Box Score Marshall, Minn. --- The No. 1 Minnesota State football team kept things rolling Saturday evening on the road as it ran past Southwest Minnesota State with a 52-27 win.

With the win, MSU improves to 7-0 on the season and has now extended its NSIC winning streak to 18 games dating back to week one of the 2012 season. The Mavericks are now 12-0 against the Mustangs, who fell  to 3-4 on the season.

The Maverick defense frustrated the SMSU quarterbacks all night long as it tallied six interceptions, which is the most interceptions in one game for the Mavericks dating back to the 1997 season. Junior Bryan Keys, sophomore Justin Otto, junior Nathan Hancock, sophomore Patrick Schmidt, senior Jordan Hale and senior Ryan Saumur each posted a pick on then evening, while combining for 74 return yards.

Sophomore Evan Koehler led the defense with 13 tackles, while senior Isaac Kolstand and junior Kris Fleigle each tallied eight tackles. Keys also led the team with 2.5 tackles for loss, including 1.5 sacks.

While the Maverick defense frustrated the SMSU offense, the MSU rushing attack kicked in to full gear as it tallied 383 of MSU's 432 total yards of offense.

Sophomore Connor Thomas, who tallied three rushing touchdowns, ran for 153 rushing yards on the day, just six yards shy of his career-high 159 yards. Senior Jon Wolf also made his presence felt on the ground, accounting for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

Four Mavericks caught at least one pass on the day, including senior Dennis Carter, who posted two catches for 23 yards and a touchdown.

Right out of the gate the Maverick defense asserted itself as Schmidt intercepted Charlie Kern's first pass of the game to give MSU a first and goal on the SMSU one yard line. Thomas drove into the endzone to give the Mavericks the early 7-0 lead.

The Mavericks would add to their first quarter lead on their next drive as Wolf connected with Carter on a nine-yard touchdown pass to put MSU up 14-0.

The second quarter would see Thomas run in a pair of scores from 33 and 13 yards out, while Wolf posted a 65 yard rushing touchdown to put the Mavericks up 35-0. The Mustangs managed to get on the board with 21 seconds left in the first half as Kern connected with Caleb Burns on a three yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 35-7 heading into the locker room.

The Mustangs opened the second half with a touchdown drive to pull within 21 at 35-14, but the Mavericks responded on their next possession as Wolf ran in his second touchdown of the day to increase MSU's lead to 42-14.

Senior Sam Brockshus would drill a 39 yard field goal late in the third quarter and Wolf would connect with senior Matt Murphy on a nine-yard touchdown pass to give the Mavericks 52 points on the day.

The Mavericks return home Saturday, October 26, as they host the Winona State Warriors. The opening kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

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