BEMIDJI, Minn. – Minot State University's football coaching staff will have plenty of footage to review this week.

That's not a good thing.

MSU was plagued by turnovers and an inconsistent offense most of the night the Beavers fell 27-0 to Bemidji State in nonconference NCAA Division II football in front of a record crowd of 4,711 fans at Chet Anderson Stadium.

The 13th annual Beaver Bash started DII football for the 2011 season as well.

The game was the first contest for Minot State as a member of the NCAA. MSU was granted Year Three Provisional status in July. Minot State is set to join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – BSU's current conference – in 2012-13.

The MSU defense gave up just one big drive – the game's opener – and played well in the loss. But the MSU offense mustered just one first down in the first half and finished with 13 for the game. BSU racked up 274 yards in the win.

Bemidji State (1-0) scored on an impressive drive to start the game, marching 65 yards in 14 plays over the first 8:32 of the first quarter. Brad Hemling pushed in over left tackle to make it 7-0.

It looked like the half would end 7-0 as MSU's defense held on short fields twice, but Zach Pulkinen hit a 38-yard field goal with 1:16 to play in the second quarter and Lance Rongstad scored on a 19-yard run with 42 seconds remaining in the half after an MSU interception.

Minot State (0-1) pushed into the BSU side of the field just twice in the game. The first came late in the third quarter and spanned into the fourth, but MSU turned the ball over on downs. The second ended in the team's fifth interception of the night. The shutout marked the first time MSU failed to score since a 3-0 blanking at Jamestown College in 2007.

C.J. Evans (R-Fr., QB, Havre, Mont.) had a tough start to his career, going 21 for 40 passing and 161 with five interceptions and a fumble. Senior wideout Jabari Taylor (Hollywood, Fla.) caught eight passes for 55 yards in his MSU Beavers debut. Senior Tyson Schatz (RB, Minot, N.D.) finished with 37 yards rushing.

Rongstad had a solid night, going 15-for-23 passing for 169 yards and adding a team-leading 50 yards rushing. Pulkinen finished with two field goals and Scott Christensen added a 27-yard interception return late in the third quarter to cap the scoring.

Minot State opens its home season with another future Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foe in Concordia University St. Paul Saturday, Sept. 3, starting at 1 p.m. at Herb Parker Stadium.

– GO BEAVERS –