Two freshmen were key in that group — linebacker Zach Smith and quarterback Nate Dahle — and it was Smith’s blocked extra-point with 3 seconds left that secured the Wildcats a 30-29 victory over Northern Colorado at Nottingham Field in Greeley, Colorado.

Eric Kjar and the Wildcats are 1-0.

“Super fun game, really competitive,” Eric Kjar said in a postgame radio interview. “I thought our guys did a good job overall, and I guess I got the heart rate up.”

Even with several big pass plays going empty due to mistimed connections, Brown was still 9 of 18 for 175 yards in the first half. Though the Wildcats led 17-13 at halftime, Brown’s third-quarter exit and Northern Colorado’s advantage in time of possession (38 minutes to 22) seemed to wear on the Wildcats.

Robert Casey, Weber State Athletics

That’s where the unexpected stars came into play.

First was junior kicker David Dellenbach, the Park City native who arrived in Ogden after stints at UCLA and Ohio. He got WSU on the board with a 34-yard boot in the first quarter.

After Brown avoided a sack on the only real pressure he took early in the third quarter (likely on the play that injured his finger), Dellenbach boomed a 42-yard field goal to save the drive (that would’ve been good from the parking lot) and added a 39-yarder as Dahle settled in at quarterback, giving WSU a 23-13 lead after three quarters.

A stagnant Bears offense, which had rushed for 6.5 yards per carry in the first half, wisely turned to the run and punished WSU on a nine-play, 65-yard drive of 5:28 when Kenny Lueth pushed in a 2-yard QB keeper to make it 23-20 with 13:28 left.

That’s where the Cache County QB Dahle shined — as did sophomore running back Seth Rigtrup, a Snow College transfer. With all the momentum strongly on Northern Colorado’s side, Rigtrup rushed four times for 21 yards on the ensuing drive, his only action of the night.

Robert Casey, Weber State Athletics

Dahle, meanwhile, was 4 of 4 for 49 yards in the same possession. Fifth-year receiver Marvin Session, largely untargeted all night, picked up big first downs through the air and Dahle roped an 18-yarder to tight end Ammon Munyer to get WSU on the doorstep.

In a staggered Power-I formation, Dahle handed to usual defensive end Mapa Vaenuku for a 1-yard plunge that gave WSU a 30-20 lead with 9:04 left.

“For a freshman kid getting thrown in a tight game, he did a great job,” Eric Kjar said. “I love what he’s made up of; made some big throws. That throw to (Munyer) was a huge play. … He did an outstanding job and was really proud of him.”

The Bears didn’t quit, not in front of a crowd so excited about the program’s first night game. But a drive inside WSU’s 10 stopped on key tackles from linebacker Da’Veon Ross and end Porter Small, forcing Benson Ashley into a 23-yard field goal. That made it 30-23 at the 4:02 mark.

The Northern Colorado knowledge that Weber needed to run the football nearly spelled doom for the Wildcats. Dahle showed his freshman side on a third-and-16 from the WSU 39, nearly taking a sack of 10 or so yards, keeping the play alive only to escape an even longer sack, then spinning and throwing blindly to the flat; receiver Mason York’s hustle to the ball helped avoid both a grounding penalty and a huge interception, and Henry Way punted the ball away on fourth down.

Robert Casey, Weber State Athletics

But Lueth, a former JUCO star who sat out last year for the Bears, finally showed the big arm that got him recruited to Northern Illinois out of his JC stint. He was 11 of 17 for 145 yards in the fourth quarter alone, making every throw needed to stage a comeback.

Smith, filling in for banged-up starters at linebacker, temporarily held back Northern Colorado with a leaping pass breakup from the WSU 39 that otherwise would’ve seen the Bears score a touchdown with about 45 seconds left.

Still, NoCo couldn’t be stopped, even after Small issued Lueth a big sack in the waning seconds. On third-and-goal from the 12, Lueth connected with Trey Olsen right where the lines meet the pylon; replay showed he may have stepped out before stretching the ball to the pylon but, called a TD on the field, it stood after replay.

It was 30-29 with 3 seconds left, but the game was far from over.

That’s not hindsight speaking, but rather felt like it was the payoff from earlier foreshadowing. In the second quarter, NoCo missed a 39-yard field goal and Ashden Oberg blocked a Bears’ PAT attempt.

Robert Casey, Weber State Athletics

Ashley probably didn’t get the air he wanted on the ensuing PAT, but Smith’s leap was high and on time. The Northridge High alum kept WSU in the lead with his hands deflecting the kick; the ensuing onside kick attempt went out of bounds, and Dahle kneeled out the clock to cap the victory.

“Zach’s going to be super special,” Eric Kjar said. “Just came back from a mission, got back kind of late, it was like late May. But he’s in great shape.”

Brown’s two first-half touchdowns both went to Noah Kjar, who finished with 114 yards on six catches. The pair hooked up for a 15-yard slant early in the second quarter and a patient, 34-yard connection later in the same frame.

WSU running back Spencer Ferguson chipped away at the NoCo defense in the second half, totaling 74 yards on 12 carries. Brown added 34 yards on five carries. Munyer caught three passes for 65 yards.

Mathias Price rushed for 106 yards on 17 carries for the Bears, while Lueth finished with 226 passing yards and 90 more rushing. NoCo outgained WSU 485-370 but on 22 more plays (79 to 57). Weber’s 6.49 yards per play was better than NoCo’s 6.14.

Brown’s diagnosis, Eric Kjar said, was a dislocated right pinky finger suffered by hitting a helmet. The coach feels his fifth-year QB will be fine but, in the moment, he couldn’t muster the grip strength to continue playing.

Brown was among several to leave with injuries.

Another Kjar, Tate, caused Northern Colorado problems early (two catches, 28 yards) but appeared to twist his right ankle landing from a leaping attempt on a Brown overthrow early in the second quarter.

Fifth-year linebacker and captain Raimoana Tinirauarii was noticeably absent for much of the second half, second-string running back Omar Shah only took one early handoff and wasn’t seen again, and a score of other players went off, at least temporarily, with leg cramps.

WSU will try to sort all that out over the next week before another road trip, a game that counts as a nonconference contest on Sept. 5 at Southern Utah.