MAYVILLE, N.D. -- The fifth-ranked Montana Tech football team ran its win streak to three Saturday afternoon with a 34-20 road win at Mayville State.
Quarterback Jarrett Wilson threw for 177 yards and three touchdowns in the victory for Montana Tech (7-1, 3-0 Frontier Conference East Division), while the Oredigger defense, which spent 39 minutes and 34 seconds on the field due to Mayville State's run-heavy offense, saw three players reach double-digit tackles.
The Comets (6-3, 2-2) drew first blood after receiving the opening kickoff. MSU's offense drove 61 yards over 13 plays before Montana Tech stumped its host in the red zone. A big third-down stop by Dominic Umile forced the Comets to kick a field goal, which Harry Cousins punched through from 25 yards out.
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The Orediggers moved the ball well on their first possession of the game, but MSU's Avery Rodriguez intercepted Wilson in MSU territory.
After the Tech defense turned in a three-and-out and forced a poor punt to gain possession inside Comet turf, Wilson got the Orediggers into scoring range quickly. The lefty hit Nick Michelotti for a 42-yard gain, Tech's longest play of the day, and hit Luke Bilau for a nine-yard touchdown on the next play with 37 seconds left in the first quarter. It was the senior tight end's first collegiate TD.
Montana Tech never trailed again.
MSU drove on the following possession to set up Cousins' 30-yard field goal, but Tech responded again with an eight-play, 64-yard drive that Ikaika Ho polished off with a one-yard run. The Orediggers took that 14-6 lead into the halftime break.
The third quarter was all Montana Tech. The Orediggers drove down to the MSU 7 on their first possession of the second half, but a holding penalty forced Tech to settle for a Casey Kautzman 41-yard field goal.
After a bad snap on a punt attempt gave Montana Tech the ball at the Comets' 12, Wilson found Michelotti for a 12-yard touchdown that gave the Orediggers some breathing room.
MSU found the end zone for the first time on its next possession, but Tech extended the lead again with 2:00 left in the third on Wilson's pitch to Levi Torgerson for the six-yard touchdown.
The Orediggers added another Kautzman field goal, this one from 50 yards, that extended the Tech lead to 34-13.
Mayville State added another late TD, but the Orediggers came away comfortably with the win.
Caleb Novak highlighted the Orediggers' defensive effort with a career-high 10 tackles and two sacks. Kellan Beller and Umile also made 10 tackles for the Tech defense.
Michelotti finished with a season-high 109 receiving yards, while Ho led the rushing attack with 51 yards on the ground.
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