WAYNE, Neb. --- The #1 Minnesota State football team kept things rolling Saturday afternoon at Wayne State as the Mavericks defeated the Wildcats 55-2.
With the win, MSU improves to 9-0 on the season, including a 5-0 record in NSIC South Division play. With the loss, WSC drops to 2-7.
The lone score of the first quarter came on Minnesota State's opening drive. MSU's 65 yard drive was capped off by a 28 yard touchdown pass from junior
Ryan Schlichte to junior
Shane Zylstra. MSU failed to convert on the two point conversion as it led 6-0.
Minnesota State added two more scores in the second quarter to take a 21-0 lead into halftime. Sophomore
JD Ekowa connected with junior
Vance Barnes on a 59 yard touchdown pass with 9:32 to go in the second quarter. Ekowa then connected with sophomore
Parker Gloudemans on the two point conversion attempt.
MSU's final score of the first half came via a 14-play, 94-yard drive that saw the Mavericks eat up 7:14 on the clock. Junior
Nate Gunn capped off the drive with a five yard touchdown.
As a team, MSU notched 287 yards of offense in the first half, including 175 passing yards. The Mavericks also held the ball for nearly 20 minutes in the first half as they converted on 5-of-7 third down attempts.
The Maverick defense limited the Wildcats to 136 yards of offense in the first half, including 40 rushing yards. WSC went 2-of-6 in third down attempts in the first half, to go along with a 0-of-2 showing on fourth down.
Minnesota State returned from halftime and wasted no time in extending its lead as it notched four touchdowns to go up 49-0. Gunn and sophomore
Justin Taormina each posted a rushing touchdown, while Schlichte hooked up with junior
Tyler Schmidt on a three yard touchdown pass. Junior
Jack Curtis also intercepted a pass from Aaron Bleil and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown. He is the first Maverick to return an interception since Jared Gillespie did so during the 2016 season.
MSU added one more score in the fourth quarter as freshman
Brevin Kaiser connected with Gloudemans on a 12 yard touchdown pass. MSU's ensuing extra point attempt was blocked by Odessa Clark and returned by Donte Brooks for the two point conversion.
As a team, MSU notched 485 yards of offense against the Wildcats, including 256 passing yards. WSC was limited to 189 yards of offense, including 24 rushing yards. MSU also converted on 8-of-13 attempts on third down, while WSC converted on 3-of-16 attempts on third down and 0-of-4 attempts on fourth down.
As a unit, the Maverick defense notched four sacks and 12 tackles for a loss. The MSU defense also intercepted three passes with two coming from sophomore
Cole Schroedermeier. Senior
Keyshawn Davis notched a team-best five tackles and blocked a punt. Freshman
Bedale Naba notched a team-leading 3.0 tackles for loss as well.
Zylstra finished with six catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. Gloudemans, Schmidt and Barnes each caught a touchdown pass as well.
Gunn led the MSU rushing attack with 71 yards and two touchdowns. Barnes finished with 44 rushing yards.
All three Maverick quarterbacks threw at least one touchdown pass. Ekowa completed 4-of-8 passes for 125 yards and one touchdown, while Schlichte completed 10-of-13 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Brevin Kaiser's one completion went for a 12 yard touchdown pass.
Minnesota State returns the Blakeslee Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 3, as it hosts the Sioux Falls Cougars. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
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