DICKINSON, N.D. — It wasn't a perfect game, but the Bulldogs still found a way to dig in and pull out a win.
Colten McPhee scored on a 6-yard touchdown run with just under 3 minutes remaining in the game to put Montana Western up by double digits, and the Bulldogs overcame a 9-point halftime deficit and a slew of turnovers to earn a 42-30 non-conference road win over Dickinson State on Saturday at the Henry Biesiot Activities Center.
Jon Jund tossed four touchdowns for 331 yards, enough to overcome three interceptions. McPhee finished with two touchdown runs for 31 yards. Reese Neville, who combined for five rushing touchdowns in his first two games with Western, was held without a rushing score against DSU but led both teams with 92 rushing yards and added a receiving touchdown.
Trey Mounts led Western's receivers with 102 yards and a score. Jamison Hermanson had 80 receiving yards and a touchdown and Nate Simkins hauled in a scoring pass to along with 69 yards.
The Bulldogs trailed 30-21 at halftime but adjusted after the break and didn't allow another score by DSU.
The Blue Hawks opened the scoring with a 20-yard field goal from Jace Johnson early in the first quarter. Western responded with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Hermanson to go up 7-3.
DSU then scored three unanswered touchdowns to go up 23-7. Western answered back with a 69-yard touchdown pass from Jund to Neville and a 10-yard scoring pass from Jund to Simkins to trim the Blue Hawks' lead to 23-21.
Dickinson State then got a 35-yard scoring pass from Drew Boedecker to Noah Sickler in the final seconds of the first half to lead 30-20 at the break.
It would be the Blue Hawks final score.
A resurgent Western defense forced two interceptions in the second half and Western reeled off three unanswered touchdowns to rally and ice the win.
The Blue Hawks, a member of the North Star conference, dropped to 0-2 overall while Western improved to 2-1 a week after falling to No. 18 Eastern Oregon by one touchdown .
The Bulldogs return home next week for their homecoming game against MSU-Northern.
