BISMARCK, N.D. — A career-high 165 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns by junior
Sam Backer helped propel the No. 4-ranked Minnesota State football team to a 48-7 victory at the University of Mary Saturday evening in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener for both teams.
The Mavericks (2-0, 1-0 NSIC) tallied a season-high 550 yards on 60 plays, averaging a staggering 9.17 yards per play, in the first meeting between the two teams in Bismarck, N.D., since Aug. 31, 2017. MSU improved to 9-0 all-time against Mary and 4-0 all-time in Bismarck. MSU has now outscored the Marauders 394-115 in the nine meetings.
Backer and the Mavericks once again got off to a quick start. Following an interception on the first play of the game, the Mavericks scored touchdowns on their next four possessions to take command of the game. Backer finished with 11 carries for 165 yards and two scores, surpassing his previous career high of 159 yards at Wayne State on Sept. 14, 2024. MSU amassed 327 yards on the ground on 35 attempts for a 9.3-yard average, while four different players combined for five rushing touchdowns. MSU held a 27-16 advantage in first downs and converted 7-of-11 third downs, while the Marauders were 6-of-11.
MSU finished with 223 yards through the air, with junior
Mitchell Thompson going 10-of-13 passing for 131 yards, one interception and one touchdown. Sophomore
Maximus Sims finished 4-of-11 passing for 62 yards and one interception, while senior
Justin Silverstein went 1-of-1 for 30 yards. Both Thompson and Sims also had rushing touchdowns. Sophomore
Lebarion Gilmore had three catches for 63 yards to lead the team, while
Braden Downs had two catches for 31 yards and the only receiving touchdown of the game.
Defensively, the Mavericks held UMary to just 202 yards of offense, including 47 yards on the ground on 42 carries for an average of 1.1 yards per carry. The Marauders had 165 yards passing and went 14-of-22 through the air with three interceptions. MSU forced four turnovers in the contest, including two pick-sixes, and did not allow an offensive touchdown. The Mavericks registered four sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Jamal Spiyee finished with two interceptions, returning them for a combined 87 yards and a touchdown. Emmanuel Spiyee had a team-high six tackles, including one tackle for loss, and added an interception and four solo tackles. MSU held Mary to 0-of-4 in the red zone, while the Mavericks did not punt in the game.
Following the interception on the opening play, the Maverick defense stood strong, forcing the Marauders to go three-and-out deep in MSU territory. Marauder kicker Jack Henniger then missed a 37-yard field goal.
The offensive fireworks for MSU began on the ensuing play as Backer went 80 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 12:34 remaining in the first quarter. It was Backer's 27th career rushing touchdown and the longest rush of his career. It also marked the Mavericks' longest rush since Shen Butler Lawson Jr. had an 80-yard run on Sept. 30, 2023, against Bemidji State.
Following another Mary three-and-out, MSU moved down the field, and Sims hit sophomore
Connor Stauff on third-and-six. Sims then faked out the Mary defense for a 14-yard touchdown run to give the Mavericks a 14-0 lead with 6:01 remaining in the first quarter. The Maverick defense came up with another stop, and the Mavericks used a 22-yard run by Thompson on third-and-one, followed by a 17-yard gain by Gilmore, to get inside the 20-yard line. Backer surpassed 100 yards on the ground in the first quarter with a 13-yard run, and Thompson called his own number for a five-yard touchdown run to give MSU a 21-0 lead with 1:13 remaining in the quarter.
Through the first 15 minutes, MSU had nine first downs to just three for UM, while the Mavericks rushed for 203 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns by Backer, Thompson and Sims. UM had 41 yards of offense in the quarter.
The Mavericks forced another punt by the Marauders and then went 87 yards, capped by a 26-yard touchdown strike from Thompson to sophomore
Braden Downs, to extend the lead to 27-0 with 8:24 remaining in the first half. The defense came up big again as UM quarterback Ryan Blair's pass was intercepted by Spiyee at the MSU 48. On third-and-eight from the MSU 50, Sims found redshirt freshman
El Staley for 35 yards down to the UM 15. MSU began the game 5-of-5 on third down. The drive then stalled following a penalty, a sack and a fumble on a field-goal attempt, allowing the Mavericks to come away without points following the interception.
Mary used two strong runs from Xavier Brackenridge to move the ball to the MSU 49. On third-and-three, Blair picked up six yards for a first down, then hit Aeneas Redmond for nine yards to move the ball to the MSU 17. An errant snap proved costly as junior
Marcellus Linton recovered the fumble, marking the Marauders' second red-zone mistake of the half with 1:37 remaining. MSU kept its foot on the gas as Thompson connected with senior
Jackson Owens for a 12-yard gain to the UM 24. Gilmore then caught a 22-yard pass down to the UM 2 with less than 10 seconds remaining in the half. Following an MSU timeout with eight seconds remaining, Backer went around the outside for his second rushing touchdown of the game, giving the Mavericks a 34-0 lead with three seconds left in the half.
For the half, MSU had 40 plays for 398 yards, including 226 yards on the ground and 172 through the air. The defense held Mary to seven first downs, just 20 rushing yards and 43 passing yards for a total of 63 yards of offense. Backer finished the half with eight carries for 128 yards and two scores, while Thompson had five carries for 47 yards and a touchdown and Sims also had a rushing touchdown. Thompson was 9-of-11 passing for 119 yards and a score, while Sims was 3-of-5 for 53 yards.
The Maverick defense pitched a first-half shutout and forced two key turnovers by the Marauders. Linton paced the team with three tackles, while Christopher Federico had six tackles for Mary.
Mary (1-1, 0-1 NSIC) punted on its first possession of the second half as MSU forced another three-and-out. On third-and-five from the MSU 38, a collision among the Maverick wide receivers left Jopp wide open, and he hauled in his second interception of the game and returned it 87 yards for a pick-six, giving MSU a 34-7 lead with 12:24 remaining in the third quarter. Jopp finished with seven total tackles and two interceptions.
The Marauders attempted an onside kick, but two penalties on Mary—offsides and kick-catch interference—gave the Mavericks a big break as MSU began the drive at the UM 36. Sophomore
Hudson Dillon came up with a nine-yard reception for a first down on third down. MSU junior kicker
Connor Fournier then uncharacteristically missed a 24-yard field goal with 10:21 remaining in the third quarter.
UM's top receiver, Karsyn Jablonski, recorded his first reception of the game for 13 yards following the missed field goal, moving the ball to the UM 32. He then caught a 22-yard pass for a first down at the MSU 44. The Mavericks forced a fourth down with a big hit from sophomore
Tanner Olson at the Maverick 36. A first down and a penalty on MSU pushed the ball inside the red zone, and Mary converted its second fourth down of the drive at the MSU 10. On third-and-goal from the MSU 8, the Maverick defense came up with its third turnover of the game as senior Emmanuel Spiyee intercepted the pass, ending a drive in which the momentum had begun to shift toward the home team.
Maverick freshman running back
James Engle scored his second touchdown of the season, this time on an 18-yard run, to give MSU a 41-7 lead with 14:19 remaining in the contest. Engle scored his first touchdown last week in the win at Colorado Mesa.
On third-and-11 from the MSU 41, Blair found Lucas Gonzales for 22 yards to move the ball to the MSU 19. The Mavericks returned the favor with another pick-six as J. Spiyee intercepted Blair and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown, giving MSU a 48-7 lead. It was Spiyee's second interception of the game, while his brother, E. Spiyee, had one earlier in the contest.
For UMary, Blair finished 12-of-19 passing for 129 yards and two interceptions. Hudsen Sheldon had a team-high 34 rushing yards, while Jablonski had three catches for 55 yards.
The Mavericks return home to host rival Bemidji State next Saturday at 6 p.m. at Blakeslee Stadium in the 2026 home opener.
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