Box Score
MARSHALL, MINN.: The Southwest Minnesota State football team jumped out to a 44-0 halftime lead to cruise to a 54-14 victory over Minnesota, Crookston in the season opener for both teams in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Josh Shudlick combined to rush and pass for five touchdowns to lead the Mustang offense while the SMSU defense forced six turnovers and blocked two punts to earn the convincing victory.
The game also marked the first ever game at the new Regional Event Center as a crowd of nearly 3,400 fans were entertained to SMSU's sixth season opening victory in the past seven years.
SMSU started the game to near perfection scoring the first 17 points of the game in the first 11 minutes before the UMC offense stepped onto the field.
SMSU received the opening kickoff and Sean Patrick O'Leary returned the kick 46 yards to set up the Mustang offense at the UMC 47-yard line. SMSU moved the ball to the 30-yard line and facing a 4th down and five from the 30-yard line, Shudlick connected with Ryan Wudtke on an 8-yard pass to keep the drive alive. Five plays later SMSU scored the game's first points as Shudlick found Derek Townsend wide open in the endzone for a 7-yard touchdown pass to give SMSU a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff SMSU's Scott Talcott delivered a perfect on-side kick and was recovered by SMSU at the SMSU 46-yard line.
It took just six plays for SMSU to push the lead to 14-0 as Shudlick found Zach Wysong on a screen pass and Wysong did the rest as he broke several tackles to score from 44 yards out to give SMSU a 14-point lead with 5:49 left in the opening quarter.
The SMSU special teams wasn't done though as on the next kickoff UMC's Robel Woldu fumbled the return and SMSU's Lionel Lamarre recovered the ball at the UMC 30-yard line. SMSU had to settle for a 28-yard Talcott field goal to push the margin to 17-0 with 4:06 left in the quarter.
The UMC offense then was forced to a three and out setting up the game's first punt. Once again SMSU special teams made a big play as Curt Gosser blocked Travis Coulson's punt and Lamarre recovered the ball and ran the final 20 yards to another score to push the lead to 23-0 with 2:31 left in the opening half.
SMSU continued to pour it on in the second quarter as Shudlick found Matt Fischer for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 8:18 left in the first half to make the score 30-0. Following another three and out forced by the SMSU defense answered with a 35-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Shudlick to give the Mustangs 37-0 with 4:40 remaining in the half.
SMSU racked up 245 yards of offense in the opening half and recorded 15 first downs. The UMC struggled in the opening half with just 59 yards of offense and one first down.
Southwest Minnesota State scored 10 points in the second half playing nearly ever player dressed in the game. Tony Rislov tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Townsend with 1:52 left in the third quarter to make the score 51-0 before UMC scored two touchdowns, one late in the third and one early in the fourth quarter, to make the score 51-14. SMSU capped the scoring with 21 seconds left in the game on a 27-yard field goal by Talcott.
Shudlick finished the day completing 22 of 33 passes for 233 yards and tying a career-high with four touchdown passes. Wudtke led the SMSU receivers with a career-high seven receptions for 33 yards. Fischer caught four passes for a game-high 74 yards and one touchdown.
Tyler Reed, Derek Klinkner, Levi Reiff and Mike Liggins also finished with a team-high five tackles while Bryce Haessly and Nate Finkey each recorded one interception.
SMSU will continue its season opening two-game homestand next Saturday, Sept. 6 with a non-conference game versus Black Hills State (S.D.). The kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. at the Regional Event Center. The game is also the official Event Center Grand Opening.
SMSU runs out onto the field before the kickoff. |
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