Independent file photo Members of the SMSU defense try to block a field goal attempt from University of Sioux Falls’ Stuart Vanden Heuvel during their game on Sept. 30, 2017. The Mustangs and Cougars will face each other again today.

MARSHALL  — Following an overtime loss at Wayne State last Saturday night, the Southwest Minnesota State University (0-2, 0-2 NSIC South) football returns home to face the University of Sioux Falls (1-1, 1-1 NSIC South) today.

•Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Mattke Field at the Schwan Regional Event Center.

•USF has defeated SMSU in all seven meetings since the Cougars joined the NSIC in 2012.

•Sioux Falls, which dropped its season-opener at Concordia-St. Paul, earned a 34-12 home victory last Saturday versus Winona State.

Broadcast info

•Today’s game will be broadcast on 105.1 FM KARL with seventh-year SMSU play-by-play voice Ryan Rohlik.

•Live stats and video can be found at SMSUmustangs. com.

Opening drive tidbits

•SMSU has started 0-2 for the second straight season.

•SMSU will be looking to snap a seven-game losing streak to Sioux Falls.

•Following Saturday’s loss at Wayne State, SMSU has lost 11 straight NSIC South Division road games over the last three seasons.

•SMSU’s last divisional road victory came on Nov. 7, 2015, versus Concordia-St. Paul.

•Junior safety Garrett Chapman (23) and sophomore linebacker Onte Burns (19) rank second and fourth respectively in the NSIC in total tackles.

•Last Saturday was the second of three night games SMSU will play in the opening four weeks. SMSU will play afternoon games in each of the final seven weeks.

•SMSU has not rushed for 100 yards in five straight games dating back to last season. SMSU’s last time reaching 100 yards was on Oct. 20, 2018, versus Northern State.

•Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jalen Coleman caught his first career pass in Saturday’s loss at Wayne State. The 42-yard reception is the longest pass play for SMSU this season.

•Senior running back Max Simmons needs 39 rushing yards to move into sole possession of seventh place in the program career record book with 1,947 yards.

•Senior left tackle Zach Stratmoen has started 24 straight games the past three seasons. It’s the longest streak by any current Mustang.

•Senior wide receiver Daniel Davis registered his seventh career 100-yard receiving game in the season-opener versus Minnesota State. His seven 100-yard games ranks 10th in team history.

SMSU vs. USF

series notes

Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls meet for the 12th time on Saturday with USF leading 8-3 … the two teams first met on Sept. 21, 1968, in Marshall … the first game between the two schools was also the first-ever game in SMSU history with USF earning a 13-6 victory at Legion Field in Marshall … SMSU defeated USF 36-12 in 1969 in Sioux Falls and then won in both 1978 and 1979 … USF has won all seven games since joining the NSIC in 2012, including last season’s game 39-21 in Sioux Falls … USF has scored 41, 55, 44, 34, 48 and 39 points in six of the seven meetings since joining the NSIC … USF has been ranked nationally in six of the seven prior meetings … SMSU’s last win in the series was on Oct. 20, 1979, in Sioux Falls.

SMSU vs. USF

series information

Overall: USF leads 8-3

In Marshall: USF leads 4-1

In Sioux Falls: USF leads 4-2

Neutral Record: 0-0

Last SMSU win: Oct. 20, 1979 (24-6)

Last USF win: Sept. 15, 2018 (39-21)

Largest win for SMSU: 24 (36-12, 1969)

Largest win for USF: 24 (44-20, 2014)

Longest win streak for SMSU: 3 (1969-79)

Longest win streak for USF: 7 (2012-present)

Current win streak: USF, 7

Sauter vs. USF: 0-7

Anderson vs. SMSU: 2-0

SMSU depth

put to the test

•SMSU had three new starters on offense and were also without a key back-up in last week’s loss at Wayne State.

•All four played in the season opener versus Minnesota State.

•Quarterback Boyer Bouman, tight end Luke Narveson and wide receiver Bailey Olson all missed last week’s game due to injury.

•Back-up wide receiver Quadri Busari also missed the game due to an injury.

•SMSU back-up quarterback Steven Nava was also injured in the third quarter of last week’s game and did not return.

Nava thrust into duty

•Junior college transfer quarterback Steven Nava was pressed into duty in the second half of the season-opening loss to Minnesota State replacing an injured Boyer Bouman.

•Nava completed 15 of 21 pass attempts for 184 yards and two touchdowns with one interception versus MSU.

•Nava started last week’s game at Wayne State completing 9 of 18 passes for 135 yards and one touchdown.

•Nava was injured late in the third quarter and did not return.

Davis continues to be “money” player

•Senior Daniel Davis currently ranks tied for first in the NSIC with 14 receptions and is also first in receiving yards with 216.

•A total of 12 of Davis’ 14 receptions through two games have been “money” plays which is a reception that leads to a first down, two of which have gone for touchdowns.

Newcomer Chapman leading the defense

•Junior college transfer safety Garrett Chapman leads the team with 23 tackles through two games which ranks second in the NSIC.

•He recorded a game-high 15 tackles including 11 solo stops versus Minnesota State and then added eight total tackles at Wayne State on Saturday.

More defensive

transfers make impact

•Along with Chapman, several other transfers on defense have played major roles this season.

•Junior linebacker Gage Roberson ranks third on the team with 18 tackles and has a team-high three for loss. •Senior safety Davaeon Johnson ranks fourth on the team with 17 tackles while junior cornerback Marshawn Reese has eight tackles and the team’s lone interception.

Crew boots career

long field goal

•Junior kicker Skyler Crew had a solid game last week at Wayne State booting a pair of long field goals.

•Crew’s first field goal was a career-long 40-yarder in the second quarter.

•Crew would later set another career-high with a 43-yard field goal late in the third quarter.

•He is 3 of 4 on field goals and 3 of 3 on PATs this season.

Five true freshmen play in first two games

•Five true freshmen have made their collegiate debuts for SMSU in the first two weeks of the season.

•Running back Duce Reynolds has rushed for 35 yards on four carries including the team’s longest rush of the season of 23 yards versus Minnesota State.

•Defensive lineman Gary Barnes started and registered one tackle in the opener but missed last week with an injury.

•Punter Adien Belt is averaging 43.3 yards including a 57-yard punt at Wayne State. He currently ranks third in the NSIC in punt average.

•Defensive back Demeiko Hill has played on special teams.

•Defensive lineman Nate Collins played last week at Wayne State and registered one tackle.

SMSU high-octane

offense

•Since being shutout on Nov. 5, 2011, SMSU has scored 30 or more points in nearly half of its games.

•Dating back to the final game of the 2011 season through two games this season, SMSU has scored 30 or more points in 36 of its last 81 games.

•In that time, SMSU has scored 40 or more points 21 times, 50 or more points 11 times and 60 or more points once.

•SMSU hasn’t been as prolific scoring in the last two-plus seasons, having reached the 30-point plateau just four times in its last 28 games since Oct. 20, 2016, but three of those games came last season.

Mustangs at home

•The 2019 season marks the 12th year that Mattke Field at the Schwan Regional Event Center has served as the home for SMSU football.

•SMSU, which is 28-35 all-time at the stadium, is 0-1 this season after finishing 3-3 last season.

•SMSU recorded back-to-back home winning seasons in 2015 and 2016 for the first time since having four straight winning seasons from 1989-92.

•The $16 million facility opened in the fall of 2008 with the first college football game played on Aug. 30 versus Minnesota Crookston.

Scouting Sioux Falls

•Jon Anderson is in his third season as head coach at USF and has a career record of 17-8.

•The Cougars finished 7-4 last season and have recorded 25 straight winning seasons.

•Following a season-opening loss at Concordia-St. Paul, USF rebounded last week with a convincing 34-12 home win over Winona State.

•The USF defense limited WSU to 228 yards and 15 first downs.

•USF ran 82 plays compared to 57 for WSU and held a time of possession advantage of 38:08 to 21:52.

•Junior kicker Daniel Esparza was named the NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday. He made two field goals, including a 50-yarder, while connecting on all four extra points in the win over WSU.

•Senior quarterback Caden Walters has completed 33 of 59 passes for 432 yards with two touchdowns and one interception on the season. He has also rushed for 109 yards and one touchdowns on 20 carries.

•Sophomore running back Thuro Reisdorfer has a pair of rushing touchdowns and 174 yards rushing on 33 carries this season. He had 82 yards and two scores on 20 attempts versus Winona State.

•Senior All-American running back Gabe Watson did not play in the season opener and had just nine carries in the win over Winona State before leaving the game with an injury.

•Junior wide receiver Karnell Collier has caught 10 passes for 134 yards.

•Senior wide receiver Nate Johnson has seven receptions for 112 yards.

•Senior linebacker Brody Grantham has racked up a team-high 14 tackles.

•Junior linebacker Harvey Michael Enall has registered a team-high two sacks.

– Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications