MANKATO, Minn. --- The #1 Minnesota State football team earned at least a share of the NSIC Championship Saturday afternoon as it defeated Upper Iowa 47-7 at Blakeslee Stadium.
With the win, the Mavericks improve to 11-0 on the season, while Upper Iowa finishes its season with a 3-8 record. The Mavericks have now won six NSIC Championships since joining the NSIC in 2008. MSU has also extended its NSIC winning streak to 24 games.
In total, the Mavericks tallied 460 yards of offense against the Peacocks, including 274 passing yards and 268 receiving yards. MSU also converted on 50% of its third down attempts, while Upper Iowa managed to convert on 4-of-15 (.266) attempts. The Peacocks managed to tally just 168 yards of offense, including 88 passing yards.
Junior
Ryan Schlichte finished his day completing 8-of-12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Juniors
Justin Arnold and
Shane Zylstra each caught a touchdown pass. Arnold led all receivers with four catches for 66 yards as well.
Both junior
Nate Gunn and sophomore
Justin Taormina finished with 92 rushing yards. Taormina also recorded two touchdown carries, while Gunn and sophomore
JD Ekowa each recorded one.
The Maverick defense notched three interceptions on the day, one courtesy of sophomores
Chance Bowen,
Ty'Shonan Brooks and
Cole Schroedermeier. MSU also combined for 10 tackles for a loss and three sacks. Junior
Alex Goettl led the Maverick defense with 10 tackles.
MSU wasted no time reaching the scoreboard as it took its opening drive 69 yards for the touchdown. Taormina capped off the drive with a 42-yard touchdown run to put the Mavericks up 7-0. An interception by Bowen on UIU's ensuing drive brought the Mavericks back to the Upper Iowa 10. Two plays later, Ekowa raced into the end zone from six yards out to put MSU up 14-0 with 8:04 left in the first.
MSU then added another touchdown quickly as Upper Iowa failed to recover the following kickoff. Sophomore
Brady Tuckner recovered the kickoff on the Upper Iowa 17. Two played later, Schlichte connected with Arnold on an 18-yard touchdown pass to put MSU up 21-0.
Upper Iowa managed to get into the end zone late in the first quarter to make it 21-7, but it would get now closer as the final five scores of the game belonged to the Mavericks. Gunn raced into the end zone from 15 yards out, before Schlichte hooked up with Zylstra on a 42-yard touchdown pass to put MSU up 34-7 at halftime. Taormina added a 34-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, while senior
Casey Bednarski connected on field goals from 32 and 26 yards out to give MSU the 47-7 win.
Minnesota State will learn its NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday during the NCAA Selection Show. The selection show is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m., and will be stream on NCAA.com.
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