Box Score

MARSHALL, MINN. - Minnesota State, Mankato, ranked No. 7 in the latest regional rankings, scored the game's final 13 points after Southwest Minnesota State pulled to within 21-14 with six minutes left in the third quarter and went on to earn a 34-14 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory on Saturday in Marshall.

The win for MSU was its third in a row and improves its record to 7-2 overall, 7-1 NSIC, while SMSU drops to 4-5 overall, 4-4 NSIC.  MSU is now 4-1 in the NSIC South Division and is tied with Wayne State and Augustana atop the division standings.

The loss spoiled a record setting day for SMSU quarterback Josh Shudlick who set a school record for career pass completions.  Shudlick entered the game needing just 11 completions to break the record and in the second quarter he broke the record previously held by Jeff Loots with 703.  Shudlick finished the game with 35 completions and now has 728 in his career.   

Minnesota State built a 21-7 halftime lead and following punts by both teams to start the second half, the Mustang defense forced a turnover to set up its second touchdown of the game.  SMSU's Lionel Lamarre intercepted his first pass of the season at the MSU 44-yard line to set up the Mustang offense.

It took SMSU just four plays to trim the Maverick lead to 21-14 as Zach Wysong plowed across from two yards out to pull the Mustangs to within seven points with 6:03 left in the third quarter.

MSU though answered and put together one of its best drives of the game moving 65 yards in five plays and capped the drive with a 19-yard touchdown run by Julian Phipps to push the MSU lead to 28-14 with 3:51 left in the third quarter.

Both teams exchanged punts as the game moved into the fourth quarter before SMSU moved the ball down to the MSU 34-yard line but on first down Josh Shudlick was intercepted at the MSU 10-yard line to end the threat.  MSU then put the game away driving 76 yards on 13 plays, a drive that took over seven minutes off the clock and finished off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run by Ernest Walker to take a 34-14 lead with 3:21 left in the game.

MSU and SMSU, playing for the first time since 1987 and the first time as fellow conference members since 1980, played to a scoreless tie before the Mavericks scored the game's first points as Phipps, who rushed for a career-high 124 yards, scored on a 25-yard run on the quarter's second play.

Shudlick was intercepted on SMSU's next possession setting up the Mavericks at the SMSU 26-yard line.  MSU picked up one third down conversion and added one fourth down conversion on the following drive and took a 14-0 lead with 10:35 left in the half on a Phipps two-yard touchdown run.

The SMSU offense came right back and cut into the lead moving 59 yards on nine plays as Shudlick completed five passes on the drive including a six-yard touchdown strike to Bret Ballantine to cut the MSU lead to 14-7 with 7:08 left in the first half.

The Mustang defense forced a three and out and got the ball back at its own eight-yard line but the offense was then forced to punt and on the punt by Nate Finkey, MSU's Kelvin Rodgers returned it 38 yards for a touchdown, his second of the season and his fourth return of either a kick or punt return this season and MSU pushed its lead back to 14 points at 21-7.

On SMSU's ensuing drive the Mustang offense moved from its own 34-yard line down to the MSU 10-yard line and had first and goal from the 10-yard line.  But on third and goal from the six, Shudlick was picked off in the end zone by Rodgers to end the scoring threat.

SMSU finished the game with 385 yards of offense and 22 first downs, while MSU also had 22 first downs and 358 yards of offense.

Shudlick completed 35 of 66 passes for 326 yards and one touchdown but was intercepted four times.  Wysong rushed for 47 yards and a score on 12 carries and also caught 10 passes for 53 yards.  Derke Townsend caught eight passes for a team-high 95 yards.

Both teams saw plenty of penalty flags on Saturday as both teams finished with nine for a combined 158 yards.   

Michael Liggins finished with a team-high seven tackles for SMSU while Tyler Reed and Lamarre each added six apiece.

SMSU will look to get back to the .500 mark next Saturday, Nov. 1 as they host Northern State for a 1 p.m. game at the Regional Event Center.  The game will be the final home game of the season and prior to the game SMSU will honor its senior players.