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SMSU FOOTBALL: Mustangs make first road trip of the season at Northern State on Saturday

Independent file photo SMSU’s Andrew Haidet tries to escape a tackle during their game against MSU Moorhead on Sept. 2. SMSU will face Northern State on Saturday.

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (0-1, 0-0 NSIC South) hits the road for the first time in 2021 taking on Northern State University (0-1, 0-0 NSIC North) on Saturday with kickoff slated for 6 p.m. at the new Dacotah Bank Stadium in Aberdeen, S.D.

•SMSU is coming off a 33-21 home loss to MSU Moorhead on Sept. 2, while NSU opened the season losing 40-34 in overtime at No. 2 Minnesota State.

•SMSU is searching for its first victory since earning a 42-38 win at St. Cloud State on Oct. 19, 2019.

•NSU finished 6-5 in 2019, including 4-3 in the NSIC North.

Broadcast info

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

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

Mustangs drop

season opener to MSU Moorhead

•SMSU returned to the field for the first time since the 2019 season last Thursday night, losing 33-21 to MSU Moorhead in Marshall.

•MSUM amassed 404 yards of offense with Grady Bresnahan leading the way with eight receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Tommy Falk completed 19 of 21 pass attempts for 285 yards and three touchdowns.

•SMSU running back Jesse Sherwood had a strong game with 87 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Duce Reynolds added 41 yards rushing and one touchdown on 11 attempts.

•SMSU quarterback Andrew Haidet, making his Mustang debut, completed 13 of 31 passes for 119 yards and was intercepted three times.

•Gage Roberson led the Mustang defense with 11 tackles with 1.5 for loss and one sack. Onte Burns added 10 tackles, while Adihia Bell registered five tackles, forced one fumble, recovered a fumble and blocked a field goal.

Forcing turnovers

•Southwest Minnesota State forced a pair of turnovers in the loss to MSU Moorhead. Junior Alan Giron recorded one fumble, while senior Adihia Bell scooped up another fumble and returned it 26 yards down to the MSUM six-yard line. Bell also blocked a field goal attempt by MSUM in the fourth quarter.

Opening drive tidbits

•Southwest Minnesota State had nine players on offense and seven on defense make their first career starts in the loss to MSU Moorhead. True freshman kicker/punter Carter Dicker also made his debut and was a perfect 3 for 3 on PATs and averaged 30 yards on four punts.

•Junior running back Jesse Sherwood led SMSU with 87 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 14 carries in the loss to MSU Moorhead.

•Sophomore running back Duce Reynolds closed the game with 41 yards rushing and one touchdown on 11 carries.

•Senior quarterback Andrew Haidet completed 13 of 31 passes for 119 yards and was intercepted three times. He completed passes to eight different receivers with a long of 26 yards to Zeke Robinson. Senior wide out Paddy Devlin caught a team-high three passes for 27 yards.

•Senior linebacker Adihia Bell had five tackles, including 2.5 for loss and also forced a fumble and recovered a fumble in the loss. He also returned two kickoffs for a total of 52 yards.

•Junior linebacker Onte Burns, who had 10 tackles in the season opener, led the NSIC in 2019 in tackles with 108 (9.8 per game).

SMSU in NSIC

South Division play

•Since the NSIC adapted divisional play prior to the 2008 season, SMSU is 24-56 all-time in South Division games, while finishing in the top half of the division three times in 12 seasons.

•SMSU had its highest finish of second place in 2013 and has also placed fourth three times, fifth once, sixth five times, seventh once and eighth once.

SMSU versus

the NSIC North

•Since 2012, when the NSIC schedule had each team playing four inter-divisional games, SMSU has a record of 18-15 versus NSIC North Division teams, including 0-1 in 2021.

•SMSU finished 2-2 versus NSIC North opponents in 2019, 3-1 in 2018, was a perfect 4-0 in 2015, 3-1 in 2016 and 2-2 in 2017.

Mustangs

on the road

•SMSU finished 3-3 in road games in 2019 and are 6-16 in road games since the 2016 season.

•SMSU is 20-33 in road games since head coach Cory Sauter took over in 2010.

Scouting Northern State

•Mike Schmidt is in his second season as head coach at Northern State. His first season was canceled due to COVID-19. Schmidt came to NSU following four seasons as head coach at Wisconsin-LaCrosse, where he finished with a record of 27-13.

•NSU, which finished the 2019 season with a record of 6-5, opened the season last Thursday with a heartbreaking 40-34 overtime loss at No. 2 Minnesota State. NSU held a 34-24 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the game before MSU rallied and tied the score with 38 seconds remaining in regulation.

•Senior quarterback Hunter Trautman passed for 331 yards, completing 21 of 42 attempts with four touchdowns.

•Senior wide receiver Dakota Larson finished with seven receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.

•Senior running back Isaiah Cherrier led the Wolves with 40 yards rushing on nine carries.

•The NSU defense was led by senior defensive back Hunter Hansen, who amassed 14 tackles.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications

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