Box Score Boxscore (PDF)Grand Forks, N.D. – True freshman
Rameses Owens broke multiple school records, but the
Robert Morris University football team was unable to get over the hump and fell to North Dakota, 16-13, in non-conference action inside the Alerus Center Saturday evening.
RMU opened the scoring and also fought back to take the lead in the second half, but the young Colonials were unable to come out on top. Robert Morris had advantages in a variety of statistical categories including rushing yards (214-113), total yards (363-268), first downs (19-10), time of possession (34:41-25:19), third down conversion percentage (8-for-18, 3-for-15) tackles for loss (10.0-8.0) and sacks (2.0-1.0).
Owens racked up a game-high 199 rushing yards on 39 attempts, averaging over five yards per carry, while finding the end zone once. The 199 yards represents a new RMU record for single-game rushing yardage by a freshman. It is also the highest total by any Colonial in the program's past 62 games and the most a by a Colonial in non-conference contest since 1995. Owens added a long reception to finish with 237 all-purpose yards.
Senior
Duane Mitchell caught a game-high six passes, including the first-career touchdown pass thrown by sophomore quarterback
Luke Brumbaugh. In doing so, Mitchell continued his climb in the RMU career charts. He moved into fifth in career receiving yards (1,427), a tie for fourth in career receptions (94) and a tie for fifth in touchdown catches (14).
Redshirt senior linebacker
Luke Mueller led a RMU defense that allowed only 24 more total yards to North Dakota than FBS member San Jose State gave up to UND in Week 1. Mueller posted a game-high eight tackles, tying his career high, while notching a career best two tackles for loss.
Mueller and company held UND to only eight completions on 22 passes after North Dakota completed 70% of its passes against San Jose State to open the season.
UND received the opening kickoff, but Robert Morris held it to only 17 yards on its opening drive. The Colonials got the ball backed up near their own goal line and were able to pick up two first downs before punting.
Senior linebacker
Mike Stojkovic came up with a big play on the next drive as he recovered a fumble by the hosts to secure the game's first turnover. RMU promptly marched 57 yards on seven plays to find the end zone. A Brumbaugh 38-yard pass to Owens was the big play of the drive before the quarterback rolled to his right and threw a strike to Mitchell for the touchdown.
RMU forced a three-and-out on UND's next drive. After two empty drives, a fumble on special teams gave UND a golden chance, taking over at the RMU 31-yard line. North Dakota moved to the brink of scoring a touchdown as it drove to the 1-yard line, but the Colonial defense stiffened and forced the hosts to settle for a field goal.
Robert Morris was backed up on its next drive and forced to punt from poor field position. UND took advantage on its ensuing drive as it drove just 19 yards before knocking through a game-tying field goal.
Three more punts followed before North Dakota took advantage of a short field as it drove 32 yards before hitting a 35-yard field goal to take a 9-6 lead into the half.
Robert Morris came out of the break firing on all cylinders as it marched 78 yards on 14 plays to take the lead with its second touchdown on the day. Owens, who carried nine times for 48 yards on the drive, punched it in from two yards.
North Dakota immediately came back as it used a long kickoff return and then pulled back ahead on a 32-yard pass play on third down.
RMU then moved 72 yards into the UND red zone on its next drive, but a field goal attempt would sail wide. The Colonial defense forced the hosts into a three-and-out right near the end of the third quarter.
The following four drives saw three punts and a missed field goal by North Dakota. RMU then drove 55 yards to the North Dakota red zone on its next possession, but a field goal try was tipped and fell short.
The Colonial defense forced three-and-outs on the final two UND possessions of the game. However, despite moving into North Dakota territory on one of its final two drives, Robert Morris was unable to put itself in a positon to retake the lead.
Stojkovic finished with two tackles for loss while sophomore
Ryan Lewis tallied his first-career sack in the setback.
Owens' 39 rush attempts mark a new single game school record.
RMU ran 80 offensive plays on the evening, its highest such figure since 2004.
The game marked the inaugural meeting between the two programs.
The trip to North Dakota marked just the beginning of a three-week road stretch for the Colonials. Robert Morris remains on the road next Saturday, Sept. 13, as it travels to Lafayette for the first time in program history for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff.
