Independent file photo SMSU’s Duce Reynolds carries the ball during their game against Wayne State on Oct. 23. SMSU will face MSU Mankato on Saturday.

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (2-7, 1-3 NSIC South) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division play this Saturday afternoon hosting Minnesota State University (5-4, 1-3 NSIC South) at Mattke Field at the Schwan Regional Event Center with kickoff slated for 1 p.m.

•Saturday’s game is the final home game of the season for SMSU as its looks to snap an 11-game home losing streak. The Mustangs’ last home victory came on Oct. 20, 2018, versus Northern State.

•SMSU, which has lost four straight games, is coming off a 48-14 road loss to Bemidji State University last Saturday.

•MSU, which has lost three of its last four games, including last Saturday at home to Sioux Falls (45-35), has won all 18 meetings with SMSU. The Mavericks enter the game ranked eighth in Division II in scoring (41) and eighth in total offense (469).

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.

SMSU vs. MSU

series notes

Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota State meet for the 19th time on Saturday with MSU leading 18-0 in a series that began on Sept. 4, 1971 … MSU has been ranked in the Top 10 in seven of the last eight meetings … MSU is 8-0 all-time in games played in Marshall, including earning a 38-23 win on Sept. 7, 2019 … Saturday’s game will be the 16th time the two schools have met as members of the same conference … SMSU has been held to 17 or less points in 11 of the 18 games … MSU has scored 34 or more points in the last 13 meetings.

Mustang opening drive tidbits &

season numbers

•Junior linebacker Onte Burns has amassed 141 career solo tackles ranking 11th in team history. He needs just two more tackles to tie Jason Jacobs (1996-99) for 10th in program history. Nate Rudolph (1996-99) holds the school record with 199 solo tackles.

•SMSU has rushed for more than 135 yards in six of nine 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.

•Senior wide receiver Paddy Devlin caught a career-high five passes, including his first career touchdown last week at Bemidji State.

•Redshirt freshman Thomas Mergen blocked a punt in the fourth quarter on Saturday at Bemidji State. It was SMSU’s first blocked punt since the final game of the 2019 season.

•Junior running back Jesse Sherwood ranks first on team and fifth in the NSIC with 787 yards rushing and six touchdowns on 123 carries. Sherwood’s 67-yard run in Week 7 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 in Week 4 and finished with 159 yards on 20 carries last week versus Bemidji State. Sherwood is 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 96 of 198 passes for 1,057 yards with five touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.

•Sophomore running back Duce Reynolds has amassed 249 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 88 carries.

•Junior wide receiver Zeke Robinson has a team-high 18 receptions for 234 yards and three touchdowns. Robinson caught two touchdowns in the Week 5 victory at Upper Iowa, including the game-winning score with 1:09 left in the game.

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

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

•SMSU’s 92-yard scoring drive two week’s ago versus Wayne State capped by a Duce Reynolds touchdown run was the longest drive by the Mustangs this season. •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.

SMSU in NSIC South Division play

•Since the NSIC adapted divisional play prior to the 2008 season, SMSU is 25-59 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.

Scouting

Minnesota State

•Todd Hoffner is in his 11th season as head coach and has led the Mavericks to seven NCAA playoff appearances. He has a career record of 111-26 with six NSIC championships.

•MSU is coming off a 45-35 home loss to Sioux Falls on Saturday with USF building a 31-7 halftime lead. The Cougars finished the game with 607 yards of total offense in the victory.

•MSU senior quarterback JD Ekowa completed 22 of 42 passes for 264 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the loss. For the season, Ekowa has completed 98 of 182 passes for 1,571 yards and 14 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He has also rushed for eight touchdowns and 241 yards on 74 carries.

•Senior running back Kaleb Sleezer leads the squad in rushing with 454 yards and five touchdowns, while redshirt freshman running back Charles Coleman has amassed 394 yards and five touchdowns.

•Junior wide receiver Jalen Sample has caught a team-high 46 passes for 807 yards and five touchdowns.

•Senior wide receiver Nyles Williams has caught 27 passes for 438 yards and a team-high six touchdowns.

•Senior linebacker Trent Carpenter has racked up a team-high 39 tackles with 5.5 for loss.

•Senior linebacker Eli Thomas has recorded 38 tackles with 2.5 for loss.

•Senior cornerback Ty’Shonan Brooks has racked up a team-high four interceptions.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications