SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE FOOTBALL - WEEK SIX
TONIGHT
- The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (0-5, 0-4 NSIC) returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action on Saturday facing Wayne State College (4-1, 3-1 NSIC) for homecoming with kickoff slated for 5 p.m. at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center.
- SMSU, still in search of its first victory of the season, is coming off a 35-0 non-conference home loss to Nebraska Kearney last Saturday. It’s the second straight game SMSU has been shutout and the third time this season.
- WSC has won two straight games following its lone loss of the season on Sept. 14 to Minnesota State. The Wildcats rank ninth in the country in turnover margin and 37th nationally in rushing offense. WSC is receiving votes (four) in this week’s AFCA Top 25 poll.
SMSU ON HOMECOMING
- SMSU has a record of 25-29 all-time on homecoming and has lost three of the last four.
- SMSU is 5-4 in homecoming games since 2014, but is 8-15 on homecoming since 2000.
SMSU LAST TIME OUT
- Nebraska Kearney dominated time of possession by nearly 20 minutes and limited SMSU to 70 yards of offense and five first downs in earning a 35-0 non-conference victory last Saturday in Marshall.
- SMSU ran just 45 plays and was held to minus-16 rushing yards with 34 of the negative yardage coming on four sacks. The Mustangs closed the game 1 for 11 on third-down conversion attempts.
- Mustang true freshman quarterback Drew Kluender, making his first career start, closed the game completing 10 of 26 passes for 86 yards with one interception. Stevie McMath and David Ola-Kazeem each had two receptions for the Mustangs, while Colin Maher had one catch for 27 yards.
- Thomas Mergen and Gideon Ervasti led the SMSU defense with nine tackles, while Jojo Kloeppel forced a fumble and had two tackles for loss.
- Parker Knutson added seven tackles, including 1.5 for loss and had three pass break-ups.
- The Mustang defense closed the game registering seven tackles for loss and forced one turnover.
OPENING DRIVE TIDBITS
- Redshirt freshman safety Parker Knutson ranks 18th in the country in passes defended with 1.4 per game.
- SMSU ranks ninth in Division II in fewest penalty yards per game (42.8).
- Sophomore punter Mason Carver had two punts of 50-plus yards last week, including a season-high 60-yarder. His career-high is 62 yards set last season versus Augustana.
- Junior running back Jacob Honstetter has rushed for a team-high 210 yards on 65 carries on the season.
- Junior wide receiver Colin Maher, who missed the UMD game with an injury, has seven receptions for 149 yards and one touchdown.
- Redshirt freshman Tryg Auten has a team-high nine receptions for 102 yards and one touchdown.
- Junior wide receiver Jake Anderson has caught seven passes for 43 yards
- Junior linebacker Josiah Hedensten has a team-high 38 tackles with one sack, 4.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.
- Junior linebacker Gideon Ervasti has 34 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss.
- Senior linebacker Thomas Mergen has registered 31 tackles, including three tackles for loss.
- Junior defensive end Avery Johnson leads the club with 3.5 sacks.
- Redshirt freshman safety Parker Knutson has both team’s interceptions on the season.
- Redshirt freshman Connor Shelton booted his first career field goal, a 33-yarder, three weeks ago versus Concordia-St. Paul.
- For the second straight season, the NSIC will not have a divisional format in football. Each team will play 10 NSIC games with five at home and five on the road.
SCOUTING WAYNE STATE
- Logan Masters is in his third season as head coach with a record of 21-7. WSC finished 8-3 last season after earning a 9-3 record and an NCAA playoff appearance in 2022. Masters was an assistant coach at WSC (2010-16, 20-21) and was also an assistant coach at Chadron State (2017-19).
- WSC is coming off 27-21 homecoming victory over Minot State last Saturday. The Wildcats rushed for a season-high 285 yards which comes a week after rushing for 39 yards in a win at Winona State. Senior quarterback Nick Bohn completed 10 of 17 passes for a season-low 95 yards, while rushing for 102 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries. Freshman running back Akeem Knox rushed for a game-high 113 yards and one touchdown on 20 attempts.
- On the season, Bohn has completed 71 of 123 passes for 836 yards with 11 touchdown and two interceptions. He has rushed for 143 yards and three touchdowns.
- Sophomore running back Latravious Boyd, who missed last week’s game with an injury, has rushed for a team-high 300 yards and three touchdowns. He also has caught five passes for 73 yards and three touchdowns.
- Sophomore Kendrick Watkins-Hogue has caught a team-leading 27 passes for 358 yards and five touchdowns.
- Senior defensive back Dexter Larsen has recorded 41 tackles with 3.5 for loss.
- Junior punter Trevor Marshall ranks 20th in the country with a 43.2-yard average.
SMSU/WSC IN THE NCAA RANKINGS