SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE FOOTBALL WEEK 6
TONIGHT
- The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (1-4, 1-4 NSIC, 0-1 NSIC South) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division action on Saturday facing the University of Sioux Falls (3-3, 2-3 NSIC, 0-2 NSIC South) for homecoming with kickoff slated for 5 p.m. at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center.
- SMSU is looking to snap a three-game losing skid and earn its first home win since defeating USF in the final game of the 2023 season. SMSU has lost its last eight home games.
- USF won its first three games of the season, including two on the road, before suffering three straight losses to teams with a combined record of 17-1. The Cougars rank fourth in the country in first downs (146), third in time of possession and 31st in rushing offense.
RECAPPING MINNESOTA DULUTH
- Nationally ranked Minnesota Duluth remained undefeated with a 63-28 victory over SMSU last Saturday in Duluth.
- SMSU closed the game scoring a season-high 28 points, the most allowed by UMD this season and finished with a season-high 383 yards of offense.
- Macloud Crowton completed 19 of 37 pass attempts for 290 yards and two touchdowns for the Mustangs, but was also intercepted three times and sacked four times. He also had a rushing touchdown.
- Tryg Auten finished the game with a career-high five receptions for a career-high 76 yards, while Shaun Walrath added three receptions for 75 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown reception.
- SMSU started the game in a big way with Jacob Honstetter taking a handoff on the second play of the game and sprinting 75 yards for a touchdown. The 70-yard plus run was the first by a Mustang player since the 2018 season.
- SMSU, which was 0 for 16 on third-down conversions at Wayne State on Sept. 27 converted 3 of 11 on third-down versus UMD and was 1 of 2 on fourth-down.
- The SMSU defense was led by Gideon Ervasti, who amassed 10 tackles, including one for loss. Cam Enright, SaMaury Alexander and Josiah Hedensten each finished with seven tackles.
- UMD finished the game with 24 first downs and 512 yards of offense.
SMSU vs. USF SERIES NOTES
- SMSU and USF meet for the 17th time with USF leading 12-4 ... 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 also won in both 1978 and 1979
- SMSU's victory in 2023 snapped a 10-game USF winning streak since joining the NSIC in 2012
- USF has scored 34 or more points in 10 of the 12 meetings since joining the NSIC
- USF leads 6-2 in games played in Marshall ... USF won last season, 41-14, in Sioux Falls on Nov. 16.
SMSU OPENING DRIVE TIDBITS
- Jacob Honstetter's 75-yard touchdown rush last week at Minnesota Duluth was SMSU's first 75-yard-plus run since Max Simmons scored on a 75-yard touchdown run during the 2018 season.
- SMSU finished the loss to UMD recording a season-high in points (28), total offense (383), rushing yards (93) and passing yards (290).
- Josiah Hedensten ranks tied for seventh in team history with 161 solo tackles and 11th all-time with 278 total tackles.
- Tryg Auten caught a career-high five passes for a career-high 76 yards in the loss at UMD.
- Shaun Walrath caught a career-high three passes for a career-best 75 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown reception. It's his second career touchdown reception
- Gideon Ervasti recorded a season-high 10 tackles in last week's loss at UMD. He currently ranks tied for eighth in the NSIC in tackles per game (7.2).
- Cam Enright finished the UMD loss recording a career-high seven tackles and added one pass break-up.
- Eniedi Isuk picked-up his first career interception in last week's loss at UMD.
- Quarterback Drew Kluender missed last week's game due to injury.
- Parker Knutson has five interceptions this season ranking first (1.0) in Division II and is second in passes defended (1.8). He has 10 career interceptions ranking tied for sixth in team history.
- Mason Carver ranks 69th nationally in punting with a 38.2-yard average, while Colin Maher ranks 74th nationally in receptions per game (4.4).
- Colin Maher recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game three weeks ago versus UMary finishing with a career-high eight passes for 107 yards. He was the first SMSU player to reach 100 yards receiving since the 2022 season.
- SMSU started a new quarterback in week one for the seventh straight season. Blake Gimbel was the last Mustang to start back-to-back season openers in 2017 and 2018. Steven Nava started week one in 2019, with Andrew Haidet in 2021, followed by Justus McComb in 2022, Marcus Martin in 2023 and Wyatt Oak in 2024.
SMSU HEAD COACH SCOTT UNDERWOOD
- Scott Underwood is in his fourth season as head coach with a record of 7-31. He was named the program's 11th head coach on Jan. 7, 2022.
- Underwood was the first SMSU head coach in team history (11 head coaches) to begin his SMSU coaching career with a 4-1 record. SMSU's four victories in 2022 was its highest victory total since 2018.
- Underwood compiled a record of 86-51 in 12 seasons as head coach at St. Cloud State (2008-19) and is now 93-82 overall in his 16th season as a head coach.
- SCSU recorded 10 winning seasons with three NCAA playoff appearances during his tenure. SCSU won seven or more games seven times, including a school record 12 victories in 2013.
- SCSU made NCAA playoff appearances in 2010, 2011 and 2013 and won a share of both the NSIC North Division and NSIC overall championship in 2011.
- He was also an assistant coach at SCSU (2001-07), North Dakota (1997-2000), Sioux Falls (1993-96) and Augustana (1988-92).
SCOUTING SIOUX FALLS
- Jim Glogowski is in his third season as head coach with a record of 14-14. He came to USF after seven seasons as an assistant coach at Minnesota State. He was also head coach at Simpson College (Iowa) from 2008-15.
- USF suffered its third straight loss last week with a final-minute, 29-28, home loss to Augustana. The Vikings scored the final 19 points of the game, including the go-ahead touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter.
- USF finished the game with 499 yards of offense with 280 on the ground and racked up 29 first downs. Augustana was held to 14 first downs and 333 yards on offense. USF held a 38-22 advantage in time of possession.
- Senior quarterback Camden Dean leads the Cougars completing 108 of 164 pass attempts for 1,313 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also rushed for 309 yards and four touchdowns on 83 carries.
- Sophomore quarterback Bennett Brueck has played in five games and has completed 4 of 7 passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns.
- Sophomore running back Bubba Tann III has rushed for 416 yards and five touchdowns on 94 attempts.
- Sophomore wide receiver Hank Brown has caught 50 passes for 601 yards and one touchdown. He ranks first in the NSIC (conference games only) with 42 receptions for 523 yards.
- Junior safety Garret Hoffman has amassed a team-leading 27 tackles with two interceptions.
- Sophomore linebacker Landon Kolb has six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
MUSTANG HISTORY
- The 2025 season is the 58th year of college football at SMSU and 57th season of competition (2020 was canceled) dating to 1968.
- SMSU owns an all-time record of 210-373-5, including 148-274-5 in conference play.
- SMSU has recorded 10 winning seasons with two NAIA playoff appearances (1987 and 1991) and one Mineral Water Bowl appearance (2013).
- The program earned its lone conference championship in 1990.
GAME LINKS