MARSHALL, Minn. – MSU Moorhead quarterback Jack Strand passed for 319 yards and five touchdowns, while three MSUM receivers caught two touchdown passes each to pace the Dragons to a 51-3 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football on Saturday night.
 
MSUM moves to 2-0 on the season, while SMSU dropped its season opener.
 
The MSUM defense intercepted SMSU quarterback, Macloud Crowton, twice in the first half, including one inside the MSUM 10-yard line, to gain momentum. The Dragons also used a high snap over the Mustang punter late in the half, recovering the fumble at the SMSU 16-yard line, to help build a 34-3 halftime advantage.
 
Crowton, playing in his first game at SMSU, completed 17 of 38 passes for 177 yards. Drew Kluender played in the fourth quarter and completed 3 of 8 pass attempts for 28 yards.

Colin Maher caught a team-high five passes for 66 yards to pace the Mustangs, while Ryan Kronbach caught four passes for 32 yards. Sam Campbell, Jr., had three receptions for 47 yards, before leaving with an injury late in the first half.
 
MSUM closed the night racking up 557 yards of offense with 431 through the air and 126 on the ground. The Dragons' back-up quarterback, Timmy Guler, played the second half and completed 6 of 9 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Brady Perryman caught six passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns, while Carter Birrenkott and Gavin Lill each finished with two touchdown receptions.
 
SMSU safety Parker Knutson intercepted Stand twice and finished with two pass break-ups. Josiah Hedensten closed with a game-high nine tackles, while Gideon Ervasti added eight tackles including 1.5 sacks.
 
SMSU finished with 14 first downs and 203 yards of offense.
 
Strand, who moved passed 10,000 career passing yards during the first quarter of play, engineered an eight-play, 75-yard drive on the game's first possession capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass to Perryman.
 
Trailing 6-0, SMSU put together a solid first drive gaining five first downs and setting up first-and-goal from the MSUM 9-yard line. MSUM however made the game's first big play as Crowton was intercepted at the 3-yard line to end the scoring threat.
 
Three plays later, MSUM pushed the lead to 13-0 as Strand connected on a 55-yard touchdown pass to Lill.
 
SMSU answered with its lone scoring drive of the game on its ensuing possession with Mason Carver booting a 32-yard field goal with 4:38 left in the opening quarter. The big play of the drive was a Crowton 38-yard completed to Colin Maher.
 
Knutson intercepted Strand on the next MSUM possession, but SMSU could not take advantage and later had to punt.
 
MSUM would add to the lead early in the second quarter as Strand found Lill open for a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal to build a 20-3 lead.
 
MSUM put together a scoring threat moments later after Crowton's second interception of the game. MSUM faced fourth-and-three from the 4-yard line, but Strand was intercepted by Knutson for the second time in the half to end the scoring threat.
 
On the first play from scrimmage following the interception, Crowton found Sam Campbell, Jr., open for a 36-yard gain to the MSUM 44-yard line. However, SMSU was forced to punt and on the punt attempt, the snap sailed over Carver's head and the Dragons recovered at the SMSU 16-yard line. Three plays later Strand connected with Perryman for a 9-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 27-3.
 
MSUM added one more scoring drive in the half with Stand hitting Birrenkott with a 43-yard touchdown pass to build a 34-3 halftime advantage.
 
SMSU hits the road for the first time next Saturday, Sept. 13, taking on NSIC newcomer Jamestown University with kickoff slated for 1p.m. in Jamestown, N.D.