Fresno State Athletics
Monday, December 23
Boise, ID
11:30 a.m. PT
Fresno State
20
vs
28
NIU
Players Mentioned
DB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
K
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
Photo by: Samuel Marshall
Bulldogs fall in double overtime to NIU
12/23/2024 4:00:00 PM | Football
BOISE, Idaho – Leading 13-3 at halftime, Fresno State fell in double overtime to Northern Illinois, 28-20, on Monday afternoon in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertsons Stadium. It was the Bulldogs' first defeat in a bowl game since 2014.
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Bryson Donelson totaled 110 all-purpose yards (82 rushing, 28 receiving) and two scores. Joshua Wood finished with 180 yards passing on 16-of-23 attempts. Mac Dalena had six catches for 118 yards.
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Tuasivi Nomura led the defense with a game-high 12 tackles.
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How It Happened
After Jayden Mandal came up just short on a third-down scramble on the Bulldogs' opening possession, a snap infraction on fourth-and-short forced Fresno State to punt. On the next play, Jayden Davis picked off Huskie quarterback Josh Holst, returning the ball 26 yards to the NIU 25-yard line.
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Following the sudden change, Mandal connected with Mac Dalena along the sideline for 21 yards. Two plays later, Bryson Donelson punched it into the end zone. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 6-0 with 11:29 on the clock.
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NIU answered with a 29-yard field goal from Kanon Woodill following a 16-play drive that chewed up nearly nine minutes.
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Fresno State struck quickly, going 90 yards in just four plays. A 54-yard strike over the top from Joshua Wood to Dalena set up a 13-yard touchdown run up the middle for Wood to put the 'Dogs up 13-3.
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Aided by two fourth-down conversions, the Huskies put together a 20-play, 85-yard drive that used up almost 12 minutes. But with a first down inside the five, Fresno State's defense dug in after allowing three yards on first-and-goal. Devo Bridges forced Holst to throw the ball away on second down, and came up with a stop at the 1-yard line on third down. Malachi Langley stopped Telly Johnson Jr.'s final attempt to get into the end zone, leaving the Huskie running back a half-yard short.
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Following a blocked punt by Kosi Agina with six seconds remaining in the half, Fresno State had an opportunity to add to its lead. Dylan Lynch's 42-yard attempt was wide right as the Bulldogs took a 13-3 lead into the locker room.
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NIU started the second half with 10 unanswered points to tie the game at 13-13 less than eight minutes into the third quarter.
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Early in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs worked the ball down to the NIU 23-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-2, the 'Dogs elected to go for it but Wood's pass was just out of the reach for Richie Anderson. The Huskies followed with a near eight-minute drive to set up a 35-yard field goal. Woodill's attempt was pushed right, leaving the game tied.
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Starting its drive with 3:02 remaining, Fresno State fed Donelson as the freshman piled up 45 yards on the drive to set up a 32-yard field goal. Lynch pulled his attempt left of the upright, forcing the game into overtime.
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It took Fresno State just three plays to find the end zone in the first overtime period. On second-and-5, Wood found Donelson open on the left side for a 9-yard touchdown reception.
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A defensive holding call on third-and-2 from the 6-yard line set up a first-and-goal from the 2 for the Huskies. Holst found Grayson Barnes to tie the game up at 20-20.
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NIU scored on its next play and converted the two-point conversion to go up 28-20 in the second overtime.
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A pair of incompletions and a one-yard run left the Bulldogs needing to convert a four-and-9. Wood was sacked to end the game.
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Bryson Donelson totaled 110 all-purpose yards (82 rushing, 28 receiving) and two scores. Joshua Wood finished with 180 yards passing on 16-of-23 attempts. Mac Dalena had six catches for 118 yards.
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Tuasivi Nomura led the defense with a game-high 12 tackles.
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How It Happened
After Jayden Mandal came up just short on a third-down scramble on the Bulldogs' opening possession, a snap infraction on fourth-and-short forced Fresno State to punt. On the next play, Jayden Davis picked off Huskie quarterback Josh Holst, returning the ball 26 yards to the NIU 25-yard line.
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Following the sudden change, Mandal connected with Mac Dalena along the sideline for 21 yards. Two plays later, Bryson Donelson punched it into the end zone. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 6-0 with 11:29 on the clock.
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NIU answered with a 29-yard field goal from Kanon Woodill following a 16-play drive that chewed up nearly nine minutes.
Â
Fresno State struck quickly, going 90 yards in just four plays. A 54-yard strike over the top from Joshua Wood to Dalena set up a 13-yard touchdown run up the middle for Wood to put the 'Dogs up 13-3.
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Aided by two fourth-down conversions, the Huskies put together a 20-play, 85-yard drive that used up almost 12 minutes. But with a first down inside the five, Fresno State's defense dug in after allowing three yards on first-and-goal. Devo Bridges forced Holst to throw the ball away on second down, and came up with a stop at the 1-yard line on third down. Malachi Langley stopped Telly Johnson Jr.'s final attempt to get into the end zone, leaving the Huskie running back a half-yard short.
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Following a blocked punt by Kosi Agina with six seconds remaining in the half, Fresno State had an opportunity to add to its lead. Dylan Lynch's 42-yard attempt was wide right as the Bulldogs took a 13-3 lead into the locker room.
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NIU started the second half with 10 unanswered points to tie the game at 13-13 less than eight minutes into the third quarter.
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Early in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs worked the ball down to the NIU 23-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-2, the 'Dogs elected to go for it but Wood's pass was just out of the reach for Richie Anderson. The Huskies followed with a near eight-minute drive to set up a 35-yard field goal. Woodill's attempt was pushed right, leaving the game tied.
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Starting its drive with 3:02 remaining, Fresno State fed Donelson as the freshman piled up 45 yards on the drive to set up a 32-yard field goal. Lynch pulled his attempt left of the upright, forcing the game into overtime.
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It took Fresno State just three plays to find the end zone in the first overtime period. On second-and-5, Wood found Donelson open on the left side for a 9-yard touchdown reception.
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A defensive holding call on third-and-2 from the 6-yard line set up a first-and-goal from the 2 for the Huskies. Holst found Grayson Barnes to tie the game up at 20-20.
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NIU scored on its next play and converted the two-point conversion to go up 28-20 in the second overtime.
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A pair of incompletions and a one-yard run left the Bulldogs needing to convert a four-and-9. Wood was sacked to end the game.
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