DULUTH – Drew Bauer's 4-yard touchdown run with 26 seconds remaining lifted Minnesota Duluth to a 26-21 victory over defending national champion Northwest Missouri State in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs on Saturday.

Bauer's score capped a fourth-quarter rally for the Bulldogs (12-0), who trailed 21-6. UMD advances to play at Ouachita Baptist next Saturday.

Bauer started the comeback with a 14-yard TD run to pull the Bulldogs within 21-12 with 12 minutes, 40 seconds remaining.

On UMD's next possession, Bauer threw a 26-yard TD pass to Beau Bofferding but a two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the Bulldogs trailing by 2 with 5:54 remaining.

The Bulldogs grabbed an early 6-0 lead on Bauer's 13-yard TD pass to ­Taylor Grant, but the Bearcats scored twice in the second quarter to take a 14-6 halftime lead.

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