Courtesy of Fresno State

BOISE, Idaho – Leading 13-3 at halftime, Fresno State fell in double overtime to Northern Illinois, 28-20, on Monday afternoon in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertsons Stadium. It was the Bulldogs’ first defeat in a bowl game since 2014.

Bryson Donelson totaled 110 all-purpose yards (82 rushing, 28 receiving) and two scores. Joshua Wood finished with 180 yards passing on 16-of-23 attempts. Mac Dalena had six catches for 118 yards.

Tuasivi Nomura led the defense with a game-high 12 tackles.

How It Happened
After Jayden Mandal came up just short on a third-down scramble on the Bulldogs’ opening possession, a snap infraction on fourth-and-short forced Fresno State to punt. On the next play, Jayden Davis picked off Huskie quarterback Josh Holst, returning the ball 26 yards to the NIU 25-yard line.

Following the sudden change, Mandal connected with Mac Dalena along the sideline for 21 yards. Two plays later, Bryson Donelson punched it into the end zone. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 6-0 with 11:29 on the clock.

NIU answered with a 29-yard field goal from Kanon Woodill following a 16-play drive that chewed up nearly nine minutes.

Fresno State struck quickly, going 90 yards in just four plays. A 54-yard strike over the top from Joshua Wood to Dalena set up a 13-yard touchdown run up the middle for Wood to put the ‘Dogs up 13-3.

Aided by two fourth-down conversions, the Huskies put together a 20-play, 85-yard drive that used up almost 12 minutes. But with a first down inside the five, Fresno State’s defense dug in after allowing three yards on first-and-goal. Devo Bridges forced Holst to throw the ball away on second down, and came up with a stop at the 1-yard line on third down. Malachi Langley stopped Telly Johnson Jr.’s final attempt to get into the end zone, leaving the Huskie running back a half-yard short.

Following a blocked punt by Kosi Agina with six seconds remaining in the half, Fresno State had an opportunity to add to its lead. Dylan Lynch’s 42-yard attempt was wide right as the Bulldogs took a 13-3 lead into the locker room.

NIU started the second half with 10 unanswered points to tie the game at 13-13 less than eight minutes into the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs worked the ball down to the NIU 23-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-2, the ‘Dogs elected to go for it but Wood’s pass was just out of the reach for Richie Anderson. The Huskies followed with a near eight-minute drive to set up a 35-yard field goal. Woodill’s attempt was pushed right, leaving the game tied.

Starting its drive with 3:02 remaining, Fresno State fed Donelson as the freshman piled up 45 yards on the drive to set up a 32-yard field goal. Lynch pulled his attempt left of the upright, forcing the game into overtime.

It took Fresno State just three plays to find the end zone in the first overtime period. On second-and-5, Wood found Donelson open on the left side for a 9-yard touchdown reception.

A defensive holding call on third-and-2 from the 6-yard line set up a first-and-goal from the 2 for the Huskies. Holst found Grayson Barnes to tie the game up at 20-20.

NIU scored on its next play and converted the two-point conversion to go up 28-20 in the second overtime.

A pair of incompletions and a one-yard run left the Bulldogs needing to convert a four-and-9. Wood was sacked to end the game.