MOORHEAD, Minn. -- It would be an understatement to say that the #24 University of Sioux Falls Football Team got it done Saturday on both sides of the ball.
In an NSIC road encounter with Minnesota State-Moorhead, USF scored the program's most points while in NCAA Division II, rolled up a season-best 663 yards in total offense and recorded a season-best five interceptions in a 73-21 win. The win was the 399th in program history.
In that quintuple of picks, cornerback Solomon St. Pierre of Wagner, S.D., had a career-best three interceptions, including a 75-yard return for a TD in the third quarter. What made it especially noteworthy is that MSUM quarterback Jack Hodge had not thrown a pick this season before today and only had five all last season.
In a post-game interview with USF radio announcers Tom Frederick and Tim Hiatt, USF head coach Jed Stugart noted that the Cougars were prepared and ready for an explosive MSUM team, who were playing their homecoming game.
“I just think with games like these, which can be trap games, a team has to be prepared and focused,” said Stugart, who is now 37-12 at USF. “This group has bought into the 1-0 every week perspective. They were ready and continued to feed off each other and play together. No doubt I am proud of them,” he said.
For the second time this season, USF broke the 50-point mark, which means they win. When the Cougars reach 50 points, they are now 61-0 all-time and 24-0 when scoring over 60 points. They are 7-0 all-time when breaking the 70-point mark.
USF sophomore quarterback Luke Papilion led a season-best performance as he directed an offense that had the most yards (663) since gaining 680 yards vs. Minnesota-Crookston at home on Sept. 28, 2013. Papilion threw for a career-best 318 yards, hitting on 27-of-40 passes with three TDs, which tied a career-high (Winona State, Oct. 12, 2013). He also had a team-high 125 yards rushing on 17 carries with two TDs. Redshirt freshman Max Mickey also broke 100-yard rushing for the first time in his career, totaling 113 yards on 12 carries and scoring on a four-yard TD run. Senior running back Nephi Garcia had 17 carries for 42 yards with two more TDs, pushing his season total to nine. Overall, the Cougars rushing attack produced 291 yards on 52 carries. The receiving corps was led by sophomore Josh Angulo who had nine catches for 120 yards and a two-yard TD reception. Ten different Cougar receivers caught passes.
The game started with a 35-0 USF run in the first quarter which was followed by a 14-0 spurt by MSUM in the second quarter. Then, USF broke the game open with a 17-0 burst in the third quarter. After MSUM scored late in the third quarter, USF closed the scoring with 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
The Cougars got busy right away against the Dragons. After the Cougars defense forced their19th three and out in 50 possessions this year, USF struck quickly moving 51 yards on four plays with Papilion scoring on a 19-yard TD run.
On the next MSUM possession, the defense came up big again with St. Pierre recording his first interception of the day. In 3:07, USF moved 65 yards on 10 plays with Garcia taking the ball into the end zone from one yard. Brady Rose had a pair of receptions totaling 33 yards on the drive.
The Cougars added to the lead when Papilion threw his first of three TDs, connecting with Brady Rose on a 9-yard TD strike. The TD was set up by career-best 71-yard run by Mickey.
Later in the quarter, the USF defense again made a play, forcing Hodge into a second pick. USF's Grant Schindler tipped Hodge's pass which was picked by defensive lineman Devin Flesher. From there, Papilion scored his second rushing TD on an eight-yard run for a 28-0 lead with 2:26 left in the first quarter.
Papilion, who had seven carries for 111 yards in the first quarter, connected with Christian Dick on a 10-yard TD pass with three seconds left to play to build USF's lead to 35-0. The six-play 80-yard drive was set up by a third interception (John Tidwell) by the USF defense. USF outgained MSUM, 327-to-107 in the first quarter.
After USF dominated the first quarter, the Dragons rebounded with a 14-0 edge in the second quarter. MSUM scored with 6:15 to play in the second quarter after Hodge, who had 143 yards throwing and 96 yards rushing, connected with wide out Adam Jiskra on a 10-yard TD pass. Just before the end of the half, the Dragons added another score on a two-yard run by Hodge. MSUM's drive covered 71 yards in 10 plays.
Overall, the Cougars had a 378-to-296 edge in total offense in the first half. However, after cutting the 35-point deficit to 21, the momentum appeared to be with the home-standing Dragons.
Appearance was all the momentum was as the Cougars gained quick control in the third quarter. The Cougars took the second half kickoff and moved the ball 55 yards on 11 plays and senior placekicker Bradley Hatfield connected on a 37-yard field goal for a 38-14 lead with 11:44 to play in the third quarter.
After stopping MSUM, the Cougars scored again in the third quarter on a 21-yard TD run by Garcia on a 4th and two play. A key play in the drive was a 30-yard bubble screen pass to Garrett Shutt early in the drive.
On the ensuing possession, St. Pierre had his third interception of the season (fifth on the season) and returned it 75-yards for the Cougars' fourth defensive TD of the season. The play by St. Pierre moved USF's lead to 52-14 with 6:52 left in the third quarter.
MSUM changed quarterbacks and answered the score by USF. Cory Ambrose caught a 10-yard TD pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Demetrius Carr. But that was all the scoring for MSUM. USF had 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for the 73-21 final. The scores included a two-yard TD reception by Papilion to Angulo, a 10-yard run by Joseph Hlushak and a four-yard TD scamper by Mickey.
Next week, the Cougars will host Concordia-St. Paul in the annual homecoming game which will kickoff at 6 p.m. at Bob Young Field.
