FNS Photo UND's James Johannesson leaps over an Aggie defender in the first half Saturday, Oct. 5, against UC Davis.

GRAND FORKS — University of North Dakota quarterback Nate Ketteringham and kicker Brady Leach were a much-maligned duo among the Fighting Hawks’ faithful coming into Saturday’s homecoming matchup against No. 12 UC Davis.

Ketteringham entered the game after a six-turnover loss at Eastern Washington, while Leach has had trouble with extra points for the better part of his two seasons with the program.

On Saturday, redemption.

Ketteringham threw for 279 yards, three touchdowns and led a final drive that was punctuated with a career-long 46-yard field goal from Leach as UND earned a 38-36 win over UC Davis before 8,987 fans at the Alerus Center.

“When a kicker makes a kick like that, that could change a career,” said UND coach Bubba Schweigert, whose team improved to 3-2. “That was a big-time kick with a lot of pressure.”

The kick also came on the heels of a missed 36-yard field goal by Leach, which prevented the Hawks from going up two scores with less than six minutes to play.

“I just didn’t want to let my team down again,” Leach said. “I knew they might need me again. I had trust in my mechanics. You just have to get in the moment and block everything out.”

Leach’s kick didn’t exactly seal the win. He put UND up two points with 57 seconds left, but the Aggies had three timeouts and All-American quarterback Jake Maier, who finished with 357 passing yards and four touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions, including two by redshirt freshman C.J. Siegel.

Sure enough, Davis marched quickly. The Aggies had the ball first-and-10 from the UND 36 with 24 seconds to play.

After an incomplete pass and a 7-yard pass, the Aggies were penalized for a false start to set up third-and-8. On third down, UND corner Hayden Blubaugh broke up a pass play.

The Aggies then set up to attempt a 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds left. But Davis coach Dan Hawkins didn’t call a timeout in time before Davis was penalized for a delay of game.

“That one’s on me,” Hawkins said.

Instead of kicking a 57-yard field goal, Hawkins put his offense back on the field. Maier’s fourth-down pass to Darius Livingston bounced off the receiver’s hands near the first-down mark.

“Tough game, good game,” Hawkins said. “Give Bubba a lot of credit. They kept us off balance for a better part of three quarters.”

Leach’s kick and UND’s final defensive stop was enough to overcome an impressive Aggies comeback. After Leach missed from 36 yards with less than six minutes to go, Maier marched down the field and on fourth-and-goal from the 2, Maier hit Wes Preece for Preece’s third touchdown catch of the second half.

Instead of kicking the extra point to the tie game, the Aggies elected for the 2-point conversion. Maier’s pass to Khris Vaughn gave Davis a 36-35 lead with 2:06 to go.

“We always play to win,” Hawkins said.

The Hawks finished with 474 yards of total offense. After throwing three picks and getting sacked five times against EWU last weekend, Ketteringham threw one interception and was sacked once against the Aggies.

Ketteringham, a senior captain, had touchdown passes of 8 yards to Alex Cloyd, 23 yards to Brock Boltmann and 18 yards to Garett Maag in the first half.

Boltmann finished with 47 rushing yards and 54 receiving yards.

“What weren’t they doing?” Hawkins said. “They did a great job keeping us off balance. Lots of variety and eye candy. They were dealing cards.”