BILLINGS — Jordan Legg's 47-yard field goal with 4:53 remaining gave Rocky Mountain College the lead, and a blocked field goal by Jayden Marquez-Cook with 12 seconds left preserved the win as the Battlin' Bears beat Dakota State (S.D.) 33-30 on Saturday at Herb Klindt Field.
The win pushed Rocky's overall record under first-year coach Randy Bandelow to 5-4 overall. The Bears are 4-1 in the Frontier Conference East division. Dakota State is now 6-3 and 2-2 in the East.
Rocky led 30-15 early in the fourth quarter after Jhett Schwahn threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Abbott. But the Trojans answered with consecutive scores, both on touchdown throws by Tray Hettick. Hettick's 10-yard connection to Maddox Kihne tied the game 30-30 with 9:08 remaining.
But the Bears put together a 10-play drive that ate 4:15 off the clock, capped by Legg's field goal that put RMC ahead. Dakota State then moved to the Rocky 12 with 12 seconds left, but Malte Hamann's 29-yard tying field goal attempt was blocked Marquez-Cook to preserve the victory for the Bears.
Schwahn threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns to four different pass-catchers for Rocky. Hettick had 425 passing yards and four scoring passes, three of which went to Kihne, who finished with 11 receptions for 125 yards.
Rocky will finish its season next week on the road against Mayville State (N.D.), while Dakota State will travel to face MSU-Northern.
