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MARSHALL, Minn. - In a record-setting day for Southwest Minnesota State,
Ryan Ratekin passed for 425 yards and four touchdowns and
Wade McDonough caught nine passes for 209 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Mustangs to a 52-24 win over Upper Iowa Saturday afternoon at the Regional Event Center in Marshall, Minn. SMSU amassed 678 yards of total offense, breaking the previous record of 673 yards set in 1991.
It was also a record setting day for senior
Zach Wysong who rushed for 81 yards and in the process became SMSU's all-time rushing leader with 2,581 yards, breaking the previous record of 2,552 held by Rich Froemling (1971-74)
SMSU moves to 3-1, 2-1 NSIC with the win, while UIU drops to 2-2, 1-2 NSIC.
Ratekin completed 25 of 34 passes with six different receivers recording at least two catches.
The 678 yards of offense breaks the previous record of 673 set during the 1991 season versus Bemidji State.
Upper Iowa took the opening drive and scored the game's first points on a Tim Eulitz 27-yard field goal with 12:27 remaining in the opening quarter.
Southwest Minnesota State quickly answered though on its second offensive play from scrimmage as Ratekin tossed a pass to McDonough who broke a handful of tackles and sprinted for an 86-yard touchdown to give SMSU a lead it would never relinquish.
Following a three-and-out by the Upper Iowa offense, SMSU pushed the lead to 14-3 with 8:11 left in the opening quarter as Gannon Moore plowed across from one-yard out capping a six-play, 50-yard drive.
The Mustang defense then helped out with its lone turnover of the day as Derek Klinkner intercepted UIU quarterback Ben Curran at the Peacock 17-yard line. Ratekin made the interception hurt on just one play he connected with McDonough on a 17-yard strike to make it 21-3 in favor of SMSU with eight minutes left in the quarter.
UIU scored with just under a minute left in the quarter to trim the lead to 21-10, before Moore ripped off a 33-yard touchdown run with 11:26 left in the first half to push the lead back to 18 points at 28-10.
The Peacock offense answered right back just four plays later to make it 28-17 with 10:20 on the clock, before the Mustang offense responded again, this time marching 80 yards on just eight plays with Ratekin lofting a pass to Blake Wilson in the back of the end zone for a 17-yard pass to extend the SMSU lead to 35-17 with 6:23 remaining.
SMSU rolled up 364 yards of offense in the first half and holding a 35-17 halftime lead. The Mustangs quickly added to the lead on their first drive of the second half as Ratekin connected with Bret Ballantine for a 44-yard touchdown pass to cap a quick, 76-yard, five play drive with 12:12 on the board.
Upper Iowa scored with just over two minutes left in the quarter on a Sam Epsteen eight-yard touchdown run to make the score 42-24 into the fourth quarter.
The Mustangs added a Lance Schuveiller 24-yard field goal and another Moore touchdown in the final quarter to push the lead to the eventual final score of 52-24.
It was the second time SMSU has scored over 50 points in a game this season and has now reached at least 48 points in three of its four games.
Ratekin completed 25 of 34 passes for 425 yards with four touchdowns and had one interception. Along with McDonough, Wilson also had a big day with seven catches for 85 yards and one touchdown.
Moore finished with a career-high 86 yards on just eight carries, while Wysong added 81 yards on 18 attempts.
Aaron Diggs and Derek Klinkner each added nine tackles to pace the SMSU defense while Klinkner also added a pass break-up with the interception.
SMSU will continue NSIC play next Saturday afternoon with a key 1 p.m. game at 2008 NCAA playoff qualifier Wayne State.
