Independent file photo SMSU’s Jordan White (14) celebrates after recording a tackle during their game against the University of Sioux Falls on Oct. 9. SMSU will face Wayne State today.

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (2-5, 1-2 NSIC South) returns home looking to snap a two-game losing streak hosting Wayne State College (5-2, 2-1 NSIC South) in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division battle today at Mattke Field at the Schwan Regional Event Center with kickoff set for 5 p.m.

•WSC, which was ranked No. 23 in last week’s AFCA Top 25 poll and is still receiving votes in this week’s poll, had its four-game winning streak snapped last Saturday with a home loss to No. 22 Augustana. It was WSC’s first national ranking since Oct. 10, 2011.

•SMSU, which has lost four straight to WSC, suffered a 26-14 road loss to Winona State last Saturday afternoon.

Broadcast info

•Today’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.

Senior

Recognition Night

•Despite one more home game remaining on the schedule, the SMSU football program will have ‘Senior Recognition Night’ on Saturday and will honor its 12 seniors in a ceremony prior to kick off.

•The seniors to be honored include: Jay Atherton, Adihia Bell, Shaylar Burnell, Paddy Devlin, Andrew Haidet, Dylan Lauer, Ernest Moore, Steven Nava, Marshawn Reese, Gage Roberson, Keaton Rommel and Ken Truitt.

SMSU vs. WSC

Series Notes

Southwest Minnesota State and Wayne State meet for the 32nd time on Saturday with WSC leading 23-8 in a series that started on Nov. 1, 1969 … WSC has won the last four meetings overall and five of the last six including 19-13 in overtime in the last game on Sept. 14, 2019, in Wayne … WSC has won 13 of the last 18 meetings since 2002 … WSC is 12-4 all-time in games played in Marshall, including winning the past two games in 2016 and 2018 … WSC had a seven-game winning streak in the series from 2005-11 … SMSU scored 39 or more points in five straight games from 2012-16, but has been held to 14 or less points in the last three games.

Mustang defense and Burns continue to rank high in NSIC

•The SMSU defense begins the week ranked fifth in the NSIC in yards allowed at 389 per game. SMSU is eight in rush defense (139.9) and seventh in pass defense (249.0).

•Junior linebacker Onte Burns continues to lead the NSIC in tackles with 10.3 per game (72 total tackles) and ranks 15th in Division II. He also ranks second nationally with 7.4 solo tackles per game. Burns will be making his 30th consecutive start on Saturday night.

•Senior linebacker Gage Roberson ranks second on the team (15th in the NSIC) with 45 tackles including a team-leading 5.5 for loss.

Looking for that home victory

•SMSU will be looking to snap a 10-game home losing streak on Saturday night. SMSU’s last victory at home came on Oct. 20, 2018, versus Northern State.

Mustang opening drive tidbits &

season numbers

•SMSU has rushed for more than 135 yards in five of seven games this season, including a season-high 241 in Week 4 at Concordia-St. Paul. In 2019, SMSU reached 100 yards rushing in just three games, while in 2018, SMSU reached the 100-yard rushing mark four times.

•Junior running back Jesse Sherwood ranks first on team and fifth in the NSIC with 545 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 85 carries. Sherwood’s 67-yard run last week at Winona State was the longest by a Mustang since Max Simmons’ 75-yard run on Sept. 29, 2018, at UMary. Sherwood rushed for a career-high 178 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries at Concordia-St. Paul on Sept. 25. Sherwood was the first SMSU player to reach 150 or more yards rushing in a game since Simmons versus Upper Iowa on Sept. 22, 2018.

•Senior quarterback Andrew Haidet has completed 82 of 162 passes for 859 yards with five touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. He also ranks second on the team in rushing with 251 yards and three touchdowns on 62 carries.

•Sophomore running back Duce Reynolds has amassed 193 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 67 carries.

•Junior wide receiver Zeke Robinson has a team-high 18 receptions for 234 yards and three touchdowns. Robinson caught two touchdowns in the win at Upper Iowa, including the game winning score with 1:09 left in the game.

•Freshman kicker Carter Dicker has booted three field goals this season, including a career-long 37-yarder at CSP in Week 4.

•Freshman safety Hunter Bohannon and senior cornerback Ken Truitt each lead the team with two interceptions.

•Senior Adihia Bell’s 59-yard punt return on in Week 6 versus Sioux Falls was the longest by an SMSU player since Andrew McReynolds had an 89-yard return for a touchdown on Sept. 27, 2014.

•SMSU passed for just 70 yards in the victory at CSP in Week 4. It was the first time SMSU passed for less than 100 yards in a single-game since being held to 67 yards versus Winona State on Nov. 4, 2017.

WSU holds off SMSU in

second half

•Winona State built a 13-0 halftime lead and held off a Southwest Minnesota State second half rally to earn a 26-14 victory last Saturday in Winona to keep the ‘Battle for the Sledge’ trophy for the fifth straight season.

•The Mustangs had numerous chances to cut into the Warriors second half advantage, starting drives at the WSU 38-, 40- and 33-yard lines, but failed to score each time. SMSU also started a drive in the second quarter at the WSU 44-yard line but turned the ball over via fumble one play later.

•Andrew Haidet completed 23 of 42 pass attempts for 183 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Mustangs, while completing passes to 11 different receivers.

•Jesse Sherwood rushed for a game-high 97 yards on 11 carries, which included a 67-yard run setting up SMSU’s first touchdown of the game.

•Peter Osman caught a team-high four passes for 22 yards with Carter Damlo adding three receptions for 31 yards.

•Marshawn Reese registered eight tackles including four solo stops and was named the Mustangs’ Battle for the Sledge game MVP.

•Jordan White had nine tackles with Onte Burns and Adihia Bell each registering six tackles. Ken Truitt added three tackles and his second interception of the season in the fourth quarter.

•WSU closed the game with 353 yards of offense with 20 first downs, while SMSU finished with 271 yards and 15 first downs.

Scouting

Wayne State

•John McMenamin is in his second season as head coach with his first season in 2020 canceled. McMenamin came to WSC following five seasons as offensive coordinator at the University of Central Missouri. He was also offensive coordinator at WSC from 2011-14 prior to UCM.

•WSC is coming off a tough 32-24 home loss to No. 22 ranked Augustana last Saturday afternoon. Augustana scored in its first three possessions and never trailed in the game. The Wildcats cut the deficit to 32-24 with 4:23 left in the game but were never able to get the ball back as the Vikings ran out the clock.

•Augustana rolled up 530 yards of offense with 332 through the air.

•Redshirt freshman quarterback Nick Bohne, a transfer from Central Missouri, completed 17 of 32 passes for 208 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the loss. He also rushed for 77 yards on 17 carries. For the season, Bohne has completed 75 of 119 passes for 1,024 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions. He ranks second on the team in rushing with 295 yards and six touchdowns.

•Senior running back Anthony Watkins rushed for 41 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries in the loss to AU on Saturday. Watkins is the team’s top rusher with 444 yards and seven touchdowns on 87 carries.

•Senior wide receiver Taurean Grady has a team-leading 528 yards receiving on 32 receptions with four touchdowns.

•Senior wide receiver Trystn Ducker has caught a team-high 35 passes for 447 yards and four touchdowns.

•Freshman linebacker Alex Kowalczyk has racked up a team-high 50 tackles with seven for loss.

•Senior defensive lineman Josh Taylor has recorded 6.5 tackles with for loss and has a team-high four sacks.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications