SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE FOOTBALL WEEK 10
TODAY
- The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (1-8, 1-7 NSIC, 0-4 NSIC South) concludes its home season on Saturday afternoon with a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference battle versus Concordia University-St. Paul (1-8, 1-7 NSIC, 0-4 NSIC South) with kickoff set for 1 p.m. at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center.
- SMSU, which has lost its last seven games since defeating Jamestown in week two, most recently suffered a 48-7 road loss to nationally ranked Minnesota State last Saturday. MSU held a 13-7 halftime lead before scoring five touchdowns in the second half.
- SMSU is looking to snap a 10-game home losing streak on Saturday. SMSU's last home victory occurred on the final game of the 2023 season versus Sioux Falls.
- SMSU enters this week's game ranked second in Division II in fewest penalty yards per game (33.3) and 45th in passing yards (240.2).
- CSP has lost six straight games since earning its lone victory of the season on Sept. 13 at Minot State.
- The Golden Bears are 13th in Division II in fewest penalty yards per game (42.6) and 76th in passing defense (205.2).
RECAPPING MINNESOTA STATE
- Minnesota State, ranked No. 18/21 nationally, opened a 13-7 halftime lead with 35 second half points with the MSU defense recording three interceptions, to earn a 48-7 victory over SMSU in Mankato last Saturday.
- The MSU offense scored three touchdowns on plays of 46 or more yards in the first three quarters and also added an interception return for a touchdown to pull away in the second half.
- SMSU ended the game with 286 yards of offense with 15 first downs.
- SMSU's Macloud Crowton completed 28 of 39 passes for 278 yards but was intercepted three times and sacked three times. Crowton scored SMSU's lone touchdown on a 12-yard run.
- Colin Maher, David Ola-Kazeem and Jacob Honstetter each finished with four receptions with Maher closing with a game-high 86 yards receiving.
SMSU vs. CSP SERIES NOTES
- SMSU and CSP meet for the 27th time with CSP leading 14-12 in a series that started on Sept. 15, 1979
- CSP is 14-10 since joining the NSIC in 1999 ... CSP leads 7-6 in games played in Marshall, including 5-3 at The Schwan Regional Event Center
- SMSU leads 6-5 since 2012, but CSP won last season in Marshall, 27-17 ... SMSU won the first three meetings in the series before CSP won six straight from 2000-05 ... SMSU leads 9-8 since the 2006 season ... SMSU has scored 20 or less points in five of the last six games.
SMSU OPENING DRIVE TIDBITS
- Josiah Hedensten ranks third in team history with 198 solo tackles and fifth with 336 total tackles. In this week's NCAA statistics, Hedensten ranks sixth in solo tackles (6.0) and 25th in total tackles (9.3). In NSIC stats, he ranks third in tackles per game (8.9). He has recorded double digit tackles in each of the past four games, including a career-high 18 tackles last week at Minnesota State.
- Redshirt freshman Kaden Lunsford recorded a career-high 14 tackles last week versus Minnesota State.
- Sophomore wide receiver David Ola-Kazeem caught a career-high four passes last week at Minnesota State.
- Linebacker Gideon Ervasti ranks eighth in the NSIC in tackles per game (7.1).
- Both Hedensten and offensive tackle Tyler Nebelung will be making their 43rd straight start on Saturday, with both having started every game of their four-year careers.
- Two weeks ago versus Augustana, SMSU finished racking up a season-high 464 yards on offense with Macloud Crowton passing for 453 yards and three touchdowns. He is the first Mustang since Blake Gimbel in 2018 to pass for more than 400 yards in a game. Macloud begins the week ranked 33rd in Division II in passing yards (1,813).
- Wide receiver Colin Maher caught six passes for a career-high 159 yards and one touchdown two weeks ago versus Augustana for his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. He is the first SMSU player with more than 150 yards receiving in a game since Daniel Davis in 2019. Maher ranks 40th nationally in receiving yards per game (72.8) and 61st in receptions per game (4.5). He ranks sixth in the NSIC in receiving yards per game (79.7).
- 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 7-35. 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 93-86 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 CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL
- •Shannon Currier is in his second stint and 14th season overall (ninth season was canceled) as head coach at CSP with a record of 55-86. The program's all-time leader in victories, Currier was head coach at CSP from 2000-03, before returning in 2016. He has a career record of 75-121 in his 19th season as a head coach including five seasons at Truman State (Mo.).
- CSP earned its lone victory on Sept. 13 earning a 27-21 victory at Minot State. The Golden Bears are currently on a six-game losing streak.
- CSP has used numerous quarterbacks this season with five players having attempted 15 or more passes.
- Senior quarterback Zachary Yeager started last week's loss to Wayne State and completed 10 of 25 passes for 63 yards. He started week one, but was injured in the game and has played in only three games on the season.
- Senior running back Daniel Hornacek has rushed for a team-high 478 yards on 92 carries. •Senior wide receiver Troy Ellison has 19 receptions for 339 yards and two touchdowns.
- Redshirt freshman linebacker Mike King has 64 tackles and five tackles for loss to pace the Golden Bears defense.
- Sophomore defensive lineman Isaiah Wray has 57 tackles with a team-leading seven for loss.
SMSU SENIOR DAY
- Saturday will be 'Senior Day' as the SMSU program will honor 18 seniors in a pregame ceremony. The seniors recognized will be:
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 210-377-5, including 148-277-5 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