GRAND FORKS, N.D. --- The #3 Minnesota State football team kept things rolling Saturday evening at Alerus Center as the Mavericks shutout Minnesota Crookston 81-0.
With the win, the Mavericks improve to 8-0 on the season, while the Golden Eagles fall to 0-8. MSU has now won its last 32 NSIC games. This is MSU's first shutout victory since its 36-0 win over Northern State during week four of the 2017 season.
Head Coach Todd Hoffner also picked up his 100th career win with the Mavericks, becoming just the second coach in program history to do so, with the first being Dan Runkle who recorded 108 career wins at Minnesota State.
The 81 points scored by the Mavericks passed the previous single-game record of 74 points set against the University of Mary last week. MSU's 81 points fell just shy of the NSIC record of 85 points scored by Michigan Tech vs. Southwest Minnesota State back in 1975.
In total, the Mavericks posted 678 yards of total offense, while limiting the Golden Eagles to 148 yards. MSU did most of its damage on the ground as it tallied 402 rushing yards. UMC managed just 39 rushing yards.
Senior Shane Zylstra recorded 128 receiving yards and two touchdown catches, and is now MSU's all-time leader in receiving yards with 3,536, passing Josh Nelsen's previous mark of 3,484 receiving yards.
Freshman Kaleb Sleezer led the Maverick rushing attack with 135 yards and a touchdown, while freshman Chase Devitt tallied 112 rushing yards and a touchdown. Senior Nate Gunn and junior Justin Taormina each recorded three rushing touchdowns as well.
Senior Ryan Schlichte threw for 134 yards and a touchdown, while junior JD Ekowa added 71 passing yards and a touchdown.
Juniors Cole Schroedermeier and Brayden Thomas led the Maverick defense with seven tackles each. Thomas also notched four sacks and is the first Maverick to record four sacks in a game since Joshua Gordon did so against Augustana back in 2015.
Schroedermeier and senior Alex Goettl each recovered a fumble, while senior Spencer Hermus intercepted a pass.
As a unit, the Maverick defense 10 tackles for a loss and nine sacks.
Minnesota State returns to Blakeslee Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2, as it takes on Wayne State in its final regular season home game of the season. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
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