The 100th season of Minot State football didn’t get off to the start that the Beavers were hoping for, as Emporia State (Kan.) scored the game’s first 27 points and held MSU off the scoreboard through three quarters, handing the Beavers a 27-7 defeat on Thursday, Aug. 28, to open the regular season.

MSU’s run-first offense accumulated 240 yards on 59 carries, with junior running back Blake Espino finding paydirt on a 2-yard run with 12 minutes left in the game to avoid the shutout for the Beavers. Eleven different players carried the ball for the Beavers. Carson Chrisman finished with a team-high 68 yards on 13 carries, including a 36-yard burst. Evan Lovett (12 carries, 63 yards) and Devan Daniels (14 carries, 64 yards) also factored heavily into MSU’s ground game.

The Hornets (1-0) did most of their damage through the air. ESU quarterback completed 37 of 52 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns. Harris marched his team down the field on ESU’s opening drive of the game, capping off a 13-play, 75-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Kingsley Bennett for an early 7-0 lead.

Defensively, we struggled with their tempo early and getting off the field in critical situations,” MSU head coach Ian Shields said in a press release. “They were hyper efficient in their execution.”

ESU scored 14 points over the span of 2:05 late in the first half. Diego Cearns scampered 23 yards for a touchdown and following a MSU interception, the Hornets needed just 59 seconds to go 42 yards down the field. Harris tossed his second touchdown pass of the game, this one a 25-yard hookup with Malik O’Atis, as ESU took a 24-0 lead into the break.

O’Atis led the Hornets with 12 catches for 90 yards. Harris completed passes to 11 different receivers.

The Beavers (0-1) committed a pair of turnovers and were outgained 399-229. The Hornets amassed 24 first downs compared to just 11 for MSU.

“Certainly disappointed in the result as would be expected.,” Shields said. “Give credit to Emporia State – they are an excellent squad and controlled the contest. Their defense was physical, ran well, and executed better than our offense did. We need to collectively improve fundamentally and play with more physicality both up front and on the perimeter.”

MSU attempted just six passes all game. Chrisman completed just one of those attempts, a 13-yard connection to Jonathan Noriega late in the first half.

Vila Jozama forced the only ESU turnover, intercepting Harris near midfield with 1:30 left in the third quarter.

“There are definitely some positives mixed in there and some bright spots throughout the contest,” Shields said. “I thought we responded well in the second half and kept playing hard and competing.

The Beavers travel to nationally-ranked Minnesota State on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 1 p.m. for their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener.