Mankato, Minn. --- The sixth-ranked Minnesota State football team blocked three kicks ­ - turning the blocks into 14 points – as the Mavericks downed MSU Moorhead, 59-14, Saturday afternoon in front of 3,735 fans on a sun-drenched Blakeslee Stadium.  The win pushes MSU’s record to 8-0, marking the programs first-ever 8-0 start.

In MSU’s last two games it has outscored its opponents by a 112-17 margin and deflected or blocked seven of its opponent’s kicks. 

Offensively, the Mavericks posted 21 first downs and racked up 450 yards of offense (224 on the ground, 226 in the air) while averaging 6.7 yards per play.  The Maverick defense - which scored a touchdown in the second quarter when senior defensive back Kelvin Rodgers returned a fumble 19-yards – held the Dragons to just 98 yards of total offense (-2 on the ground, 100 in the air) for an average of 1.7 yards per play.

Minnesota State came out flying in the first quarter as junior quarterback Steve Pachan found a streaking Chris Nowlin on the first offensive play of the game for a 53-yard touchdown pass. 

“They (the offensive line) gave me protection and they make me feel comfortable,” said Pachan.  “It is a team effort, it’s just not me making the throw, it is the line protecting me and Chris running a great route.”

Redshirt-freshman running back Jake Aberg continued the scoring parade as he capped off  MSU’s next two scoring drives with touchdown runs of eight and three yards.  Freshman kicker Sam Brockshus –tacked on the extra points and MSU raced to a 21-0 lead. 

Brockshus – who kicked a 33-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter – was eight-of-eight in extra point attempts. 

MSU Moorhead would cut the Maverick lead to seven, midway through the second quarter.  The Dragons returned a blocked punt 25 yards for a touchdown and then scored when quarterback Zach Fry found Alex Pearson for a 16-yard scoring strike.

Following MSUM’s last scoring play of the game, Minnesota State took just 2:36 to answer as senior running back Julian Phipps pounded in a one-yard run. 

MSU then opened a 35-14 lead when Rodgers scooped up the fumble and returned it 19 yards for the score.

“Anytime you score 35 points in the first half – whether it be against MSU Moorhead or Wayne State College – you have to be happy,” said head coach Todd Hoffner.  “We made some great adjustments - offensively and defensively - at halftime and defensively we shut them out in the second half.”

Following the second of three blocked punts on the afternoon the Mavericks took only two plays and 27-seconds off the clock as Pachan found junior wideout Omaar Balton all alone in the back of the end zone giving MSU a 42-14 lead.

The Mavericks continued the air assault in the second half as Pachan connected on a pair of touchdown strikes finding Balton on a 29-yard connection and redshirt-freshman Adam Thielen for a seven-yard touchdown pass.

Pachan finished the day 6-of-11 for 117 yards and four touchdowns.  Senior quarterback  Ryan Fick – who played much of the first half until he left with an injury, completed 8-of-14 passes for 109 yards.   Seven Maverick rushers combined to total 224 yards on the ground. 

Redshirt-freshman Chris Echols led the way with 17 carries for 86 yards, while Aberg had 11 carries for 28 yards and two scores.

Defensively redshirt-freshman Damon Campbell led the team with eight tackles, including 2.5 for a loss.  MSU finished the game with nine tackles for a loss and two sacks.  Sophomore defensive end Bryan Schmid registered a sack-and-a-half in the win to go with his five tackles. 

“Defensively I thought we executed pretty well today,” said senior linebacker Kevin Klug who finished with six tackles and two blocked kicks.  “We are very excited to be 8-0, but it is a long journey, we just have to take it one week at a time.”

Minnesota State (8-0, 7-0 NSIC, 4-0 NSIC South) hosts Southwest Minnesota State next Saturday at 2 p.m.

To view the box score, click HERE