The Peacock football team opened their 2016 season at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn. on Thursday night.  Upper Iowa trailed by twenty at haltime, but fought back in the third and early fourth quarters to cut the margin to just six points.  Turnovers in the fourth quarter slowed the comeback as Upper Iowa dropped the season opener 38-24.
 
Bemidji State opened the scoring with a field goal on their first possession, but Brady Beuschel knotted the score at 3-3 midway through the first quarter on a 37-yard field goal.

Beaver quarterback Jordan Hein found running back Gena Adams for a pair of touchdowns from 13 and 53 yards on back-to-back drives as the home team moved out to a 16-3 lead.

The Peacocks needed an answer and turned to their offense to put together an 8-play, 75-yard drive to pull within six, 16-10.  The drive was capped off by a 29-yard pass and catch between Dimitri Morales and Jarred Edmonds down the sideline.  Edmonds fought through a hold, which was declined, and still made the grab and sprinted to the endzone for UIU's first touchdown of the season.

BSU pushed their six point lead to a twenty point advantage, 30-10, at halftime thanks to a pair of unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter. 

In the first half, the home team outgained their guests in total yards 359 to 229 and took advantage of six plays that covered more than 25 yards of real estate. 
 
The Peacock defense found their stride in the second half allowing just 188 total yards including 75 in the third quarter.  While the blackshirts were holding the BSU offense at bay, the UIU offense opened up and got the ball moving.

The Peacocks scored a touchdown on a Dimitri Morales 14-yard run midway through the third quarter after a short punt from Bemidji State; the senior quarterback then rushed for his second touchdown in the early moments of the fourth quarter to pull Upper Iowa within six, 30-24.  
 
The comeback came up shy in the fourth quarter as four turnovers including three inside the Bemidji State 35-yard line halted Upper Iowa drives. The four giveaways came on a fumble, a pair of interceptions and a turnover on downs to end each of their last four possessions.

Bemidji State got one more big play and their final touchdown midway through the fourth quarter on a double reverse to Brad Birchfield that covered 65 yards and pushed their lead to fourteen, 38-24.
 
Morales threw for 392 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions while completing 42 passes and adding 34 yards and a pair of scores on the ground.  Jarred Edmonds hauled in 13 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown, while Trey MacTaggart grabbed 11 balls for 70 yards and Jalen Amis picked up 88 yards on 6 grabs.  Ryan Parmely rushed for 94 yards on 20 carries and caught 6 balls out of the back field for 29 yards. On defense, Tate Thompson and Zach Gardner notched 9 tackles apiece, while Tristan Beyer added 6 stops and an interception on a tipped pass by Tanner Thompson.
 
Upper Iowa will return to Fayette for their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 10.  The Peacocks will host St. Cloud State University on Educator Appreciation and Youth Day with a 1:07 p.m. kickoff.