Marion Moore Scores Two Touchdowns in NDSU 31-7 Win Over UTEP

Second-year cornerback Marion Moore turned in another disruptive performance for North Dakota State on Saturday afternoon, grabbing an interception and returning a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown to seal a 31-7 victory over the University of Texas at El Paso at the Fargodome, InForum reported.

The afternoon brought together football and a holiday atmosphere as fans dressed in Halloween costumes filled the stands for NDSU’s first Halloween home game since 1981. On the field, the Bison defense limited UTEP to a single big play and one touchdown, keeping the visitors under constant pressure.

Moore struck in the fourth quarter by picking off an errant E.J. Colson pass and returning it 22 yards to the Bison 38-yard line. The turnover marked his fifth interception of the season. He entered the game tied for third in FBS with four interceptions. Later in the contest, linebacker Alex Elliott forced a fumble that Moore scooped up, sprinting down the left sideline for his second defensive touchdown of the year following a pick-six against Fordham in the second game of the year.

Defensive Dominance and Line Stability

North Dakota State finished the game with three takeaways to UTEP’s one, moving the team’s season turnover margin to plus-nine. Alongside Moore, third-year safety Will Steil stepped into the starting lineup for the injured Darius Givance and recorded his first career interception in the second quarter. Steil intercepted a deep, pressured throw by Colson near midfield, though a personal foul penalty later stalled the ensuing Bison drive.

Final#NDSU 31UTEP 7NDSU scores twice late on Hayes sneak and Marion Moore fumble returnBison are 7-2 and are on a bye next before heading to Hawaii

— https://x.com/BisonReport/status/2116661706441240951

Linebacker Donovan Woolen led the defense with 11 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. In total, the Bison defense registered four sacks and 10 tackles for loss, with Ray James and Logan Larson adding a pair of tackles for loss each.

Fashion retrospective pictured marion moore c by nbcu bank

On offense, the Bison maintained continuity up front. The starting offensive line featured third-year players Noah Stommes at left tackle, Nate Tastad at left guard, Gage Schmidt at center, Coy Okeson at right guard, and Kene Anene at right tackle. Stommes started his second straight game in place of Ryan Babatz, who remained sidelined with a high ankle sprain after warming up prior to kickoff. Tastad handled left guard duties, filling in after Griffin Empey exited last week’s game at New Mexico with a hand or wrist injury.

Scouts and Attendance at the Fargodome

The matchup drew notable observers to Fargo, including a representative from the New Mexico Bowl. New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen was also in attendance, accompanying his son Carson, a high school quarterback in New Jersey who was on a visit to NDSU.

UTEP quarterback E.J. Colson, an Incarnate Word transfer dealing with injuries throughout the season, played as the main quarterback despite appearing on conference availability reports earlier in the week as questionable. Announced attendance reached 15,513 as the Bison covered a 23.5-point spread set by BetMGM.