MARSHALL, Minn. -- In a game that featured 10 turnovers and seven quarterback sacks it was MSU Moorhead that made enough plays to pull away a 34-17 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in NSIC football on Saturday afternoon at The Schwan Regional Event Center.
 
MSUM, which won its second straight game to improve to 5-3 overall, 4-3 NSIC, forced six turnovers, including two on special teams.
 
MSUM's Jack Strand, who entered the game leading all of the NCAA in passing yards with 2,663, completed 36 of 51 pass attempts for 349 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times and was sacked a season-high five times. One of Strand's completions was a 70-yard pass in the fourth quarter. During the game Strand set the program's single-season and career completion record.
 
SMSU suffered its seventh straight loss and drops to 1-7 overall, 1-6 NSIC. The Mustang defense was led by Avery Johnson, who registered six tackles, which included four for loss, three sacks and one forced fumble. He is the first SMSU player to record three sacks in a game since Jason Jacobs during the 1998 season. Thomas Mergen and Josiah Hedensten each recorded eight tackles with Mergen adding one sack. Hunter Bohannon had an interception for the Mustangs and finished with five tackles.
 
MSUM closed the game with 406 yards of offense with 24 first downs, while SMSU ended the game with 294 yards and 18 first downs on offense. It was SMSU's highest first down total since recording 20 in week two versus Bemidji State.
 
SMSU's Marcus Martin completed 24 of 39 passes for 220 yards and one touchdown with three interception. Teammate Dustin Pampel caught a team-high five receptions for 42 yards and one touchdown. Donald Austin led the SMSU rushing attack with a game-high 80 yards and one touchdown on 21 attempts.
 
MSUM's Gage Florence, who entered the game ranking first in Division II with 10 receptions per game, caught a game-high 15 passes for 119 yards.
 
The opening quarter featured strong play by both team's defensive units. The MSUM offense punted, turned the ball over on downs, fumbled and tossed an interception on its first four possessions of the game, while SMSU punted, turned the ball over on downs and threw an interception on its first three drives of the game.
 
SMSU finally broke through with the game's first touchdown with just over six minutes left in the first quarter. Johnson broke through the MSUM offensive line and stripped sack Strand at the MSUM 15-yard line with teammate Cam Irvin picking up the loose ball and setting up the offense at the 10-yard line. Two plays later, Austin busted free for a five-yard touchdown run to give SMSU a 7-0 lead.
 
MSUM put together a solid drive on its ensuing possession, but the SMSU defense came through again as Jason Samec intercepted a tipped pass to end the Dragon drive at the SMSU 6-yard line.
 
MSUM was able to tie the game early in the second quarter as Tyson Powell scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to cap a 49-yard drive with 11:52 left in the second quarter.
 
SMSU was forced to punt on its next possession, but the snap was bobbled and MSUM's McKale Pierson scooped up the fumble for a 10-yard touchdown to make the score 13-7. However on the PAT the SMSU special teams came through as Hedensten blocked the kick with teammate Jalanai Jefferson grabbing the ball and returning it 85 yards for a defensive two-point conversion. It was the program's first two-point defensive score since Joel Wipperfurth on Sept. 11, 2004.
 

Dustin Pampel comes down with it and pushed his way into the endzone for a touchdown. pic.twitter.com/tO1vxo8tgY

— SMSU Football (@SMSUfootball) October 21, 2023

 
The score remained 13-9 until late in the half when the Dragon defense came through with a stop on third-and-one at the SMSU 25-yard line to force a punt. Taking over at its own 35-yard line with 1:38 left in the half, Strand led the Dragons down the field and closed an eight-play, 65-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Brady Perryman with 13 seconds remaining to build a 20-9 halftime advantage.
 
MSUM opened the second half with an impressive five-play, 75-yard drive with Strand tossing a 4-yard touchdown pass to extend the margin to 27-9.
 
SMSU would respond in a big way moving the ball 66 yards on 13 plays with Martin closing the drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Pampel with 6:31 left in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 27-17 following a two-point pass from Martin to Albert Lemon.
 

Dustin Pampel comes down with it and pushed his way into the endzone for a touchdown. pic.twitter.com/tO1vxo8tgY

— SMSU Football (@SMSUfootball) October 21, 2023

 
The SMSU defense would force a punt on the next MSUM drive, but disaster struck for SMSU moments later as the punt return was muffed by the Mustangs and the Dragons' Denver Sheets recovered the loose ball at the Mustang 24-yard line. Just three plays later, Fynn Ridgeway scored on a 1-yard run to give MSUM a 34-17 lead with just 2:52 left in the third quarter.
 
Both offensive units threatened to score in the final quarter, including a pair of red-zone opportunities for SMSU, but failed to score.  
 
SMSU heads to the road next Saturday, Oct. 28, taking on Minnesota State (7-1, 6-1 NSIC) with game time slated for 1 p.m.