FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Northern Arizona scored 21 unanswered points to overcome a first-half deficit to defeat Northern Colorado 35-27 Saturday night in front of a Family Weekend crowd of 9,647 at the Walkup Skydome.

NAU (2-2, 1-1) trailed 21-7 late in the second quarter after UNC's Bryan Waggener connected with Alex Thompson for his third score of the first half with 1:37 left in the half. The Lumberjacks went 89 yards on six plays before the half, scoring on a 6-yard pass from Michael Herrick to Daiveun Curry-Chapman with 11 seconds left to cut the lead.

NAU then scored on the opening play of the second half on a 69-yard run by running back Alex Henderson to tie the game at 21. After the teams exchanged punts, the Lumberjacks big-play offense struck again with an 81-yard scoring play from Herrick to Ed Berry to give NAU the lead 28-21.

The NAU defense did the rest, holding the Bears to three consecutive field goal attempts after getting inside the Lumberjack 20-yard line. UNC kicker Michael York converted just two of the attempts to pull the Bears within a point at 28-27 with 8:10 left in the game.

NAU scored again to extend the cushion to eight points at 35-27 when Henderson rumbled in on a 24-yard pass from Herrick with 6:55 left.

The defense needed one more stand to seal the game. With a first and goal at the NAU 2-yard line, UNC was forced to stop the clock. The Lumberjacks then forced three consecutive incomplete passes with the game ending on incomplete pass to Patrick Walker from Waggener with 31 seconds left.

Henderson finished with a 160 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown. He moved into third-place on the career rushing charts in the game. Senior wide receiver Ed Berry had five catches for 140 yards and a touchdown, while Herrick finished the game with four touchdowns on 19-of-30 passing for 277 yards.

NAU heads to Bozeman next week to face Montana State in the first of two consecutive road games.