WAYNE, Neb. – Wayne State used big plays on offense, defense and special teams in building a 44-0 halftime advantage and earning a 51-6 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
 
WSC moves to 3-2 overall, 3-1 NSIC, 1-0 NSIC South, while SMSU drops its second straight game and is now 1-3 overall, 1-3 NSIC, 0-1 NSIC South.
 
WSC closed the game with six turnovers, including four interceptions, while recording six sacks. SMSU was charged with nine fumbles in the game with two recovered by the WSC defense.
 
The SMSU offense was limited to 58 yards and 16 first downs with the sack total, fumbles and one high snap over the SMSU punter contributing to SMSU finishing with minus-75 yards rushing.
 
Macloud Crowton started at quarterback for SMSU and finished the game completing 10 of 27 passes for 90 yards and two interceptions. Drew Kluender came into the game midway through the third quarter and tossed a touchdown pass on his first attempt, but closed the game completing just 5 of 20 pass attempts for 43 yards and two interceptions.
 
David Ola-Kazeem caught three passes for 29 yards to lead the Mustangs, while teammate Colin Maher adding three catches for 24 yards.
 
SMSU finished the game 0 for 16 on third-down conversions and 0 for 3 on fourth-down conversation attempts.
 
WSC ended the game with 15 first downs and 352 yards of offense, including 143 on the ground and 209 through the air. Brady McGill finished 11 of 19 passing for 178 yards and four touchdowns for the Wildcats.
 
WSC opened the scoring on its first drive of the game with McGill competing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Dane Petersen with 10:36 remaining in the first quarter.
 
On the ensuing SMSU drive, Crowton's screen attempt pass was tipped and intercepted at the SMSU 7-yard line. Three plays later, WSC made the score 14-0 on a McGill 5-yard touchdown pass to Dawon Forgy.
 
Following two SMSU punts, WSC pushed the lead to 21-0 with McGill finding Colton Andrews open for a 64-yard touchdown pass late in the thirst quarter.
 
Crowton was intercepted on the first play of the next SMSU drive setting up the WSC offense at the SMSU 30-yard line, but the Mustang defense held strong and forced a Wildcat missed field goal.
 
The lead moved to 23-0 later in the quarter as a high snap over SMSU punter Mason Carver turned into a safety as the ball bounced out of the end zone.
 
WSC extended the margin to 30-0 early in the second quarter with McGill finding Frogy open for a 42-yard touchdown pass with 12:07 left in the half.
 
The WSC defense made another big play moments later with a strip-sack of Crowton and Kaden Sutton picking up the fumble and returning it 39 yards for a touchdown and making the score 37-0.
 
WSC took advantage of another short field later in the half taking over at the SMSU 35-yard line following a Mustang punt. Three plays later, Brennan Hayes scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to build a 44-0 halftime lead.
 
SMSU scored its lone touchdown of the game following a fumbled snap by the WSC punter at the WSC 15-yard line. On SMSU's first play from scrimmage, Kluender connected on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Zander Wolf. It was the first career touchdown pass for Kluender and the first career touchdown for Wolf.
 
SuMaury Alexander had a team-high nine tackles for SMSU with Cam Enright adding six tackles with 1.5 for loss. Brian Martin Jr., Gideon Ervasti and Logan Booth also added six tackles apiece.
 
SMSU continues road action next Saturday, Oct. 4, with a 12 p.m. match-up versus the University of Minnesota Duluth.