CEDAR CITY, Utah — Sometimes you have to win ugly and the Idaho State Bengals football team did just that Saturday with a 28-24 victory over Southern Utah to move to 4-0 (1-0 in Big Sky play) — their best start to a season since 1995.

After four Idaho State turnovers and multiple lead changes between the two teams, the Bengals held a 28-24 lead heading into the two-minute timeout, with the Thunderbirds sitting at the ISU 11-yard line — 11 yards from retaking the lead.

ISU junior defensive back Jackson Daniels halted that in one play.

Earlier in the game, Daniels had gone down and the team feared he'd broken his ribs. He was in significant pain but returned to the field, and when his team needed him most, he stepped up.

Southern Utah redshirt junior quarterback Will Burns handed the ball to redshirt senior running back Floyd Chalk, who finished with 20 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown. Chalk took the handoff and looked to bounce it outside, but Daniels read the play and punched the ball loose.

Senior linebacker Nathan Reynolds pounced on the fumble and the Bengals held on in Cedar City.

"We were never going to give up until the end of the whistle," ISU senior defensive lineman Jake East said. "We're taught to punch the ball. Jax did a great job punching the ball. We recovered it. We're all running the ball. We're just playing with great effort and intentionality. I'm very proud."

It wasn't always pretty, but when the Bengals needed a stop, they made the plays that separated a win from a loss.

"If you want to be a champion, you have to learn to win in the mud sometimes," ISU head coach Cody Hawkins said. "I'm going to have my back against the wall. I'm not going to be at my best, and you've got to find a way to get it done."

Southern Utah jumped out to a 10-0 lead before the Bengals answered, trimming it to 10-7 at halftime. Idaho State reeled off 21 unanswered points to take a 21-10 lead, before the Thunderbirds clawed back and the two teams traded the lead down the stretch.

In a lot of areas, the Bengals were not at their best. The offense turned the ball over three times — two fumbles and an interception — while special teams missed two field goals and fumbled a kickoff return.

This game was never going to be easy, and the Bengals, who had two weeks to prepare, knew exactly what they were walking into.

"We just knew it was gonna be a dogfight," ISU fifth-year wide receiver Chedon James said. "A lot of these guys played against them last year, and they got the best of us last year. We knew what we had coming this year, and we knew we were in a dogfight for four quarters."

James, who wasn't part of last year's loss, sensed he needed to make a play and connected with fifth-year quarterback Jordan Cooke to give the Bengals the lead late in the fourth quarter.

Cooke finished 15-of-25 for 203 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a fumble — but with the Bengals trailing 24-21, he led the team with the poise and confidence he's shown through three games.

James lined up across from the Thunderbirds' top defensive player, redshirt freshman Parker Vance. he broke off his route, faking an out, and Vance bit. Cooke placed the ball perfectly in stride, and James found the end zone for the fourth straight game.

James finished with 7 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown, while also adding a rushing score.

"We were running a lot of out routes, so we just double-moved them, and JC threw a beautiful ball," James said. "My job is to go catch the ball, so I just went and got it. It was a good feeling to get in the end zone again today."

Despite all the talk about the Thunderbirds' physical identity and ground game, the Bengals stole a page from their playbook and outrushed Southern Utah 244-242, led by sophomore running back Tytan Mason's 10 carries for 94 yards.

For the Bengals, this night in Cedar City wasn't about payback — it was about proving that even when things get ugly, they're ready to fight and show who the Idaho State Bengals are for 60 minutes.

"Starting off conference play with a win is an amazing feeling, regardless of how it comes," Hawkins said. "But it's still just one game and the goal is to be the best version of ourselves."

The Bengals will carry their best start in 31 years into a potential top-25 matchup against the 3-1 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at the ICCU Dome on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m., where they'll continue striving to be the best team they can be.

"We want our guys to flush it and get back to work and understand that there are two teams who've been a problem for us," Hawkins said. "One is Southern Utah. The other demon we've got to exorcise is NAU."