SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE FOOTBALL WEEK 8
TODAY
- The Southwest Minnesota State University football team (1-6, 1-5 NSIC, 0-2 NSIC South) returns home and to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action taking on No. 5/10 ranked and undefeated Augustana University (7-0, 6-0 NSIC, 3-0 NSIC South) at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. •SMSU is coming off a 55-23 non-conference road loss to Northern State last Saturday in Aberdeen, S.D. The Mustangs have lost five straight and are searching for their first home victory since defeating Sioux Falls in the final game of the 2023 season. SMSU has lost nine straight home games.
- SMSU ranks sixth in Division II in fewest yards per game (36.4) and 83rd in passing yards (204.4).
- AU, ranked No. 5 in this week's AFCA Top 25 and No. 10 in the D2Football.com Top 25 poll, had an open week last Saturday and last played on Oct. 11 earning a 50-10 home win over Concordia-St. Paul. This will be AU's first game played outside the city of Sioux Falls since playing at Bemidji State on Sept. 20.
- The Vikings rank 10th in Division II in third down conversion percentage (50.6) and 17th in passing offense (284.3)
RECAPPING NORTHERN STATE
- Northern State scored on five straight possessions in the first half while also adding a blocked punt for a touchdown to build a 41-16 halftime advantage and go on to earn a 55-23 victory over SMSU last Saturday in Aberdeen, S.D.
- SMSU finished the game with a season-high 28 first downs and rushed for a season-high 162 yards, while closing with 362 yards of offense.
- SMSU senior linebacker Josiah Hedensten racked up a game-high 13 tackles and in the process became the eighth Mustang to reach 300 in a career. He has amassed 307 in 40 career games ranking sixth in team history.
- Macloud Crowton completed 19 of 37 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted three times. He also rushed for 41 yards.
- Tryg Auten was his top target with a career-high seven receptions for a career-high 92 yards and two touchdowns.
- Jacob Honstetter rushed for a team-high 67 yards for the Mustangs, while Tariq Parker added 43 yards on the ground.
SMSU vs. AUGUSTANA SERIES NOTES
- Southwest Minnesota State and Augustana meet for the 28th time with Augustana holding a 24-3 advantage in a series that started on Sept. 8, 1990 ... the teams did not meet during the 2024 season
- Augustana has won nine straight and 24 of the last 25 since 1995 ... SMSU's win in 2013 snapped a 15-game losing streak in the series.
- SMSU won the first two games of the series in 1990 and 1991.
- Augustana is 12-1 all-time in Marshall with SMSU's lone win in 1990 ... SMSU has been held to six total points in the last three games and has been held to nine or less points in 13 of the 27 games, while Augustana has scored at least 25 points in 24 of the 27 meetings.
SMSU OPENING DRIVE TIDBITS
- SMSU closed last week's game at Northern State with 28 first downs and a season-high 168 yards rushing. The first down total was its highest since finishing with 27 versus UMary on Sept. 17, 2022.
- Tryg Auten caught a career-high seven passes for a career-high 92 yards and two touchdowns last week at NSU.
- Ryan Kronbach scored his first career touchdown, a 2-yard run, in last week's setback at NSU.
- SaMaury Alexander notched his first career interception last week at NSU.
- True freshman kicker Landon Hubbard played in his first career game and was a perfect 2 for 2 on PATs.
- Parker Knutson has six interceptions this season ranking first (0.86) in Division II, while ranking third in passes defended (1.57). He has 11 career interceptions ranking tied for fifth in team history. Carl Douglas (1988-90) and Blaine Schnaible (1986-88) hold the school record with 13 career interceptions.
- Josiah Hedensten ranks third in team history with 183 solo tackles and sixth all-time with 307 total tackles. He needs eight tackles to tie Dan Lee (1978-81) for fifth all-time with 315 tackles. In this week's NCAA statistics, •Hedensten ranks 15th in Division II in solo tackles (5.5), 72nd in total tackles (7.9), while ranking and 10th in the NSIC in total tackles (7.0). He recorded a career-high 16 tackles with two for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and one pass break-up two weeks ago versus Sioux Falls. He added 13 tackles with 11 solo stops at Northern State last Saturday.
- Gideon Ervasti ranks tied for fifth in the NSIC in total tackles (7.7).
- Colin Maher ranks 77th nationally in receptions per game (4.2) and 86th in receiving yards per game (60.4). He ranks eighth in the NSIC in receiving yards per game (66.5). Maher recorded his second 100-yard receiving game of the season two weeks ago versus Sioux Falls finishing with a career-high 124 yards on six receptions. Earlier this season he became the first SMSU player to reach 100 yards receiving in a single-game since the 2022 season.
- Mason Carver ranks 66th nationally in punting with a 38.1-yard average.
- Jacob Honstetter's 75-yard touchdown rush at Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 4 was SMSU's first 75-yard-plus run since Max Simmons scored on a 75-yard touchdown run during the 2018 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 7-33. 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 93-84 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 AUGUSTANA
- Jerry Olszewski is in his 12th season as head coach and has a record of 89-45. He has a career record of 121-63 in 17 seasons as a head coach after spending five seasons as head coach at St. Olaf College.
- The Vikings are 7-0 overall, 6-0 NSIC, following a 50-10 win over Concordia-St. Paul on Oct. 11.
- Freshman quarterback Rich Lucero Jr. has started the past two games and has completed 38 of 56 passes for 487 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He replaced starting quarterback Gunnar Hensley, who was injured on Sept. 27.
- Redshirt freshman running back Breylon Blount has rushed for 277 yards and one touchdown, while sophomore running back Ryan Kenny has added 235 yards and five touchdowns.
- Senior wide receiver Isaiah Huber leads the Vikings with 41 receptions for 525 yards and three touchdowns.
- The Vikings defense is paced by senior safety Logan Leonard's team-leading 42 tackles with two interceptions and seven pass break-ups.
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 210-375-5, including 148-275-5 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