VALLEY CITY, N.D. — The Mayville State football team struggled to find its rhythm on offense Saturday afternoon, falling 21–0 to Valley City State University at Dacotah Bank Field.

Despite a strong rushing performance and a determined defensive effort, the Comets were unable to overcome turnovers and missed scoring opportunities.

The Comets leaned heavily on their ground game, racking up 254 rushing yards on 60 carries for an average of 4.2 yards per attempt. Moses Nuahpa led the charge with 76 yards on 20 carries, while Isaiah Smith added 58 yards on 10 attempts. However, the passing attack never found traction, completing just three of 17 passes for 22 yards while throwing two interceptions.

Both teams battled for field position through much of the first half before the Vikings capitalized late in the second quarter. Valley City connected on a 16-yard touchdown pass with just over two minutes left before halftime, giving the Vikings a 6–0 lead after a missed extra point.

The score remained unchanged at the break as the Comets' offense continued to stall in key moments.

Mayville's best chance to swing momentum came midway through the third quarter when a promising drive was halted by a fumble deep in Viking territory.

Valley City took advantage early in the fourth quarter, extending its lead on a 15-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful two-point conversion to make it 14–0. Less than four minutes later, the Vikings struck again through the air for a 17-yard touchdown that sealed the game at 21–0.

Defensively, Mayville State held its own for much of the afternoon, limiting Valley City to 220 total yards and forcing several punts. Devon Woods led the Comet defense with eight total tackles, while Marcus Johnson added six tackles and a sack. 

The Comets move to 4-3 overall and will return back home to Jerome Berg Field on Saturday, October 18th when they will host Montana State University-Northern at 1pm. For full schedule details visit: https://msucomets.com/sports/football/schedule