MANKATO, Minn. --- It came down to the closing seconds Saturday afternoon at Blakeslee Stadium but it was Sioux Falls that was able to defeat #7 Minnesota State 40-36.
With the loss, MSU drops to 5-1, including a 4-1 NSIC record. With the win, USF improves to 4-2, including a 3-2 conference record. The announced crowd of 7,105 fans was the second largest crowd ever at Blakeslee Stadium.
Both teams were tied at 9-9 by the end of the first quarter. USF saw its kicker Nick Hernandez kick a 35-yard field goal, before Camden Dean connected with Hank Brown on a 64-yard touchdown pass. The ensuing extra point was blocked by
Caleb Paulus. The ball was then picked up by
Jamal Spiyee who then returned it 97 yards down field for the two-point conversion. On MSU's following drive,
Hayden Ekern connected with
Gabe Hagen on a 42-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 9-9.
USF scored the only two touchdowns of the second quarter to take a 23-9 lead into halftime. Dean recorded a one-yard touchdown run, before hooking up with Carter Slykhuis on a six-yard touchdown pass. Dean then connected with Slykhuis on the two point conversion attempt.
A quick touchdown by the Cougars in the third quarter put USF up 30-9 with 11:04 to go, but MSU would not go quietly as the Mavericks cut their lead to seven less than six minutes later. MSU finished a 66-yard scoring drive with a four-yard touchdown pass from Ekern to Hagen with 8:03 left to go in the third. Then on the third play of USF's follow up drive, an interception by
Khai West set the Mavericks up on the Cougar 39. A 36-yard carry by
Christian Vasser then set up a five-yard touchdown run by
Tony Anger to cut USF's lead to 30-23 with 5:53 to go in the third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter both teams exchanged touchdowns as USF led 37-30 with 11:45 to go. Sioux Falls then went up by 10 with 8:52 to go after a 24-yard field goal by Hernandez. MSU responded with a 75-yard scoring drive that saw
Grant Guyett catch a seven-yard touchdown pass from Ekern. The Maverick extra point attempt hit the upright as USF led by four at 40-36 with 4:17 to go.
USF tried to run out the clock but on a fourth and goal at the MSU 5,
Karson Dunn intercepted a pass from Dean and returned it to the Maverick 18 with 1:07 to go. MSU completed four passes to drive up to the USF 14 with four seconds to go. Ekern's final pass into the end zone for Hagen fell incomplete as USF held on to the 40-36 win.
Ekern finished his day completing 26-of-41 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns. Hagen caught eight passes for a career-high 125 yards and two touchdowns. Vasser recorded a career-high 113 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Antonio Alzheimer led the Maverick defense with 11 tackles, while West and Dunn each recorded an interception.
Minnesota State continues its season on the road on Saturday, Oct. 12, as it takes on MSU Moorhead. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Nemzek Field.
