GREELEY, Colo. (Sept. 19, 2026) – Northern Colorado scored 10 points in the final minute of regulation to force overtime and then blanked Northeastern State in the extra period to post a 23-17 win on Saturday night at Nottingham Field.
NSU (3-1), ranked No. 13 in NCAA Division II, appeared on the verge of one of the program's biggest wins, one over a Football Championship Subdivision opponent, just the fourth such game during the program's NCAA era, which began in 1997.
Instead, Northern Colorado (1-3) of the Big Sky Conference snapped the RiverHawks' 10-game winning streak, which had been the second-longest active run in Division II.
NSU recorded a season-low 320 yards of offense, but a potent defensive effort by the RiverHawks limited the Bears to only seven points before Northern Colorado's final flurry.
The RiverHawks broke a scoreless tie when
Marco Smith capped an 80-yard, seven-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run with 2:41 left in the second quarter. The Bears tied the game 25 seconds before halftime when Kenny Lueth hit Marcus Mozer on a 71-yard touchdown pass.
NSU scored on its first two second-half possessions, on a 34-yard field goal by
Troy Nguyen and a 2-yard run by Smith. Each score capped a 13-play drive for the RiverHawks, and the second touchdown by Smith – who had 14 carries for 47 yards – put NSU up 17-7 with 1:51 left in the third quarter.
That still was the score when the Bears took over on their own 11 with 1:30 left. A personal foul penalty on NSU moved the ball up 15 yards, then Northern Colorado quarterback Brayten Silbor completed successive passes of 23, 30 and 10 yards and the RiverHawks were called for a roughing-the-passer penalty.
The third completion, to Mozer, went for a touchdown with 1:00 left. Down three points, the Bears recovered an onside kickoff at their own 43 and moved into position for a game-tying 48-yard field goal from Landon Richardson with 14 seconds left.
NSU had a first-and-10 at the Northern Colorado 11 in overtime, but a holding penalty and two sacks led to a third-and-25. Cadence Turner intercepted a pass by NSU quarterback
Donnie Smith to end the RiverHawks' threat.
Khaden Walker stopped Kieryus Boone for an 8-yard loss on the Bears' first play in overtime, but on the two next plays, Silbor rushed for 20 yards and Justin Guin scored on a 13-yard run to end the game.
Donnie Smith completed 19 of 29 passes for 155 yards, while
Jaylen Thompson had 11 carries for 61 yards.
Kale Charboneau led the RiverHawks' defense with nine tackles, while
Jordan Tolbert,
Braxton Street and Walker added eight each.
NSU will go on the road to face a second FCS opponent next Saturday, as the RiverHawks will visit Stephen F. Austin. Kickoff in Nacogdoches, Texas, will be at 5 p.m.
