Trojans Start Season With Ag Bowl Win

The 7th Annual Ag Bowl lived up to the hype this year, with the Dakota State Trojans getting a win to open up their season, while also extending their winning streak against Dakota Wesleyan to six.

It didn’t take long for the Trojans to get on the scoreboard, with RB Tyce Ortman catching a pass from QB Zach Brooks on the first play from scrimmage, and running it in for a 73 yard touchdown. 

The Trojans scored again in the top of the second quarter, this time on a pass to the back corner from Brooks caught by WR Austin Lake. This allowed the Trojans to take a 14-0 lead into the half. 

The second half started a little slow, but DWU was able to get their first points of the game on a 10 yard touchdown run from RB Jamin Arend. The fourth quarter was where it got exciting. 

Tigers opened up the quarter with a nine-yard touchdown pass from QB Austin Lee to WR Kiel Nelson. The Tigers decided to go for the two-point conversion after a failed extra point from Jaxon Patrick, however the Tigers were unable to convert. 

On the following kick-off, Tameron “Frosty” Foster took the return to the house for 93 yards, extending the Trojans lead now 20-12. After getting a turnover inside the five yard line, the Trojans were able to add more points to the scoreboard on a Ortman one-yard run. 

DWU brought themselves within one score with a little over six and a half minutes left on Nelson’s four-yard touchdown run from the wildcat, however Lee let a snap go over his head into the endzone for a safety, giving the Trojans the 29-19 lead along with the victory.

Offense struggled in the second half for the Trojans, with Brooks only throwing the ball twice in the half, but even after a big second half from DWU’s QB Austin Lee, throwing for 167 yards in the half on 24 passes, it wasn’t enough to overcome the miscues and special teams errors that DSU was able to capitalize on. 

The Trojans will be on the road next week when they travel to Wisconsin-LaCrosse on Saturday, September 3rd at 4pm.