University of St. Thomas Athletics
7-5 , 5-3
North Dakota State
12-0 , 8-0
St. Thomas closes 2025 season at #1 NDSU
11/22/2025 6:24:00 PM | Football
FARGO, N.D. – The University of St. Thomas football team wrapped up its 2025 campaign on Saturday afternoon, falling 62–7 to undefeated and top-ranked North Dakota State inside the Fargodome. The Tommies battled through early turnovers and explosive NDSU plays but continued to show resilience, producing a strong second-half defensive effort and finding the end zone in the fourth quarter. With the loss, St. Thomas closes the 2025 season with an overall record of 7-5 and a 5-3 mark in Pioneer Football League (PFL) play.
QUICK HITS:
- St. Thomas tallied 229 yards of total offense, including 152 passing yards. The Tommies also held possession for 31:06, including over 10 minutes in the fourth quarter.
- St. Thomas' defense forced two fumbles and held #1 North Dakota State to just one score in the final 18 minutes of play.
- Amari Powell (Valencia, Calif. / Chaminade) led the team with 66 rushing and 110 passing yards.
- Elliot Huether (Minnetonka, Minn. / Benilde-St. Margaret) put together a strong performance on special teams, amassing 397 yards on eight punts. Five of those punts were of 50+ yards and three were inside the 20.
SCORING SUMMARY:
First Quarter: North Dakota State started fast, scoring on four consecutive drives. Barika Kpeenu opened the game with a 74-yard touchdown burst, then added a four-yard rushing score minutes later. The Bison extended the lead with an 81-yard touchdown strike from Cole Payton to Bryce Lance, followed by a 47-yard Payton-to-Kpeenu passing touchdown. Two early St. Thomas interceptions helped fuel NDSU's explosive start, as the Bison led 28-0 after the first quarter.
Second Quarter: The Tommies' defense settled but continued to defend short fields. The Bison added a 43-yard touchdown pass to open the quarter, then converted a 38-yard field goal. After a St. Thomas fumble deep in its own territory, NDSU added a nine-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds left in the half to lead 45-0.
Third Quarter: The Tommies opened the second half with a defensive stop, but NDSU extended its lead on a 64-yard punt return touchdown. A long 91-yard Bison drive later in the quarter added another score through the air, closing the third quarter with a 59-0 lead.
Fourth Quarter: St. Thomas put together its strongest stretch of the afternoon, stringing together stops and capitalizing on a turnover deep in NDSU territory. After a Bison field goal made it 62-0, the Tommies responded with its lone touchdown: a seven-yard rushing score by Powell, capping a two-play drive following an NDSU fumble. St. Thomas closed the game with a season-long 13-play drive that consumed over five minutes, as the game ended 62-7 in the Bison's favor.
Team Stats
UST 0, NDS 7
NDS - Kpeenu,Barika 74 yd run (Ozick,Eli kick), 2 plays, 82 yards, TOP 00:48
UST 0, NDS 14
NDS - Kpeenu,Barika 4 yd run (Ozick,Eli kick), 4 plays, 62 yards, TOP 02:08
UST 0, NDS 21
NDS - Lance,Bryce 81 yd pass from Payton,Cole (Ozick,Eli kick) 3 plays, 82 yards, TOP 00:47
UST 0, NDS 28
NDS - Kpeenu,Barika 47 yd pass from Payton,Cole (Ozick,Eli kick) 3 plays, 64 yards, TOP 01:28
UST 0, NDS 35
NDS - Williams,Jackson 43 yd pass from Payton,Cole (Ozick,Eli kick) 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 02:40
UST 0, NDS 38
NDS - Ozick,Eli 38 yd field goal 10 plays, 42 yards, TOP 05:17
UST 0, NDS 45
NDS - Lance,Bryce 9 yd pass from Hayes,Nathan (Ozick,Eli kick) 7 plays, 67 yards, TOP 01:02
UST 0, NDS 52
NDS - Ford,Mikhale 64 yd punt return (Klein,Drew kick)
UST 0, NDS 59
NDS - Osterman,Cade 24 yd pass from Hayes,Nathan (Klein,Drew kick) 9 plays, 91 yards, TOP 05:15
UST 0, NDS 62
NDS - Klein,Drew 46 yd field goal 4 plays, 3 yards, TOP 01:55
UST 7, NDS 62
UST - Powell,Amari 7 yd run (Hoiland,Ben kick), 2 plays, 8 yards, TOP 00:49
