DULUTH, MN – One team is nationally ranked with a tradition of winning football. One team is struggling mightily in its second season in NCAA Division II.
The identities of the teams who played here Saturday were undoubted.
20th-ranked Minnesota Duluth controlled the game almost from the start in a 50-3 win over Jamestown at James S. Malosky Stadium.
The Jimmies (0-9, 0-8 NSIC) continued to have a struggling offense, which went three downs & out on each of their first four possessions. Meanwhile, Alex Riley gave Minnesota Duluth (7-2, 7-1) the lead with a 49-yard touchdown run with 11:02 left in the first quarter. A two-point run by Ryder Patterson gave UMD an 8-0 lead.
UJ’s defense came up with a big play to end the Bulldogs’ third possession. Riley Grossman had a pass deflected at the line of scrimmage and it was picked off by Evan Smith.
Near the end of the first quarter, the Jimmies’ offense delivered. Following a 32-yard punt return by Xander Jarosh and even as defensive pass interference was happening, Josh Byrne caught a 23-yard pass from Matthew Dosch. Two plays later, Jeric Scholegl ran four yards to the UMD 1. Following that, a loss led to a 21-yard field goal by Ethan Lieb and the Jimmies were down just 8-3.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Bulldogs’ Josh Unger made a 44-yard kickoff return to Jamestown’s 45. Minnesota Duluth converted this good field position into a 25-yard touchdown by Riley and a 15-3 lead.
Soon after that, a Jimmie punt was returned 35 yards by Patterson to the Jamestown 20. Zachary Welch scored on the next play with 11:05 left in the first half and the Bulldogs led 22-3.
Later in the second quarter, Jimmie freshman Bennett Simmering boomed his first collegiate punt 65 yards to the UMD 1. The Bulldogs promptly drove 99 yards for the last score of the half. After Grossman threw a 42-yard completion to Patterson, Grossman completed the drive with a one-yard touchdown run and Minnesota Duluth led 29-3 at halftime.
UMD scored three touchdowns in less than five minutes in the third quarter. A Grossman 29-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Litke was followed by a 47-yard scoring run by Welch. Then, Jayce Walrath picked up a fumble and ran it 42 yards for a touchdown.
Grossman passed for 242 yards for Minnesota Duluth. Riley ran for 89 yards and Welch ran for 75.
Mason Whitley rushed for 47 yards for Jamestown, who was held to less than 200 yards of offense for the third time this season.
The Jimmies will host MSU Moorhead in their final home of 2026 on Saturday, November 7 at Rollie Greeno Field at Charlotte & Gordon Hansen Stadium. Coverage will begin at 12:30 PM on Jamestown 107.1 and the NSIC Network.
UJ
0
3
0
0
3
Minnesota Duluth
8
21
21
0
50
FIRST QUARTER
Minnesota Duluth – Alex Riley 49-yard TD run (Ryder Patterson 2-point run) 11:02 – 8-0 Minnesota Duluth – 5 plays, 62 yards, 2:27
SECOND QUARTER
UJ – Ethan Lieb 21-yard FG 14:13 – 8-3 Minnesota Duluth – 6 plays, 35 yards, 2:13 – Key plays: Xander Jarosh 32-yard punt return to Minnesota Duluth 39, Matthew Dosch 23-yard pass to Josh Byrne to Minnesota Duluth 16
Minnesota Duluth – Riley 25-yard TD run (Drew Henson XP) 12:46 – 15-3 Minnesota Duluth – 5 plays, 45 yards, 1:19 – Key play: Riley Grossman 16-yard pass to Patterson to UJ 34 on 3rd & 15
Minnesota Duluth – Zachary Welch 20-yard TD run (Henson XP) 11:05 – 22-3 Minnesota Duluth – 1 play, 20 yards, 0:06 – Key play: Patterson 35-yard punt return to UJ 20
Minnesota Duluth – Grossman 1-yard TD run (Henson XP) – 0:47 – 29-3 Minnesota Duluth – 8 plays, 99 yards, 2:57 – Key plays: Grossman 20-yard run to Minnesota Duluth 33, Grossman 42-yard pass to Patterson to UJ 25, Grossman 18-yard pass to Nick Ojile to UJ 1
THIRD QUARTER
Minnesota Duluth – Grossman 29-yard TD pass to Nathan Litke (Henson XP) 10:12 – 36-3 Minnesota Duluth – 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:43 – Key plays: Grossman 7-yard pass to Patterson to Minnesota Duluth 48 on 3rd & 7, Grossman 10-yard pass to Peyton Menzel to UJ 36 on 3rd & 4
Minnesota Duluth – Welch 47-yard TD run (Henson XP) 8:17 – 43-3 Minnesota Duluth – 3 plays, 66 yards, 0:32 – Key play: Grossman 19-yard pass to Brenden Adams to UJ 47
Minnesota Duluth – Jayce Walrath 47-yard TD fumble return (Henson XP) – 7:17 – 50-3 Minnesota Duluth
Individual Statistics
RUSHING
UJ: Mason Whitley 15-47, Andres Bonilla 5-29, Dosch 3-25, Simon Kieffer 2-9, Jeric Schloegl 2-4, Bryson Raspberry 3-1, Ethan Hoffman 1-(-2), Jacob Mattick 1-(-11)
Minnesota Duluth: Riley 8-89-2 TD, Welch 7-75-2 TD, Grossman 5-24-1 TD, Kaaleem Reiland 4-23, Cooper Lawton 7-13, Johnny Matthews Jr. 3-11, TEAM 2-(-2), Catcher Langness 1-(-7)
PASSING
UJ: Mattick 11-25-54, Dosch 1-3-23, Kieffer 0-1
Minnesota Duluth: Grossman 18-24-242-1 TD-1 INT, Ford Richardson 1-1-8
RECEIVING
UJ: Byrne 2-29, Schloegl 6-23, Hoffman 3-17, Riley Svanda 1-8
Minnesota Duluth: Patterson 3-65, Ojile 3-40, Litke 2-34-1 TD, Menzel 4-30, Francis O’Malley 1-28, Cameron Begalle 2-21, Adams 1-19, Aiden Mbinda 1-8, Langness 1-5, Welch 1-0
UJ
Minnesota Duluth
First Downs
10
20
Rushing
32/102
37/226
Passing
77
250
Total Yds
179
476
Att/Comp/Int
12/29/0
19/25/1
Punts/avg
9/40.6
5/43.2
Fumbles/lost
2/2
1/0
Penalties/Yds
4/40
5/36
Time of possession
29:17
30:43
