FAYETTE, Iowa --- The Minnesota State football team got back on track Saturday afternoon on the road as it shutout the Upper Iowa Peacocks 58-0.

With the win, MSU improves to 5-2 on the season, while UIU drops to 0-7. This is MSU's first shutout dating back to Oct. 26, 2019 when the Mavericks shutout Minnesota Crookston 81-0. 

The first quarter saw the Mavericks score three touchdowns to take a 20-0 lead. MSU's first drive was capped off with a three-yard touchdown pass from senior JD Ekowa to sophomore Blake Ver Mulm. Ekowa would then reach the end zone on an 11-yard run on MSU's second drive of the game to put MSU up 13-0. Senior Nyles Williams added a 13-yard touchdown run of his own on the Mavericks' following drive to the put Minnesota State up 20-0. The touchdown run by Williams was set up by senior Ty'Shonan Brooks who returned an interception 27 yards to the UIU 13.

The Mavericks added two more touchdowns in the second quarter, both of which came via touchdown passes from Ekowa, to take a 34-0 lead into halftime. Ekowa first connected with freshman Gabe Hagen on a 10-yard touchdown pass, before he hooked up with senior Parker Gloudemans on an eight-yard touchdown pass to put the Mavericks up 34-0.

MSU added two more scores in the both the third and fourth quarter to lock down their 58-0 win. This is the third time during their all-time series that the Mavericks have shutout the Peacocks and the first time since the 2005 season (38-0).

MSU's first score of the third quarter came via a 25-yard touchdown pass from Ekowa to junior Jalen Sample with 13:50 to go. Less than seven minutes later, Brooks returned an Upper Iowa punt 68 yards for a touchdown marking the second time this season that he has returned a punt to for a touchdown.

The fourth quarter saw freshman Damian Chowaniec connect on a 45-yard field goal to put MSU up 51-0, before freshman Christian Vasser notched a four-yard touchdown run to bring the final score to 58-0.

As a unit, MSU tallied 521 yards of offense against the Peacocks, while UIU managed just 293 yards. MSU notched 368 passing, with Ekowa notching career-highs in both passing yards (286) and touchdown passes (4). Ekowa also notched a touchdown carry, while sophomore Kaleb Sleezer posted 39 rushing yards.

Williams led the Maverick receiving corps with four catches for 90 yards, while Sample caught three passes for 79 yards. Gloudemans added 67 receiving yards also.

Senior Amiri Finner led MSU in tackles with nine, while both Brooks and freshman Joey Goettl recorded an interception. As a unit, the Maverick defense tallied eight tackles for a loss.

Minnesota State returns home on Saturday, October 23, as it takes on the #22 Augustana Vikings at Blakeslee Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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