SIOUX FALLS -- No. 24 University of Sioux Falls Football Team (1-1, 1-1 NSIC South), which has won 28-of-34 home NSIC games since joining the league in 2012, will host Southwest Minnesota State (0-2, 0-2 NSIC South) at 6 p.m. tonight (Sept. 15) on Military Appreciation Night at Bob Young Field. The game will be regionally televised by Midco Sports as the Cougars look to move to 2-0 at home and 2-1 overall.

The game, which will be sponsored by First Premier Bank/Premier Bankcard, will include a special flag ceremony as USF honors U.S. military members in celebrating Military Appreciation Night. USF is offering a special discount for game entrance to all members of the military current and past. The South Dakota Air National Guard will provide an entrance tunnel for the USF Football's team.

The Cougars, which had a 17-game NSIC road winning streak end in heartbreaking 16-15 loss to No. 11 Winona State on Sept. 8, will face an SMSU team seeking to end a 10-game losing streak that dates back to week four (Sept. 23) last season at Bemidji State. USF has defeated the Mustangs six straight times. SMSU's last victory came on Sept. 16, 2017, versus Minot State. SMSU has lost 11 straight NSIC South Division games dating back to the final two games of the 2016 season.

#MUSTANGS NOTES - The Mustangs are directed by head coach Cory Sauter, who is in his ninth season as head coach and has an overall record of 36-55, including 35-53 in conference games. Sauter's 36 victories rank second all-time in program history among 10 head coaches. The Mustangs are led on offense by senior quarterback Blake Gimbel, who ranks first in school history in completing percentage (66.9), second in completions (713), third in passing yards (7,565) and third in passing touchdowns (60). SMSU is averaging 13.5 points and 238.5 total yards per game, although they are just averaging 3.2 yards per play. The Mustangs, which will be led by freshman Trey Sachs (24 carries, 66 yards, 2 TDs) have just 50 rushing yards on the season on 61 carries for 0.8 yards per carry. However Gimble has SMSU averaging 213.5 yards through the air.

#TALLYING TOTALS - USF, which is averaging 21.0 points per game, sits fifth in the league by allowing just 20.0 points per game. Led by NSIC's leading rusher Gabriel Watson (372 yards on 56 carries, 4 TDs) and a veteran offensive line, USF ranks fourth in the league in rushing at 217.0 yards per game. The Cougars sit 11th in total offense at 379.5 yards per game, including an average of 5.9 yards per play. USF has 434 rushing and 325 through the air for 759 total yards. On defense, USF is fifth in the NSIC in total defense at 353.5 yards allowed per game. Quarterback Caden Walters has is 18-of-33 for 256 yards and two interceptions in six quarters of play.  Junior tight end Clint Sigg leads USF with six receptions for 62 yards and two TDs.

#LAST TIME - A year ago, the Cougars, ranked No. 7 in NCAA DII, defeated SMSU in Marshall, Minn., as All-American running back Max Mickey rushed for 212 yards and two TDs to spoil the Mustangs's homecoming before 3,878 in attendance. With the game knotted at 10 at halftime, USF outscored the Mustangs, 14-0, in the second half to pick up the victory. In the second half, USF's defense, which finished the season ranked in the top three nationally in rushing defense (67.8 yards per game), defensive scoring (12.5 ppg) and total defense (244.3) , held SMSU to 131 total yards, including -8 rushing yards. USF allowed just 39 total rushing yards on 32 carries.

#AT STAKE - The Cougars will look to get back on the winning track as they host SMSU.  A week ago, USF forced four turnovers and held a 355-to-354 advantage in total offense but dropped a heartbreaker to No. 11 Winona State, 16-15, at Winona.

#POWER WATSON  -- For the second straight week, junior Gabriel Watson, who is in his first season at USF, lead a rushing attack for the Cougars, which ranks fourth in the league at 217.0 per game.  Against WSU, he had 29 carries he rushed for 172 yards and a TD. He now ranks third in NCAA DII and sits first in the NSIC in rushing with 372 yards on 56 carries for 6.6 yards per carry and 186.0 yards per game. The total yards of 372 and 186.0 rushing yards per game ranks third in NCAA DII. The 372 yards by Watson is the most by a player in their first two games as a Cougar in the NCAA DII era. In just two games, he has totaled 200 and 172 yards in back-to-back weekends.

#MAGIC AT THE BOB - USF opened the season with a dramatic 27-24 win over Concordia-St. Paul when Caden Walters tossed a 26-yard TD pass to junior tight end Clint Sigg with three seconds to play. After CSP took a 24-20 lead, USF had just 26 seconds to rally. Walters completed 3-of-4 passes for 60 yards as he finished 7-of-12 for 127 yards. Sigg, who had four catches for 57 yards, caught a pair of his passes during the drive. Walters did not start the game , entering in the second half and led USF on three scoring drives. USF was led on offense by the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week Gabriel Watson, who had 27 carries for 200 yards and TD of nine, 13 and 35 yards. He led the USF offense to 404 yards in total offense. Balance was in place for USF with 208 rushing yards matched by 196 passing yards. USF also had three catches f or 60 yards from newcomer Nate Johnson..

After CSP took a 14-7 lead, USF held control in the second half, putting up a 275-to-126 yardage advantage. In fact, USF's defense held CSP to two first downs, eight rushing yards and 41 passing yards in the third quarter. CSP added 35 more rushing yards and 55 through the air in the fourth quarter. Still giving up just 43 rushing yards and 96 passing yards through the air was a strong defensive effort from USF, which lost eight starters from a year ago. As for the defense, junior linebacker Brody Grantham finished with nine tackles to lead the way. Joe Rodino, who was making his first start at linebacker, added seven with safety Nate Durfee supplying six with an interception. Dalton Elliott had five stops and a fumble recovery. USF had five tackles for loss and a sack.

#ROAD WARRIORS --  Since 2014, USF has won 21-of-25 road games. In 2014, USF was 4-1, followed by 6-1 in 2015, 5-0 in winning the league title in 2016 and 6-1 in the playoff season a year ago.  
 
#WINNERS WIN: After five nine-win campaigns in the past six years, the Cougars continue the 2018 season with plenty of momentum. A tradition of success is embedded in the program. The motto, "Winners Win" was coined by legendary and all-time USF wins leader Bob Young and continues as the program's mantra.

#FAST START- After its start a year ago, USF has opened a season 5-0 or better every year since 2014. The Cougars, which opened fall practice August 6, had an 8-0 start in 2015, 7-0 in 2015, went undefeated in league play in 2016 and started 5-0 a year ago before a loss. USF is 1-1 through two games this season.
     
#SERIES - USF, 7-3 - USF owns a 7-3 lead in the all-time series with Southwest Minnesota State, but have won six straight in a series that started in 1968. USF is 4-1 in Marshall and 3-2 in Sioux Falls. A year ago, the Cougars defeated  SMSU, 24-10 as Max Mickey rushed for 212 yards and Cougars won for the 17th straight time in NSIC play. USF also picked up its 50th al-time win in NSIC play with the defeat of the Mustangs on their homecoming. Two years ago at Bob Young Field, USF turned back SMSU, 48-28, led by Mickey, who had 15 carries for 156 yards and four total TDs, including three by rushing. USF produced 670 yards in total offense, including 428 yards on the ground and 8.1 yards per play.  In the game, USF had three players rush for 100 yards, including Mickey, Luke Papilion (122 yards) and Justin Fulks (140 yards, two TDs). In 2015, the Cougars recorded a 34-26 win at SMSU as Papilion threw for 225 yards and two TDs while rushing for 92 yards and a TD. Mickey had 99 yards rushing while Josh Angulo finished with six catches for 77 yards and a TD. In 2014, USF defeated SMSU, 44-20, at Bob Young Field. In the win, USF forced seven turnovers, including three interceptions by Solomon St. Pierre, who had a pick six (35 yards). Papilion threw for 282 yards and two TDs while rushing for 75 yards.  In the first meeting (1968) between the schools, USF took a 13-6 win over SMSU. In 1969, SMSU captured a 36-12 decision, its largest margin of victory over USF.  In 2012, the Cougars won a shootout with SMSU, 55-48, in a game that produced 1,446 yards in total offense.  In 2013, USF captured a 41-22 win. The last win by SMSU was a 24-6 decision on Oct. 20 1979.    
 
#Coo Tracks -
~With a No. 24 ranking in the AFCA Week 2 Poll, USF has been ranked for 51 straight weeks by the AFCA, which is the longest ongoing streak in the NSIC. USF was ranked No. 23 in the D2Football.com Poll, extending their streak to 50 in the media poll.   
~Five-time All-American Dennis Gardeck, who helped lead the 2017 Cougars to the playoffs, has earned a spot on the Arizona Cardinals NFL roster. Gardeck was All-NSIC, Harlon Hill and Cliff Harris finalist and NSIC Newcomer of the Year after accumulating 75 tackles, 14 tackles and 21 tackles for loss.
~In the preseason NSIC Coaches Poll, the Cougars (195 points) were picked third behind favorite Minnesota State and Winona State and just ahead of North favorite Minnesota Duluth.
~Senior offensive tackle Trey Pipkins has been named to the Senior Bowl Watch List and two preseason All-American Teams - D2Football.com and The Podyum. He has 146 career pancakes.
~Captains for the 2018 season will include Pipkins, senior wide receiver Michael Maxwell, junior safety Tucker Stout and senior All-NSIC defensive end Logan Dykstra.
~The Cougars will look to extend a 24-season streak  for winning seasons, which is the best run in NCAA.
~USF also has earned four straight postseason appearances, including three straight in the NCAA DII playoffs.
~USF has both an offensive and defensive lineman named Nick Zimmerman. On offense, one of the Nicks hailed from Rosendale, Wisc., and is a 6-3, 296 starting center. A business administration major, he has been a starter for the past two seasons at dons No. 63. On defense, the other Nick is a 6-0, 282-pound starting defensive tackle from Oceanside, Calif. Zimmerman, who has a sack, two tackles and a TFL in two starts, is in his first season at USF. He is a psychology major.

#JUST WIN BABY - USF is 55-13 (.809) overall in the NSIC, the best all-time mark in the NSIC.  USF is 62-20 all-time in NCAA DII with a 33-11 mark against South opponents and 22-2 vs. the North. The Cougars are 27-7 in road NSIC games and 28-6 in home NSIC games. In North Division road games, the Cougars are 10-2 and 12-0 at home against NSIC North teams. USF stands 16-6 against South opponents at home and is 17-5 on the road. USF clinched their 24th straight winning season with a win over Wayne State on Oct. 12, 2017. It is a streak which is unmatched in D2 and the fifth-longest streak across all divisions. The string of success began with an 8-3 season for legendary head coach Bob Young in 1994.

#GRANTHAM'S CHARGE - With 15 tackles in two games, redshirt junior linebacker Brody Grantham leads the USF defense, which has forced six turnovers, recorded six tackles for loss with three sacks and three forced fumbles. In his first game at linebacker in over a year, Trevon Coleman had a team-best nine tackles, including seven by solo stop. Senior lineman Steve McKee had nine tackles, a TFL, sack, pass breakup, forced fumbles and four quarterback hurries. All-NSIC defensive end Logan Dykstra has eight tackles. Nate Durfee, Hakeem Johnson and Shaunard Harts each has interceptions for USF.

#SCORING IT UP ON D - Through  two games has forced six turnovers but did not score on defense. A year ago in 12 games, the Cougars registered five defensive or special teams TDs which pushed their total to 38 during the DII era.  The 38 TDs by USF includes 26 on defense and 12 on special teams.

#GAME SCORING STREAK AT 153 - Since moving to DII in 2011, the Cougars have scored 2,852 points in 82 games or 34.78 ppg. USF has scored in 153 straight games, dating to a 55-0 loss to Carroll College in the final game of the 2005 season. USF recorded a DII-best 73 points vs. Minnesota State-Moorhead (Sept. 27) in 2014. The previous high was in 2011 when the Cougars defeated the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 71-0.