No. 1 University of Sioux Falls will head to the national championship game for the fourth consecutive season. USF (14-0) earned their way by defeating No. 4 Saint Xavier University (13-1) 48-6. The game was played in chilly but calm, sunny conditions at the USF Sanford Complex.

Earning offensive player of the game recognition was senior quarterback Lorenzo Brown (Bristol, Conn.), who threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns and added 133 rushing yards with another touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, fellow senior defensive back Trevor Holleman (New Holland, S.D.) took the player of the game plaque, after a 6.5 tackle, 1 tackle for a loss, and one pass break-up performance.

USF received the opening kickoff and immediately established their presence with a 14 play, 90 yard drive that ended with a six yard pass from Brown to junior receiver Jon Ryan (Watertown, S.D.). The drive saw a physical 56 yards of rushing as 8:02 was taken off the clock.

On their first drive of the game, the SXU Cougars faced a third down that was picked off by freshman defensive back Dustin Bergmeier (Omaha, Neb.) and returned 19 yards for a touchdown. It was Bergmeier's first start of his young career, filling in for the injured Dan Schmeichel. The two scores in 44 seconds stunned the SXU side.

All-GPAC freshman kicker Braden Wieking (Sioux Falls, S.D.) added three points in the second quarter, making the score a 17-0 USF advantage. Junior receiver Alex Anderson (Sioux Falls, S.D.) added one of his two receiving touchdowns at the 5:17 mark in the second quarter, with a 14 yard diving snag in the back of the end zone. USF entered halftime with a 24-0 lead over the country's No. 3 scoring offense.

The second half saw Anderson score his second touchdown, this time with a 30 yard pass on a 4th and 12 situation. On the next drive senior running back Ryan Lowmiller (Crystal Lake, Ill.) had one of his best runs of the season as he juked up field and made several defenders miss. The run of 82 yards marked the second consecutive week that Lowmiller has found the end zone from over 80 yards out. Wieking would add another three points as time expired in the third quarter, this time on a season-long 39 yards.

SXU scored their first points of the afternoon as quarterback Anthony Kropp found Mike Maher from five yards out with 9:47 left in the fourth quarter.

USF would score their last touchdown on a 52 yard run by Brown, as he found wide-open running space, before having to make several defensive backs miss, making the final score 48-6.

On the day, the Cougar's rushing attack proved potent as USF rushed for 324 yards, while holding SXU to 24 rushing yards. USF forced two interceptions, with Bergmeier's touchdown and sophomore defensive back Adam Lopez (Gillette, Wyo.) also found a SXU pass.

USF will play Lindenwood University (13-0) in two weeks in Rome, Georgia for the national title on December 19.