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Youngstown -- In a game full of long plays by North Dakota State, the Bison saved their biggest for the final minute as Justin Howard caught a 45-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left to stun Youngstown State 34-29 on Saturday at Stambaugh Stadium.

YSU's Stephen Blose kicked a go-ahead 38-yard field goal with 51 seconds remaining, but Howard scored on NDSU's first official play of the ensuing drive to help the Bison come away with the victory.

NDSU had 12 plays of more than 10 yards in the contest, and the Bison also came up with the game's biggest defensive play. With the score 28-20 late in the third quarter, NDSU's Ryan Drevlow came from behind and stripped Adaris Bellamy just before the tailback crossed the goal line on an extra effort. The ball went out of the back of the end zone for a touchback, and North Dakota State took over on its 20.

A Bellamy touchdown and Blose's field goal in the fourth quarter gave the Penguins a 29-28 lead prior to Howard's touchdown.

Youngstown State outgained the Bison 488 to 426 overall as both teams were firing offensively. North Dakota State averaged 7.7 yards per play, and YSU averaged 6.4 yards.

Bellamy came in for an injured Jamaine Cook and gained 156 yards on 21 carries, both of which were career highs. Quarterback Kurt Hess had 252 yards and a touchdown through the air, and he also had a score on the ground. Dominique Barnes had 10 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown.

Tailback D.J. McNorton had 94 yards rushing and 131 yards receiving to lead North Dakota State. Backup quarterback Jose Mohler threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

The 17th-ranked Bison improved to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in Missouri Valley Football play. YSU dropped to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference contests.

After a sack by Stephen Meadows forced North Dakota State to punt three plays into the fourth quarter, Bellamy brought the Penguins within 28-26 with a two-yard touchdown with 10:38 remaining. The Penguins marched 80 yards – all on the ground - in 10 plays, and Bellamy had carries of 23 and 22 yards on the drive. Allen Jones ran for 15 yards and three yards on back-to-back carries to set up Bellamy's score. Julian Harrell came up with a leaping grab on the two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the score, but he was shoved out of bounds before he could get a foot down in play.

YSU's defense held on six plays from inside the 10 on NDSU's drive, and it was rewarded when Ryan Jastram missed a 25-yard field goal wide right to keep the score 28-26.

The Penguins took over on the NDSU 20 and put together a methodical drive that lasted 4:39 and ended with Blose's field goal. Bellamy gained 15 yards on third-and-one, and Hess rushed for another first down on third-and-two. Barnes then had a highlight-reel catch on third-and-four from the NDSU 40 when he tipped the ball to himself over a defender across the middle and ran down to the 25. Blose's field goal came four plays later.

The Bison fielded a short kickoff at its own 19, and Howard returned it 26 yards to the NDSU 45. YSU was called for defensive holding on the first play of the drive, and Mohler hit Howard on the next snap for the winning score.

North Dakota State started to flex its offensive muscles late in the first quarter and held a 21-20 lead heading into the locker room.

Youngstown State scored on its first two possessions of the game and held a 10-0 advantage just over eight minutes in. NDSU, though, gained 225 yards on its next three drives and led 21-17 before Blose tacked on a field goal in the final minute. The Bison had nine plays go for more than 10 yards in those three drives.

The Penguins started the contest with 13-play, 54-yard drive that resulted in a 43-yard field goal by Blose. YSU converted two third-and-ones on the drive to set up Blose's make.

YSU's defense then gave the offense superior field position when it recovered a fumble at the NDSU 37. Bison quarterback Brock Jensen fumbled the snap, and YSU's David Rach recovered in the middle of a heap. Five plays later, following another third down conversion inside the 20, Hess scrambled in over the right side for a two-yard touchdown.

After the teams traded punts, NDSU won a short battle for field position and took over at the 50 with 2:26 on the clock. The Bison had two gains of 11, 12, 17 and 17 to get down to the four on the final play of the quarter. Mohler then found McNorton alone on the left side for a four-yard touchdown pass to start the second quarter.

Hess and Barnes connected for two big plays on YSU's next drive to put the Penguins back on top by 10. On third-and-16 following a chop block, Barnes caught a pass over the middle and ran down the sideline just past first-down marker. On the next play, Hess hooked up with the senior wideout on a soft pass over the cornerback that went for a 50-yard touchdown.

The Bison also converted a third-and-16 on their next drive when McNorton caught a short pass over the middle, shed a tackle and ran 47 yards down to the YSU two yardline. Derrick Lang scored two plays later from the one to make the score 17-14 with 8:21 remaining in the first half.

NDSU's defense held the Penguins to one first down on the next possession, and the Bison needed just three plays to march 80 yards and take their first lead of the game. McNorton rushed for 24 yards on the first play, and Mike Sigers went the other 56 yards two plays later to put NDSU up 21-17 with 4:55 remaining.

Youngstown State took over at the 40 when the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, and the Penguins got down to the NDSU two before settling for a 24-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining. Hess hit Barnes on a third-and-eight from the 23 for a 17-yard gain to get the ball down to the NDSU six. A holding penalty on first down moved the ball back to the 14, and Hess's pass to Barnes on a quick slant from the two was tipped away on third-and-goal.

North Dakota State kept the offensive momentum on the first drive of the second half and went up 28-20 with 11:47 left. Matt Voigtlander ran for 28 yards down to the YSU eight yardline, and Mohler hit tight end Matt Veldman in the back of the end zone for a four-yard score.

Youngstown State will play its next two games on the road, starting with next week's contest at Western Illinois. Kickoff in Macomb, Ill., is set for 7 p.m. Eastern.