FAYETTE, Iowa – Southwest Minnesota State rallied from a 14-0 first half deficit scoring the final 20 points, including a 51-yard touchdown pass by Andrew Haidet to Zeke Robinson with 1:09 left in the game to earn a 20-14 victory over Upper Iowa on Saturday at Harms-Eischeid Stadium.
 
SMSU, which earned its second straight victory, improves to 2-3 overall, 1-0 NSIC South. UIU drops it second straight game after leading in the fourth quarter and is 0-5 overall, 0-1 NSIC South. It was another close game between the two teams as it's the 10^th time in 17 all-time meetings the game was decided by seven or less points.
 
SMSU started the game-winning drive at its own 23-yard line with 2:23 on the clock. SMSU converted a key third-and-six with Haidet connecting with Albert Lemon for a 22-yard pass to the 49-yard line. One play later Haidet found Robinson open for the go-ahead score to make the score 20-14. The snap on the PAT was misplayed to keep UIU within six points.
 
On the ensuing drive, UIU (0-4, 0-1 NSIC South) moved to the SMSU 22-yard line with less than 25 second remaining, but SMSU's Kenny Truit sealed the Mustang victory with an interception near the 10-yard line to end the comeback attempt.
 
SMSU, which struggled in the opening half with just 114 yards of offense, closed the game with 257 yards and 13 first downs. UIU finished the game with 339 yards but was held to just 192 yards in the final three quarters and turned the ball over twice. It was the lowest total offense by an SMSU opponent this season.
 
Haidet finished the game 15 for 25 for 204 yards and two touchdowns, while teammate Steven Nava completed 5 of 7 passes for 45 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
 
The SMSU rushing offense, which averaged 180 yards through the first four games, was limited to eight yards. Jesse Sherwood had 17 yards on seven carries with Duce Reynolds finishing with 14 yards on 10 attempts. The Peacock defense recorded six sacks for minus-34 yards.
 
Adihia Bell led the Mustang defense with 11 tackles, while Onte Burns chipped in with eight tackles.
 
UIU's Marcus Orr completed 26 of 39 pass attempts for 270 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice. Keontae Luckett rushed for a team-high 56 yards on 14 carries.
 
UIU started the game 3 for 3 converting on third-down but finished just 6 for 16.
 
UIU took the game's opening drive and moved 70 yards in eight plays capped by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Orr to DJ Emsweller to take an early 7-0 advantage.
 
The SMSU offense struggled for much of the opening half and UIU was able to take advantage and add to the lead early in the second quarter. Orr found Emsweller open on a third-and-long to pick-up a first down, but Emsweller wasn't done and kept the play alive with a pair of broken tackles and sprinted to the end zone to make the score 14-0 with 11:48 left in the second quarter.
 
Following an SMSU punt on its next drive, UIU took over at the SMSU 46-yard line looking to add to the lead. The SMSU defense came through in a big way with a three-and-out and forcing an UIU punt.
 
The SMSU offense took over at its own 20-yard line and put together its best drive of the half with five first downs moving the ball to the UIU 3-yard line. The big play of the drive was a 27-yard pass from Nava to Nathan Stearns on third-and-long from the 30-yard line. Two plays later, Nava connected once again with Stearns on a 3-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds left in the half. Carter Dicker booted the PAT to cut the deficit to 14-7 at halftime.
 
The first half ended with UIU racking up 207 yards of offense and 12 first downs with SMSU totaling 95 yards and six first downs.
 
UIU had a big chance to build on the lead halfway through the third quarter as Nava was intercepted at the SMSU 36-yard line. UIU would pick up one first down and eventually moved the ball to the SMSU 16-yard line, but on fourth-and-seven, Orr was intercepted in the end zone by Jordan White to stop the scoring threat.
 
SMSU would use the momentum to tie the game early in the fourth quarter. Following the interception, the Mustangs would drive 80 yards, including converting three third-down conversions to tie the game at 14. Haidet would complete two third down passes to Keilan Smith and one to Lemon to keep the drive alive before finally hitting Robinson in the corner of the end zone at the 12:24 mark for a 12-yard touchdown.
 
Both squads struggled to move the ball in the final quarter, but UIU had a tremendous chance to regain the lead with less than six minutes left. Starting near midfield, the Peacocks moved the ball to the SMSU 19-yard, but on third-and-two, Bell and Avery Johnson broke through the line and stuffed Luckett for a 4-yard loss. Instead of attempting a 40-yard field goal, UIU elected to go for the first down, but Orr's pass fell incomplete to end the drive and set-up SMSU for the game-winning touchdown drive.
 
Southwest Minnesota State returns home next Saturday, Oct. 9, taking on the University of Sioux Falls (3-2, 1-0 NSIC South) for the annual Homecoming game with kickoff set for 5 p.m. at the Schwan Regional Event Center.