ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State used a dominate first half in building a 31-0 halftime advantage to record its fourth straight victory in earning a 41-7 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in NSIC college football on Saturday night at Dacotah Bank Stadium.
Following a 0-4 start, NSU moves it record to 4-4 overall, 4-3 NSIC. SMSU drops to 0-7 overall, 0-6 NSIC.
NSU quarterback Daniel Britt rushed for a game-high 71 yards and one touchdown, including a 68-yard touchdown run. He also completed 11 of 18 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown.
NSU closed the game with 457 yards of offense, including 277 on the ground, while collecting 20 first downs.
SMSU recorded 11 first downs and finished with 238 yards of offense with 143 on the ground.
Wyatt Oak started at quarterback for SMSU and completed 8 of 17 passes for 86 yards before leaving with an injury late in the third quarter.
Kendon Krogman came on in relief and used a career-high 49-yard rush in the fourth quarter to pace the squad with a team-high 59 yards on six attempts.
DaNari Connors rushed for 45 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, while
Jacob Honstetter added 39 yards on 12 carries.
NSU opened the game's scoring on its first drive of the game with Jeremy Caruso booting a 34-yard field goal midway through the opening quarter.
NSU would later put together 80-yard and 75-yard touchdown drives to build a 17-0 advantage with 5:15 remaining in the second quarter.
Leading 17-0, the NSU defense would come through as Kegan Mountain intercepted SMSU quarterback
Wyatt Oak at the NSU 45-yard line and returned the pick 55 yards for the touchdown. It's the eighth touchdown scored by an SMSU opponents' defense this season.
On the ensuing SMSU drive, the Mustangs were forced to punt near midfield and on the punt attempt, the snap was dropped with NSU taking over on downs at the SMSU 40-yard line. Moment later, facing fourth-and-two, NSU's Hank Kraft ripped off a 32-yard scoring run to extend the lead to 31-0 into halftime.
Britt opened the second half breaking free on a third-down play to sprint 68 yards for a touchdown and push the margin to 38-0.
SMSU was able to break the shutout bid early in the final quarter as
Avery Johnson recorded a strip-sack with
Gideon Ervasti recovering the ball and setting up the SMSU offense at the NSU 3-yard line. Just two plays later, Connors plowed across for a 2-yard touchdown, the first of his career.
Josiah Hedensten racked-up a team-high 10 tackles for the Mustangs.
Tate Gaul,
Maliek Igiehon and Ervasti each added five tackles.
SMSU continues road play next Saturday, Oct. 26, taking on MSU Moorhead starting at 12 p.m.
