MARSHALL, Minn. – During this quiet time for collegiate athletics with no activity on the field of play due to COVID-19, Southwest Minnesota State University Athletics will take a look back at a "Mustang Memory", several times a week during the next month or longer, as we celebrate and remember some of the most memorable events, teams, coaches and student-athletes over the past 50-plus years of Mustang Athletics.
April 13: 1990 SMSU Football
The 1990 Southwest Minnesota State University football team started a three-year run of one of the most successful eras of Mustang football, which included the program's only conference championship and an appearance in the NAIA national playoffs for the second time in team history.
The 1990 Mustangs, under head coach Gary Buer, finished the regular season 8-2 and ranked fifth in the final NAIA Division I coaches' poll. SMSU also went 5-1 in Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) playing, tying for the championship with Minnesota Duluth and Northern State. The outstanding regular season qualified for the Mustangs into a berth into the NAIA playoffs.
Coming off a 5-5 season in 1989, SMSU thrust itself into the forefront in the 1990 season opener on Sept. 8 with a 31-30 home victory over Augustana College. The win was regarded widely as an upset because Augustana had qualified for both the 1988 and 1989 Division II playoffs.
SMSU would go on to win five of its next six games, including four in conference play to sit at 6-1 overall, 4-0 NIC in late October. SMSU scored 63 points in a non-conference win over Minot State, 53 at Winona State and another 49 in a shutout of Bemidji State. But SMSU's 38-17 jolting at Northern State boosted the Mustangs into the NAIA Top 10 and into playoff talk.
SMSU's only loss in the first seven games came at Peru State (Neb.) by a score of 27-17, on Sept. 22. Peru State would not lose a game that season, capturing the 1990 NAIA Division II national championship with a record of 12-0-1.
The Mustangs' momentum stalled on Oct. 27 at Minnesota Duluth, losing 19-7 for its first league loss. But one week later, SMSU defeated Northwestern (Iowa) in non-conference play, before closing the regular season with a 26-14 win over MSU Moorhead on Nov. 10 to secure the program's first-ever conference crown. The following day, SMSU found out it had qualified for the eight-team NAIA playoffs and would take on defending defending national champion, Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tenn.
Carson-Newman used a strong pass rush and limited SMSU to minus-47 yards rushing in earning a 35-6 victory. SMSU quarterback Jeff Loots was sacked numerous times, but completed 26 of 48 passes for 312 yards. Freshman Alvin Ashley had a big game with 12 receptions for 171 yards. SMSU's lone points came on field goals by Andy Gillen in the first half as SMSU trailed 14-6 at halftime. The Eagles put the game away with three touchdowns in the second half to seal the win.
The playoff loss left SMSU 8-3 overall with losses to three schools which finished the season a combined 32-2-2.
The season contained a number of highlights as the team was ranked as high as No. 5 in the national poll twice. Ashley was named the NAIA Offensive National Player of the Week following the win over Northern State, catching 10 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns. Ashley caught three touchdown passes in three conference games and tied the then-league record of 10 receiving touchdowns set in 1987 by his brother, James.
Several Mustangs earned NAIA National Player of the Week honors during the season. Robert Lipsey rushed 23 times for 109 yards and four touchdowns in a 63-6 rout of Minot State, while Loots completed 30 of 44 passes for 476 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-27 win at Winona State.
Loots closed the season passing for 2,967 yards and 25 touchdowns in 10 games (playoff games didn't count for season stats in 1990). Lipsey rushed for 632 yards and 13 touchdowns to pace the Mustangs ground attack. Wayne Hawkins, who in 1992 was drafted by the New England Patriots, caught a team-high 63 passes for 830 yards and six touchdowns. Walter Sutton, a draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991, finished with 61 receptions for 687 yards and seven touchdowns. Ashley led the squad with 12 receiving touchdowns.
Darick Jordan led the SMSU defense with 90 tackles, including 12 sacks, while Greg Delaine recorded 84 tackles, which included a team-high 13 for loss.
Following the season, Delaine was named a first team NAIA All-American, while Hawkins, Loots, Jordan and offensive lineman Dave Pederson were all named honorable mention NAIA All-Americans. Buer was named the NAIA District Coach of the Year.
Numerous Mustangs garnered all-conference accolades for the championship season. Jeff Loots was named the NIC Player of the Year and was joined on the first team by Dave Pederson, (OL), Greg Delaine, (DL), Darick Jordan, (LB) and Brian Sandifer, (DB).
Alvin Ashley, (WR), Carl Douglas, (CB), Brian Ginn, (TE), Wayne Hawkins, (WR), Carlton Lance, (CB), Robert Lipsey, (RB), Roderick Randolph, (S), Jeff Stellinga, (LB), Walter Sutton, (WR), John Wallert, (DL/P) and Jeff Wurtzberger, (OL).
SMSU would following up the 1990 season with a 9-1 season in 1991 and a 6-3-1 record in 1992.
