Oct. 25 - It was another dominating day for the USF football team, as it earned its fifth shutout in seven games this season, throttling Dakota Wesleyan, 38-0, on Saturday afternoon in Mitchell, S.D.
The Cougars (7-0, 7-0 GPAC) held the Tigers (5-3, 5-3 GPAC) to 105 total yards, and only 68 yards passing. They also forced four turnovers (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries).
In the first quarter, the Cougars got the scoring started, as
Matt Lindgren (Clark, S.D.) hit a 34-yard field goal, giving them a 3-0 lead with 2:34 remaining in the frame.
The Cougars warmed up the offense in the second, scoring three touchdowns.
Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, Conn.) found
Jon Ryan (Watertown, S.D.) for a 14-yard touchdown, making the score 10-0 at the 11:43 mark. Brown then found
Alex Anderson (Sioux Falls, S.D.) for the first of his two scores on the day, a 10-yard touchdown, upping the lead to 17-0 with 6:32 left in the half.
In the final two minutes, the Cougars went on a five-play, 79-yard drive, capped by a Brown 43-yard touchdown burst, making it 24-0, which would be the halftime score.
In the third quarter, junior tailback
Ryan Lowmiller (Crystal Lake, Ill.), who missed the previous game with an injury, punched it in from two-yards out, giving the Cougars a 31-0 lead with 7:50 to play.
The Cougars finished off the scoring, as Brown hit Anderson in the end zone again, also from 10 yards out, giving them a 38-0 advantage with 14:56 remaining in the game. The Cougars preserved the shutout in the final minute, as backup linebacker
Michael Hill (Dante, S.D.) picked off Tiger quarterback Jon Doom (Wagner, S.D.) in the end zone.
Brown finished the day with 174 yards passing and three touchdowns, while also leading the running game, gaining 72 yards on 11 carries and one touchdown. Anderson led the receivers, catching 10 passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns, while Ryan, who has missed most of the season with a broken thumb, caught four passes for 54 yards, and his first touchdown of the season.
Next up for the Cougars is a showdown with rival Northwestern College. During the game, the 1988 USF team will be honored. That team went undefeated in the regular season 20 years ago, and was the first team in school history to make the playoffs. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. at Bob Young Field.
