BOX SCORE

MINNEAPOLIS – Southwest Minnesota State and Concordia University, St. Paul combined for 1,240 yards and 113 points as the Golden Bears came out with a 60-53 win in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football action at the Metrodome in Minneapolis Minn. on Saturday.

Southwest Minnesota State finishes the season 3-8 overall, including 3-7 in NSIC play while the Golden Bears improve to 6-5, 5-5 in the conference. 

Concordia-St. Paul's Spencer Ohm finished 20 of 22 passing, throwing for 482 yards and seven touchdowns. Six of Ohm's seven touchdown passes were of 38 yards or more including from 66, 60 and 53 yards.

SMSU's Tyler Peschong finished with a career-high six touchdown passes, including a career-high 382 yards. He completed 31 of 52 pass attempts, including a 35-yard scoring strike to Tyler Erickson.

Erickson hauled in a touchdown on seven receptions, for a season-high 124 yards. Britt Wickett caught a career-high three touchdown receptions for SMSU, finishing with eight receptions and 91 receiving yards.

Tate Bunkers led SMSU's defense with a career-high 15 tackles, including 11 solo tackles. Phil Breidall finished with 10 tackles and John Kersbergen finishd with seven tackles and an interception.

SMSU did not allow a sack in the game. The Golden Bears entered the contest as the NSIC's leader in sacks.   

Concordia-St. Paul started the scoring early connecting on a 66-yard touchdown connection on just the second play of the game. Ohm hit Tre Mason streaking down the sideline to give the Golden Bears a quick 7-0 lead.

CU then attempted and recovered an onside kick-off. The Golden Bears were called for an offside penalty and forced to re-kick. Warren Mathews returned the kickoff 60 yards to the Concordia 34-yard line setting up a two-yard touchdown run by Gannon Moore to even the score at 7-7.

The Golden bears answered with a nine play 80-yard drive ending on a one-yard touchdown plunge by Sam Campbell to give CU a 14-7 lead. 

The Mustangs then were able to pick up two points, to make the score 14-9, after a safety by Jacob Levtzow. Levtzow chased down Ohm in the end zone for his third sack of the season. The safety was SMSU's first since Sept. 8, 2007 against Jamestown. 

The Mustangs were forced to punt the ball away after being set up with great field position after the safety. The Golden Bears drove 84 yards on five plays to take a 21-9 lead on a 28-yard touchdown strike from Ohm to Charles Gilbert.

SMSU answered on the ensuing drive marching down the field going 40 yards on six plays. Cody Condon caught his sixth touchdown pass of the season fighting his way into the end zone as he stretched the ball over the goal line as he was tackled out of bounds. Wenk rang the extra point attempt off the left field goal post as the Mustangs trailed 21-15.

On Concordia-St. Paul's next possession senior linebacker John Kersbergen intercepted Ohm giving the Mustangs the ball at the Concordia 45-yard line.

SMSU would take a 22-21 lead after a 30-yard touchdown reception by Britt Wickett. The score was Wickett's third receiving touchdown of the season.

Ohm continued to pick apart the Mustang defense through the air connecting on a 60-yard touchdown strike to Cordell Smith giving the Golden Bears a 28-22 lead.

On the next drive, SMSU would attempt to convert on 4th and two from the Concordia 17-yard line, but an incomplete pass would turn the Mustangs over on downs. After three straight first downs through the air by the Golden Bears, Levi Reiff intercepted Ohm and returned it 33 yards to the Concordia 49-yard line. Reiff saw daylight down the sideline but was tripped up and the Mustangs would start 1st and 10 with 12 seconds left in the half.

Peschong hit Tyler Erickson for 35-yards and the Mustangs hurried to the line to attempt a final play with one second remaining on the clock. The Mustangs were called for a false start, which would end the half.

SMSU scored on the opening drive of the second half. Mathews returned the opening kickoff 52 yards before being forced out of bounds at the CU 47 yard line. The Mustangs would wind up with a 3rd and 10 situations and after an incomplete pass would add three points on a 34-yard field goal by Wenk.

Mathews, who saw limited time in the backfield because of an injury, returned five kickoffs in the game picking up 185 yards on kick returns.

The Golden Bears took a 10-point lead, 35-25 on a 45-yard touchdown pass from Ohm to Charles Gilbert. Gilbert finished the game with three receiving touchdowns and 156 yards on just five catches.

Concordia-St. Paul added to its lead with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter after Ohm hit Gilbert for a 38-yard scoring play.

After a 30-yard kickoff return by Mathews, the Mustangs set up its offense 1st and 10 from their own 35-yard line. Peschong hit Wickett for 15 yards before connecting on a 22-yard pass to Anthony Dean setting up a 10-yard touchdown strike to Condon to come within 10 at 42-32 in favor of CU.

The Golden Bears followed that by going 80 yards on six plays in just over three minutes ending with a 40-yard connection from Ohm to Cordell Smith.

The run-and-gun would continue after Tyler Tonderum returned a kickoff 77 yards to the 15-yard line in Golden Bear territory, setting up Erickson for his second touchdown catch of the season making the score 49-39 in favor of the Golden Bears.

The Mustangs had a chance to take the lead in the game forcing the Golden Bears to punt for the first time in the game with 4:41 remaining in the fourth quarter. SMSU's Tonderum was called for roughing the kicker. The Mustangs would have taken over with the ball at their own 48-yard line down 52-46.

The Golden Bears would add another long touchdown pass and a two-point conversion to walk away with a 60-53 win over SMSU in the season finale for both teams.