BOX SCORE

Mark Schollmeyer discusses today's victory

MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State set a school record with 397 yards rushing and used strong defense to snap a three-game losing streak and defeat MSU Moorhead 45-13 on Saturday in Moorhead, Minn.

SMSU (2-4, 2-3 NSIC) finished the game with 555 yards of offense with a pair of Mustang running backs putting together career games.  Warren Matthews rushed for a career-high 172 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries, while Gannon Moore added a career-high 159 yards and two touchdowns on 19 attempts.  Moore's two touchdowns gives him 21 his career, tying him for third all-time in school history with Rich Froemling and Ken Sather. 

The SMSU defense, which entered the game allowing 41 points per game, limited MSUM (2-4, 1-4 NSIC) to just 238 yards of offense.  The SMSU defense allowed MSUM to run just three offensive plays on the SMSU side of the 50-yard line in the first three quarters of the game.  Levi Reiff and Phil Breidall each had a team-high nine tackles for SMSU, while Mark Schollmeyer racked up eight tackles with two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Tyler Peschong completed 15 of 21 pass attempts for 158 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 34 yards and one touchdown on eight carries for the Mustangs.

SMSU opened the game's scoring with 5 minutes and 16 seconds left in the opening quarter as Warren Matthews plowed across for a 1-yard run to give a 6-0 lead following a missed extra point after the snap was not handled.

SMSU extended the lead in the second quarter as Mike Wenk drilled a career-long 42-yard field goal to give the Mustangs a 9-0 lead with 12:53 on the clock.

Following another MSUM punt forced by the SMSU defense, the Mustangs added to the lead with 7:17 left in the half as Gannon Moore broke free for a 45-yard touchdown to cap a 78-yard, five-play drive and build the lead to 16-0.

The Mustang offense continued to move the ball in the final minutes of the opening half, driving 77 yards in 12 plays with Tyler Peschong capping the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run as time expired in the half to make it 22-0.  Peschong then added to the lead tossing a pass to Moore for a two-point conversion to give SMSU a 24-0 halftime lead.

The SMSU defense limited MSUM to 53 yards and just three first downs in the opening half and forced five punts.  SMSU finished the first half with 306 yards of offense, including 235 yards rushing.

The Mustang defense set up the next SMSU score to start the second half as Wes Anderson, making his first career start, recovered an MSUM fumble at the Dragon 26-yard line.  Five plays later Peschong lofted a 3-yard touchdown pass to Cody Condon to make the score 31-0 midway through the third quarter.

SMSU wasn't finished in the quarter and added to the lead moving the ball 74 yards in 11 plays with Moore scoring on an 11-yard run with two seconds left in the third to give SMSU a 38-0 lead. 

MSUM broke SMSU's shutout attempt with a fourth quarter touchdown, but SMSU was able to answer back on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Peschong to Jarred Carlson to make the score 45-6 with 7:45 left in the game.

Southwest Minnesota State will return home next Saturday, Oct. 15, to face nationally-ranked St. Cloud State (5-1, 4-1 NSIC) with kickoff slated for 6 p.m. at the Regional Event Center.