BOISE, IDAHO – NIU secured back-to-back bowl victories for the first time since 2010-11 with a thrilling 28-20 double overtime victory Monday against Fresno State in the famed Idaho Potato Bowl.

The Huskies (8-5) and Bulldogs both scored touchdowns on their first possession of overtime before NIU scored again in the second OT period, holding Fresno State on four consecutive plays to secure the victory.

Here are five key moments in the win over Fresno State (6-7).

Run it again in double OT

With both teams scoring in the first OT period, NIU got the ball first in the second period and the Huskies found a play they liked so much they ran it twice.

The Huskies reached into their bag of tricks and used a wide receiver pass on their first play from scrimmage. Crystal Lake Central High School graduate George Dimopoulos took a handoff when it looked like the play was turning into a sweep before finding Dane Pardridge for a 25-yard score.

Due to overtime rules, NIU was forced to attempt a 2-point conversion and returned to almost the same play with a small wrinkle. Dimopoulos threw the ball to quarterback Josh Holst, a Marengo High School graduate, for the 2-point conversion to put the Huskies ahead by eight points.

On Fresno State’s ensuing possession, NIU’s stifling defense pressured quarterback Joshua Wood on the first three plays, resulting in incomplete passes before Jordan Lynch sacked Wood to end the game.

Holst finds his sea legs

If the first few plays were any indication of how Holst’s day would go, it was going to be a bad day.

Holst threw a long pass that was intercepted by Jayden Davis at the Fresno State 49 and returned it 26 yards to the NIU 25. Three plays later, Fresno State hit pay dirt on a 1-yard TD from Bryson Donelson, and the Huskies were in an instant 7-0 hole less than four minutes into the game.

But in Holst’s third start for the Huskies, the Marengo product showed why he was named head coach at NIU after starter Ethan Hampton entered the transfer portal following the regular season.

In the second quarter, Holst came into the game and made some nice downfield throws to gain significant yardage. He was also dangerous with his legs, extending plays and picking up multiple first downs after the pocket collapsed. He finished the season as bowl MVP, passing for 182 yards and two touchdowns and leading the team in rushing with 65 yards.

Fresno State’s QB experiment is failing

Fresno State intentionally played two quarterbacks and gave them equal time. But they were obviously not the same.

Wood seemed to shine the most for the Bulldogs, who struggled most of the day against NIU’s stubborn defense. But Fresno State continued to split time with starter Jaydan Mandal until the second half.

Wood was 16 of 23 passing for 180 yards and a touchdown, while Mandal was 3 of 6 for 31 yards and an interception.

20-game drive fizzled out

In the second quarter, NIU produced one of the longest drives in college football this season in terms of number of plays and time of possession, marching 85 yards in 20 plays over 11:45. But it was an ending the Huskies would like to have again.

After converting three fourth-down attempts during the drive that began at the NIU 14, the Huskies had three chances to get the ball into the end zone from the Fresno State 1, but were unable to overcome the Bulldogs’ defense.

After Telly Johnson took the ball to the 1-yard line on first-and-goal from the Fresno State 4, Holst was unable to connect on a pass play after being flushed out of the pocket. Then the Bulldogs stuffed Johnson up the middle on back-to-back plays and maintained their 13-3 lead with 4:15 left in the half.

Kicking suffering

Both teams struggled in the kicking game and missed several opportunities to get into the game.

With Fresno State leading 13-3 late in the first half, Bulldogs placekicker Dylan Lynch missed twice in the final 30 seconds of the half. He missed a 49-yarder with 29 seconds left, falling just short. Then, after a quick three-and-out, Fresno State called a timeout with 10 seconds left to force an NIU punt, but it was blocked. NIU recovered the ball and set up a 42-yard attempt with six seconds left, but Lynch missed.

The most painful miss for NIU was Kanon Woodill’s 35-yard attempt that missed the right goal with 3:02 to play.

But Fresno State returned the favor when Lynch missed his third kick of the game and scored on a 35-yard attempt on the final play of regulation that would have given the Bulldogs the victory.