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Joe Parsley returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown with 6:15 to play and broke-up Concordia-St. Paul's fourth down pass attempt with 53 seconds to play as the Wolves held on for a 28-21 come-from-behind win over Concordia-St. Paul Saturday night at Seafoam Stadium.

Trailing 21-20, Parsley's game-changing pick-six put Northern State up 26-21 and the Wolves added on a two-point conversion as Jared Jacobson hit Conner Doherty in the end zone to put NSU up 28-21.

Northern (1-1) was out-gained in the contest 431 to 233 but forced four Golden Bears (0-2) turnovers, as Devin Olson had an interception in the contest while Matt Thorson and Scot Taggart also recovered a fumble in the victory. Thorson led the Wolves defense with a career-high 15 total tackles while Olson and Blaine Schmidt each had 10 stops in the victory.

NSU struck first in the back-and-forth contest as Cam Pudwill plunged in the end zone from two yards out with 9:50 to play in the opening quarter. After CU tied things with a Darius Chapes 13-yard touchdown run, the Wolves regained the lead on Nathan Shaw's career-long 47-yard field goal.

Concordia answered with 16 seconds to go in the first half as Jared Russo, replacing the starter Corey Cole, hit Cordell Smith with a four-yard touchdown pass and CU held a 14-10 lead going into halftime.

NSU went 53 yards on seven plays in the third quarter and capped the drive off with a Stephen Erlandson 13-yard touchdown pass from Jacobson which put Northern back up 17-14 with 4:46 to play in the third. The Golden Bears again responded, this time with a little luck as Russo's pass was deflected back to him and he took the ball in from six yards out.

With 12:48 to play, NSU cut the lead to one at 21-20 with Shaw's 28-yard field goal. After Parsley's heroics, CU got the ball back and marched down the field on a 16-play, 62-yard drive before the Northern defense held at the nine yard-line. From there, NSU kneeled on the ball and ran out the clock for the win.

Nick Truen led the Wolves with 58 yards rushing on 15 carries while Jacobson added 21 yards on 10 attempts. Jacobson went 20-for-30 for 157 yards and a touchdown through the air and was also picked-off once. Zachery Barber led the Wolves with nine catches for 60 yards and Doherty had four grabs for 53.

NSU was 3-for-3 on its opportunities inside the red zone while the Golden Bears went 3-of-5 inside the 20. CU was 10-of-17 on third-down conversions while holding Northern to just 4-of-13.

Next week, the Wolves host in-state rival Augustana as the Vikings come to Swisher Field for a 5 p.m. kickoff.