*Note - Due to Adams State's Athletic Dept. having technical difficulties when producing the final box score and corresponding statistics, the Black Hills State Athletic Dept. was sent the appropriate box score files late Sunday night, Oct. 13, 2013.

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ASU 49 BHSU 43

ALAMOSA, Colo. - It was an emotional game that saw the Yellow Jackets lead by as much as 12 points to only later find themselves in an unbelievable comeback from 14 points down in the second half to take the lead in the closing minutes on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 versus Adams State University (4-2, 2-2 RMAC) in Alamosa, Colo. 

Down by six points with less than 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, junior quarterback Ward Anderson connected with junior wide receiver, Alex Anderson, for 33 yards down to the ASU 11 yard-line - needing a touchdown to win the game.  W. Anderson and his offense then hurried down the field to spike the ball to stop the clock for one last play with no timeouts remaining.   

However, as the ball after the spike hit the ground with the clock potentially reading one-second remaining - by rule - the referees confirmed the end of the game, ASU took the victory, 49-43.   

In this situation, the rule states that states if there is an attempt to spike the ball with :03 seconds remaining then the game is over, which BHSU head coach John Reiners acknowledged after the game. 

"It was a bizarre game and one heck of an emotional game," Reiners said. "We kept battling and battling but just came up short at the end.  The little things added up and we need to learn how to get over them and win these games." 

"The reason it hurts so bad is because how our guys played and fought.  We got to give it to Adams, they have a heck of a quarterback as well, but we have to finish these games," Reiners said. 

With less than four minutes to play in the fourth quarter, with the Yellow Jackets down by 13 points, junior quarterback Ward Anderson scored a touchdown on a three-yard run to cut the lead to six points with 3:32 left to play. 

After the ensuing kickoff gave the Adams St. University Grizzlies the ball on their own 25 yard-line with only three minutes left, the BHSU defense came up big by snagging a much needed turnover after an ASU fumble - Jackets ball at the ASU 25, down by six with less than three minutes to play. 

Two plays later, Luke Whalen reeled in a 25-yard touchdown pass from W. Anderson to tie the game at 42-42.  Freshman kicker, Christian Parr, added the PAT a play later to give the Yellow Jackets the lead, 43-42, with just 2:35 to play in the game. 

The Grizzlies then used an effective two-minute drill to get down the field with an efficient, 11 play, 75 yard touchdown drive that saw ASU's running back, Justin Kauffman, score on a 10-yard run with just :52 seconds to go that proved to be the game-winning touchdown. 

On the afternoon, the Yellow Jackets did manage to score the most points of the year as the offense used a balanced attack to tally 413 total yards (279 pass, 134 rush).  BHSU had 144 more return yards by their special teams units, to give them a season-high, 557 total yards. 

W. Anderson finished 17-of-41 for 287 yards, three scores and one interception. Anderson also led the team in offense after 16 attacks for 78 yards and two more touchdowns.  

In their first game with senior captain at running back, Bryar DeSanti, out with injury, the offense turned to senior Drew Nielsen to add to the run game.  Nielsen had 12 carries for 51 yards (4.2 avg) and one touchdown with a long of 29 yards. 

A. Anderson had a big day threw the air as he had 6 catches for 128 yards (21.3 avg) for two touchdowns and a long of 54.  Whalen followed with three grabs for 68 yards and the 25-yard touchdown grab that led to a one-point lead with 2:35 remaining. 

The Jackets did have three turnovers on the game that included Anderson's interception and two fumbles. 

Defensively, the Jackets defense had four sacks on the day as once again, sophomore middle linebacker, Trent Boner, led the defense with a game-high 11 tackles to keep him ranked third in tackles in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. 

Defensive back, Darick Eisenbraun, led the secondary and finished with nine tackles (1 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR) as defensive lineman Boone Bowker and Aaron Olson combined for 14 tackles (3.5 TFL) and two sacks. 

Special teams proved to be a difference maker that was a strength of the Jackets throughout the game in the field position battle as punter, Oscar Bengtsson, had five punts for 231 yards (46.2 avg) with a long of 58 and a crucial punt late in the game to pin ASU on their own one yard-line.  Parr kicked four-of-eight kickoffs for touchbacks, hit a 38-yard field goal, but did miss two extra-points. 

"We'll come back next week and battle a good Chadron St. team.  We can't turn the ball over, make more tackles, and keep the ball in our hands and good things will happen.  Our kids didn't quit, they fought and battled.  I'll never question my team on that, just have to clean up our game," Reiners said.

With the loss, the Jackets move to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in the RMAC.  Next Saturday, the Jackets are finally back on their home field with their brand new scoreboard for their annual rivalry versus Chadron St. (4-2, 3-1 RMAC) on Saturday, Oct. 19th, at 4:00 p.m. MT.

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