MADISON, S.D. — Dickinson State drove 64 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes before
Tre Gary intercepted No. 23 Dakota State on the ensuing possession, securing a 20-19 Frontier Conference East Division victory Saturday at Brian Kern Family Stadium.
Markiel Cockrell scored from 2 yards out with 53 seconds remaining to put the Blue Hawks ahead, and Gary ended the Trojans' final opportunity with an interception with 24 seconds left.
The road victory moved Dickinson State to 3-4 overall and 2-0 in Frontier East play. Dakota State fell to 4-3 overall and 0-2 in the division.
"Really proud of our guys on the win and just staying with it and finding a way to win," head coach Pete Stanton said. "We were outstanding on defense all day and we kept believing as a team all week and all game long. Great win for our team."
Dakota State struck first with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock. Trajan Davis finished the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
Dickinson State answered with its longest scoring drive of the afternoon. The Blue Hawks went 79 yards in 12 plays, with Cockrell breaking through for a 14-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7 with 10:18 remaining in the second quarter.
The Blue Hawk defense created another opportunity late in the half.
Brody Jenness forced a Davis fumble and Braden Racht recovered at the Dakota State 24-yard line with 3:59 remaining. Dickinson State turned the takeaway into seven points five plays later when Hudsen Grovom connected with Gage Gilbert for a 3-yard touchdown.
The score gave Dickinson State a 14-7 advantage with 2:08 left before halftime. Dakota State had a chance to trim the deficit before the break, but Malte Hamann missed a 33-yard field-goal attempt off the right upright with 17 seconds remaining.
Dakota State cut into the lead with a pair of field goals in the third quarter. Hamann connected from 40 yards with 8:14 remaining and added a 29-yarder with 4:20 left in the period.
The Blue Hawk defense kept the Trojans out of the end zone on both possessions, forcing field goals of 40 and 29 yards to preserve the lead.
Dakota State eventually regained the lead with 8:12 remaining in the fourth quarter when Davis scored on a 2-yard run. The Trojans' 2-point conversion attempt failed, leaving Dickinson State within five at 19-14.
After the Blue Hawks were forced to punt on their next possession, the defense gave the offense another opportunity. Dickinson State forced a Dakota State punt and took over at its own 36-yard line with 2:36 remaining.
Grovom and the Blue Hawks took advantage.
The Dickinson State quarterback completed passes to Jackson Whicker and Gilbert before finding Cockrell for 11 yards. Grovom then connected with Kohbe Smith for 25 yards to move the Blue Hawks to the Dakota State 4.
Cockrell carried for 2 yards on the next play before scoring from 2 yards out with 53 seconds remaining, finishing the 64-yard drive and giving Dickinson State a 20-19 advantage.
Dakota State still had one final opportunity. Tray Hettick completed a 17-yard pass to Thonye Charles to move the Trojans to their own 42, but Gary intercepted Hettick's next pass with 24 seconds remaining. Dickinson State took over and ran out the clock.
Cockrell finished with 45 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries while adding two receptions. Grovom completed 14 of 23 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown without an interception.
Gilbert led the Blue Hawks with four receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown. Whicker caught three passes for 29 yards, while Smith's lone reception went for 25 yards on the winning drive.
Dickinson State finished with 238 yards of offense compared with 363 for Dakota State, but the Blue Hawk defense limited the Trojans to 19 points and produced two takeaways.
Jenness led Dickinson State with eight tackles and forced the second-quarter fumble that led to a touchdown. Chase Selle added seven tackles and Deegan Tvedt finished with six. Shel Osborne, Cl Weinberger and Mace Stuber each recorded a sack.
Gary's late interception capped a defensive performance that included three sacks and nine pass breakups.
Dakota State finished with 233 passing yards and 130 rushing yards. Hettick completed 17 of 39 passes for 233 yards but did not throw a touchdown. Davis rushed for 75 yards and two scores.
The victory continued Dickinson State's recent success in Madison. The Blue Hawks entered Saturday having won nine of their previous 10 road meetings against Dakota State since 2008. It also came one year after the Trojans defeated Dickinson State 27-25 in Dickinson, snapping a 14-game Blue Hawk winning streak in the series.
Dickinson State returns home Saturday, Oct. 17, to host Rocky Mountain at 1 p.m. at Biesiot Activities Center.
