coyotes (8-2, 6-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference), the No. 5 team in the FCS coaches poll, recovered the onside kick to set up a showdown with top-ranked North Dakota State next week.

Sawyer Seidl scored on a 51-yard run to give North Dakota a 7-0 lead after one quarter. Romfo threw short touchdown passes to Nick Kupfer and Quincy Vaughn and Bouman matched that, hitting Carter Bell and Quaron Adams, but the Fighting Hawks (5-6, 2-5) led 21-17 at the break.

South Dakota took the lead on a 53-yard Bouman-to-Pierre connection four plays into the second half.

Bouman was 15 of 21 for 190 yards as the Coyotes had 512 total yards. Romfo was 20 of 30 for 180 as North Dakota finished with 322 yards.

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