North Dakota State’s special teams help Bison beat Nevada 31-17

FARGO, N.D. -- , Nathan Hayes accounted for three touchdowns and Jackson Williams returned a missed field-goal attempt 100 yards for a touchdown to help North Dakota State beat Nevada 31-17 on Saturday night. Nevada jumped out to an 11-0 lead early in the second quarter before Williams scored on a 5-yard run and then tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Collins . Williams was in the end zone when he caught Joe McFadden 's field-goal attempt from 57 yards. Williams broke a couple of tackles and then ran along the sideline for a score to give the Bison a 19-11 lead at halftime. Early in the third quarter, AJ Bianco 's 19-yard touchdown pass to Gary Givens III pulled Nevada to 19-17. The Wolf Pack tried a trick play on the 2-point conversion attempt, fumbled the ball and Matthew Stenbroten ran it back to give the Bison the two points and a 21-17 advantage.