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GREELEY, Colo. - After a tough loss last week to Maine, the University of Northern Colorado football team was edged out by the Idaho State Bengals, 49-42, in a thrilling double-overtime game that lasted four hours and five minutes.

The loss is just the sixth all-time for the Bears at Nottingham Field, and the first home loss since Sept. 29, 2001, when UNC fell to the University of Nebraska-Omaha, 29-27. The streak totaled 16 games.

Senior wide receiver Vincent Jackson, an NFL prospect, set a bundle of school milestones. His 127 yards receiving takes him to third all-time at Northern Colorado in receiving yards with 2,316. Jackson's 155 all-purpose yards, which brings his career total to 4,144 breaks the UNC record held previously by running back Adam Matthews.

Despite the defeat, junior quarterback Tony Christensen finished his day by going 19-of-35 passing for 245 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Christensen yanked the monkey off his back from the very get go when he completed a 44-yard pass to Jackson, which brought the ball to the Idaho State 29-yard line. The snag was one of eight catches in the game for the preseason All-American Jackson, who previously had just four catches for 23 yards in UNC's first two games this season. His eight catches also brought him to sixth all-time at Northern Colorado on the career receptions list with 109.

The Bears were able to take the ball down to the ISU two-yard line, but the Bengals were able to stop sophomore tailback Andre Wilson at the three, bringing it to fourth down. Junior kicker Justin Zaitz stuck it between the uprights to give Northern Colorado a 3-0 lead with 12:12 remaining in the first quarter.

Idaho State (1-2 overall) looked to retaliate in their opening drive, but they were stopped short of the first down by junior safety Reed Doughty and junior linebacker Thomas Smith on fourth and two.

UNC (1-2, 1-0 Great West Football Conference) took advantage of the opportunity when Wilson punched the ball in the end zone from the ISU six-yard line. The touchdown was Northern Colorado's first of the season. The score brought UNC's lead to 10-0.

In the Bengals' next possession, it looked like the Bears would stop them again when ISU was stuck in a corner on the 50-yard line with third and 29 to go. Idaho State was able to get a first down on a pass interference penalty by UNC. From there, the Bengals drove down to the Bears' six yard line and then scored on a pass by ISU senior quarterback Mark Hetherington. Hetherington finished with 360 yards passing and four touchdowns.

Senior linebacker Wade Sumpter returned a Matt Hagler pass 71 yards to put UNC on top 17-7. Then redshirt freshman cornerback Aaron Henderson returned a Hetherington pass for an interception with 10:03 to go in the second half to give the Bears a 24-7 advantage.

The Bears came out of halftime with a 27-14 lead, and they were able to extend their lead to 34-14 with a Jackson touchdown catch. The catch by Jackson extended his UNC career touchdown record to 27.

Idaho State mounted a comeback by scoring three consecutive touchdowns that spanned from the end of the third quarter to the start of the fourth quarter. ISU's comeback gave them a 35-34 lead that stunned, but did not put an end to the Bears' hopes.

Northern Colorado clawed the Bengals back on their next drive when Christensen connected on a pass to senior wide receiver Jamar Farbes for 28 yards, bringing the ball to the Idaho State 33. Later in the drive, Farbes caught a fade pass for a touchdown that helped UNC regain the lead at 42-35 with 8:21 remaining in the fourth quarter after Christensen completed a pass to Wilson for a successful two-point conversion.

The Bengals made the game a nail biter when they were able to tie the game at 42 with 25 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. ISU's 14-play, 95-yard drive was capped off with a touchdown pass by Hetherington. The game went to overtime, which was Northern Colorado's fifth all-time (3-2) and the first at Nottingham Field.

Both teams' scoring drives in the first overtime were unsuccessful, and the game went to double overtime. Idaho State took the possession from the 25-yard line and pounced into the end zone with a touchdown catch from Bengal sophomore wide receiver Akilah Lacey, who had two touchdown catches in the game. The touchdown and extra point gave ISU a 49-42 lead.

It looked as if the Bears would even the score when Farbes caught a pass at the ISU two-yard line, but Bengals' junior safety Marcell Lagrone forced a fumble that bounced into the end zone and was recovered by Idaho State. The recovery brought the game to a shocking end.

Farbes finished with five catches for 80 yards. Senior linebacker Ryan Palmer also had a big day on defense with 16 tackles, 11 of them solo. Despite giving up 486 yards on defense, UNC was able to force four interceptions.

The Bears hope to rebound from the close defeat when they travel to Missoula, Mont. next Saturday, Sept. 25 to tackle the Montana Grizzlies in a battle of the bears. UNC, then NCAA Division II, last battled then No. 1 I-AA Montana in 2002 in an exciting, close game that saw Northern Colorado fall 31-14. The game audio will be available free on UNCBears.com.