DURANGO, Colo. – Fourteen plays, covering 77 yards including two fourth-and-1 conversions, over 4:07 is what Black Hills State University football needed for the game-winning touchdown and take a 39-36 victory at Fort Lewis.

The Yellow Jackets were down 36-32 with 5:21 remaining after Tyrell Thomas of Fort Lewis took a pick-six into the end zone, giving FLC all the momentum in the game. However, Black Hills State did not back down, methodically marching down-field for the go-ahead touchdown.

Ryan Hommel hit Trey Fleming for a 27-yard reception and followed that with an 11-yard rush to quickly move the Green and Gold to the FLC 39-yard line. After three downs, the Yellow Jackets were staring at a fourth-and-1 that saw Phydell Paris extend across the first-down marker giving Black Hills State at least four more plays.

Unable to get the big play, the Yellow Jackets again faced a fourth-and-1 situation, this time it was Payten Gilmore taking the handoff and getting the fresh set of downs by half a football. On the very next play, Hommel zipped a pass up the middle to Erick Hairston-Belcher, but Hairston-Belcher was interfered with on the play, giving the Yellow Jackets first-and-goal from the nine-yard line. After an incompletion, Paris rushed to the one-yard line on second down. On third down, Paris made sure there wouldn't be another fourth-down situation as he jumped across the goal line for the go-ahead score, capping the drive that left just 1:14 on the clock for Fort Lewis, who had no time outs remaining with BHSU leading 39-36.

"The offensive line did a great job protecting on that drive," head coach John Reiners said. "We just kept going. We didn't let the pick-six phase us and we went out and did what we needed to.

"I keep telling people, this group is different. They showed it again today by not backing down."

With time ticking away, Fort Lewis had to move fast and on the very first play, Larry Cutbirth hit Jordan Gillen for a 28-yard reception, moving the Skyhawks to the Yellow Jacket 38-yard line. However, from that moment on the defense clamped on and did not allow another yard out of the Skyhawks. The last-chance for FLC was a fourth-and-9 that saw Cutbirth get sacked by Kolten Johnson for a loss of seven yards, allowing Black Hills State to move into victory formation.  

"What a great group on defense," Reiners said referring to the final FLC drive. "We gave up a big pass play, then they buckled down. They didn't give up and held strong."

With the victory, Black Hills State opens its season 2-0 overall and 2-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The last time Black Hills State opened a season 2-0 was in 1994 and has never opened RMAC action 2-0. Fort Lewis falls to 0-2 on the season after finishing the 2015 season in third place in the RMAC.

The game got started in a déjà vu moment as Drew Hebel intercepted a pass for Black Hills State on the Skyhawks opening drive, mimicking what happened at Adams State a week ago. He returned the interception to the Skyhawks one-yard line that saw the Yellow Jacket offense need just one play from Paris to punch the ball into the end zone for the very early 7-0 lead.

Fort Lewis then answered back with 20-straight points, with a 17-yard touchdown from PJ Hall, a 10-yard completion from Cutbirth to AJ Shaw and an eight-yard touchdown reception from Gillen.

With 7:23 to go in the second quarter, the Yellow Jackets struck again when Hommel capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive with an eight-yard pass to Eriq Swiftwater to pull the Green and Gold within six points at 20-14.

In the closing minutes of the first half, Hommel again led the Yellow Jackets on another scoring drive, this time capping a 10-play, 72-yard drive with a 22-yard touchdown to Hairston-Belcher with just 25 seconds remaining in the half and a 21-20 lead.

Black Hills State was aided in the third quarter when Fort Lewis sent a fourth-down snap over the head of Joseph Cavale and out of the end zone for the safety and 23-20 lead.

After Luis Bach got through the Fort Lewis offensive line to block a 41-yard field goal attempt from Cavale, the Yellow Jackets embarked on a 13-play, 74-yard drive to take a 29-20 lead. The score came from the feet of Paris from two yards out with 2:18 remaining in the third quarter.

Both Fort Lewis and BHSU would trade field goals in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, including a career-long 42-yard kick from Fleming, to make the score 32-23 with 10:26 remaining in the game.

Fort Lewis made the score 32-29 with 6:57 remaining when Drake Griffin scampered 16 yards into the end zone. On the ensuing Yellow Jacket drive, Thomas intercepted the ball and ran into the end zone untouched to give the home team its first lead of the second half.

However, the resilient Yellow Jackets embarked on its longest drive of the day to claim the 39-36 victory.

"I'm proud of these guys," Reiners said. "I'm proud of these coaches. They have the team prepared and believing. I'm confident in this group. We've talked about the chase. We have taken the first two steps of the chase and now we are on step three. We have taken two long road trips and these guys are playing their hearts out."

Black Hills State totaled 402 yards of total offense, led by 23-of-44 passing from Ryan Hommel and 254 yards and two touchdowns. Fleming and Hairston-Belcher were his top targets with six receptions apiece. Fleming totaled 107 yards while Hairston-Belcher had 49 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Paris netted 72 yards rushing and three touchdowns while Hommel and Gilmore each totaled 27 apiece.

In contrast, Fort Lewis tallied 356 yards of total offense with 132 yards through the air from Cutbirth and 113 on the ground from Griffin.

Defensively, Hebel tallied two interceptions and now owns three on the season. Travis Groves totaled nine tackles with Thayer Sauter making eight including a tackle for a loss. Jarrell Ganaway, Jared Tiefenthaler and Johnson each tallied a sack. Andrew Ike totaled 11 tackles to lead the Fort Lewis defense.

Black Hills State makes its 2016 home debut on Saturday hosting RMAC newcomer Dixie State at noon. A tailgate will begin at 10 a.m. in the Joy Center Parking Lot.