BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

MARSHALL, Minn. -No. 1 ranked Minnesota State rushed for 383 yards, while the MSU defense recorded six interceptions to earn a 52-27 victory over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday night in Marshall.

MSU improves to 7-0 NSIC, 3-0 NSIC South, while SMSU drops to 3-4 NSIC, 1-2 NSIC South.

MSU entered the game with the seventh-ranked rush defense in Division II and the Mavericks were solid on Saturday, limiting SMSU – which entered the game ranked 13th nationally in rush offense – to a season-low 92 yards rushing on 30 attempts.

MSU's Connor Thomas rushed for a season-high 153 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, while Jon Wolf added 112 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Wolf also completed 5 of 9 pass attempts for 49 yards and two touchdowns.

SMSU's Tyler Tonderum – the top rusher in Division II – was held to a season-low 61 yards rushing on 19 carries, but did catch four passes for 67 yards. Adam Olson led the SMSU offense with career-highs in both receptions (11) and yards (114), while Jordan Cross added six receptions for 98 yards and one touchdown.

SMSU quarterback Charlie Kern completed 23 of 35 pass attempts for 216 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. Kern entered the game with just three interceptions all season long. Kern also was injured in the contest following a 44-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter. SMSU back-up quarterback Chris Stemen completed 15 of 25 passes for two touchdowns, but was also intercepted three times. The last time SMSU threw five or more interceptions in a game occurred on Oct. 15, 2005, versus Wayne State.

MSU finished the game with 432 yards of offense and 20 first downs, while SMSU ended the contest with 489 yards and 31 first downs.

The game started poorly for SMSU as on the first play from scrimmage Kern was intercepted by Patrick Schmidt at the SMSU 31-yard line and returned it 29 yards setting up first-and-goal. On MSU's first play Thomas scored from 1-yard out to give MSU a 7-0 with 14 minutes and 43 seconds on the clock.

On its next possession, SMSU turned the ball over on downs at the MSU 35-yard line and the Mavericks responded with a 12-play, 65-yard drive with Wolf completing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Carter at the 6:27 mark to build a 14-0 advantage.

SMSU once again moved the ball inside the MSU 30-yard line, but the Maverick defense recorded back-to-back sacks to end the drive at the 27-yard line.

MSU extended the lead moments later as Thomas broke free on a 33-yard touchdown run to close out a four-play, 70-yard drive to push the lead to 21-0 early in the second quarter.

The Mustang offense put together an 11-play, 52-yard drive on its next possession – moving the ball to the MSU 28-yard line, but again the MSU defense held strong and forced an incompletion on fourth-and-eight.

MSU answered again in a big was as Wolf broke free on a third-and-three for a 65-yard touchdown run to make the score 28-0 with 9:20 left in the second quarter.

Following Kern's third interception of the game that set up the MSU offense at the SMSU 9-yard line, Thomas pushed the lead to 35-0 with a 13-yard run with 1:44 left in the half.

SMSU finally put points on the board on the next drive with Kern capping an eight-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Burns to cut the lead to 35-7 at halftime.

The Mustangs forced MSU into a three-and-out on the first possession of the second half and answered quickly on offense as Kern tossed a 44-yard touchdown pass to Tonderum on fourth-and-eight to make the score 35-14 with 12:41 remaining in the third quarter. But it was last play of the game for Kern who was injured on the touchdown pass.

MSU answered SMSU's touchdown with one of their own as Wolf sprinted in on a 10-yard run midway through the quarter to make the score 42-14.

MSU added a 39-yard field goal later in the quarter to make the score 45-14, before SMSU rallied with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Stemen to Cross with 9:18 left in the game to make the score 45-21.

Wolf added another Maverick score with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Matt Murphy, before SMSU closed the game's scoring on the final play of the game as Stemen connected on a 6-yard scoring strike to Will Kurka.

Tate Bunkers paced the SMSU defense with 12 tackles, while Jared Twedt and AJ Page both recorded nine tackles.

SMSU returns the road next Saturday night to battle Upper Iowa (4-3, 1-2 NSIC South) with kickoff slated for 6 p.m.