SIOUX FALLS -- The University of Sioux Falls Football Team (3-2, 3-2 NSIC South), which leads the NSIC and ranks second in NCAA DII in total defense, will face Minnesota Crookston (0-5, 0-5)  in a South-North battle at noon on Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D.

USF is playing the second of four straight NSIC North foes as they face UMC before hosting nationally-ranked Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 19 and playing at Northern State on Oct. 26.  The game will be available on stretch internet by clicking here or listen live with Tom Frederick and Tim Hiatt and also follow on live stats.

The Cougars are headed back to thr Alerus Center where they stand 1-1 but will play there and indoors for the first time as a DII school. The game was moved to the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D., with a 12 p.m. kickoff. due to a forecast of snow and high winds on Friday and Saturday in Crookston, Minn.

The gates of the Alerus Center, located at 1200 S 42nd Street in Grand Forks, N.D., will open at 11 a.m. Tickets will be $10 for adults, $5 for grades 1-12, and $5 for senior citizens. Fans can enter through Entrance 1 at the Alerus Center with seating available on the East side of the Alerus Center. Concessions will be available inside the Alerus Center. Parking will be free for Saturday's game between Minnesota Crookston and Sioux Falls., USF has played twice in the facility with a 1-1 record against North Dakota when the Cougars were in the NAIA and UND was FBS. On Nov. 5, 2011, UND's Zeb Miller kicked a game-winning 29-yard field goal in the closing seconds as then No. 25 ranked UND upended USF, which had led 13-7 earlier in the game. In 2011, USF finished 5-4 and was in its transitional year to NCAA DII. In their first-ever appearance at the Alerus Center, the Cougars upset UND, 28-13, on Oct 17, 2009 when USF finished 15-0 with its fourth NAIA national championship. In USF's 28-13 win over UND, the Cougars registered three interceptions, including two by Trevor Holleman, and quarterback Lorenzo Brown threw for 237 yards and three TDs while running for 100 yards on 19 carries with a TD.

The Alerus Center is a premier sports venue in North Dakota. It was opened in 2001 and is the home for University of North Dakota football, as well as many large concerts, sporting events, and trade shows.

#How the game sets up

The Cougars, which is in a four-way time for second place in the NSIC South at 3-2, will play their third road game of 2019 and stand 1-1 with a 51-7 win at SMSU and a 41-17 set-back to Concordia St. Paul.

#Game Rewind - Coo defeat U-Mary, 39-0

Last week, the Cougars rolled to a 39-0 win over U-Mary as they recorded their first shutout in 23 games, dating to a 34-0 shutout of Minnesota Crookston at Bob Young Field on Sept. 23, 2017.  USF's defense, coordinated by Nick Benedetto, held U-Mary to just 260 yards on 73 plays or 3.5 yards per play. Ryan Nieman had a 37-yard interception return for a TD and USF forced two fumbles, recorded five sacks with eight tackles for loss in a dominating defensive effort. USF's offense, directed by coordinator Jim Chapin, rolled up 419 yards on 61 plays with 184 rushing yards and 235 yards through the air. The senior combination of quarterback Walters and Johnson produced big dividends on Saturday.

Walters had 295 yards in total offense while completing 13-of-24 passes for 235 yards and three TDs. Johnson, who set a career-high with 10 catches a week ago, had eight more receptions for a career-high 186 yards and three TDs.  Johnson tied his career-high in TD receptions with three which he set on Sept. 15, 2018 against Southwest Minnesota State. As for his 186 yards, Johnson registered the most receiving yards by a USF player at the NCAA DII level and has the highest total since Grant Brecher had 10 catches for 187 yards and a TD vs. Dana on Oct. 18, 2003. Overall, Johnson's yardage total ranks sixth all-time at USF. As for USF's rushing offense, redshirt sophomore Ja'Tai Jenkins led the way with 13 carries for 80 yards and a TD. Walters added 60 yards on eight carries.

Nieman, who has three interceptions (six in his career) for 129 yards, scored USF's first defensive TD since Parker Gregston had a 75-yard pick six against Augustana in a 51-13 road win on Sept. 22, 2018. USF has 45 defensive/special team touchdowns since 2010 and Nieman's nifty return gave the defense its 30th TD in that span. Of that total, 20 of the TDs have happened at Bob Young Field and it was the 25th defensive TD in USF's DII era.

USF ranks second nationally in total defense by allowing just 220.4 yards in total offense per game. Only Harding at 196.8 yards per game (984 total yards) is ahead of USF. On 306 plays, opponents have 1,102 yards or 3.60 yards per play, which ranks second to No. 5 Tarleton State at 3.58 yards per play. In total offense, USF is 37th in DII at 425.8 yards per game.

#Cougars have registered 71 victories at DII level

The University of Sioux Falls is  66-21 (.780) since joining the NSIC (64-18 in league games)  and 71-25 (.740) all-time in NCAA DII. USF is 39-13 (.750) mark against South opponents and 25-4 (.860) vs. the North. The Cougars are 30-10  (.750) in road NSIC games and 34-7  (.830) in home NSIC games. In North Division road games, the Cougars are 11-3 overall and 14-1 at home against NSIC North teams. USF stands 21-6 against South opponents at home and is 19-7 on the road. To top off the impressive number USF has 25 straight winning seasons, which ranks fourth across all NCAA divisions.

#Coo own an 3-0 series edge over Minnesota Crookston

The two schools have meet just three times, twice in Sioux Falls, as Cougars own a 3-0 series lead. However, this will be the first meeting on a neutral field as a snowstorm in the Midwest has caused officials to move the game indoors to the Alerus Center on the University of North Dakota campus in Grand Forks, N.D.  A year ago, the Cougars registered a 34-0 win over the Golden Eagles at Bob Young Field.  With an offense churning out 296 rushing yards and a defense that produced its first shutout since 2015, the #7 USF put together a 34-0 victory over Minnesota Crookston before 1,520 in attendance on a rainy, humid night at Bob Young Field. On a night when the start of the game was delayed 30 minutes due to lightning in the area, USF registered its 16th straight in NSIC play and kept the Cougars at the top of the league standings. For USF, the shutout was the first since a 49-0 road win over Concordia-St. Paul on Oct. 31, 2015 in St. Paul, Minn. USF allowed just 154 yards on 62 plays or 2.5 yards per play to Minnesota Crookston. USF was allowing just 29 yards rushing per game coming into tonight's game and permitted only 28 yards on 33 carries or less than a yard per tote.The defense was led by senior defensive back Ayinde Warren who had a team-high seven tackles, two tackles for loss and his third interception of the season. Also for the defense, senior all-league linebacker Kyle Campiotti had five tackles and one of the three sacks by USF, Also recording sacks for USF was Steven McKee and Brody Grantham.Offensively, the Cougars totaled 483 yards on 79 plays, including 296 yards rushing on 52 carries. All-American running back Max Mickey had 24 carries for 180 yards and a TD.  Senior Jason Towns had his first-career 100-yard rushing game (eight carries, 101 yards) and provided a pair of big plays, including a career-long 41-yard TD run. He also had his second punt return TD of the season, a career-best 66-yard return in the second quarter. Towns accumulated a career-best 169 all-purpose yards. USF had 26 first downs  and 187 yards passing. During the 2013 season, the Cougars picked up a 52-7 victory at Bob Young Field as the rushing attack accounted for 467 of the 680 yards in total offense. Nephi Garcia had 18 carries for 167 yards. It was the first time USF surpassed the 600-yard mark since they routed Dakota Wesleyan 63-3 on October 23, 2010.  Luke Papilion threw for 244 yards and a career-best five TD passes to lead the #9/15 University of Sioux Falls Football Team to a 45-21 victory on the road over Minnesota-Crookston at Ed Widseth Field on Sept. 12, 2015. Sophomore running back Max Mickey led the Cougars' rushing attack, going 149 yards in 20 carries with a TD. Junior Justin Fulks had 13 carries for 56 yards. 27-21 in 2001 and 13-10 in 2002.

#Inside peek at Minnesota-Crookston

Minnesota Crookston, directed by head coach Mark Dufner, who was named to the post in 2017, has opened the season 0-5.  Most recently they took a 30-7 setback to Wayne State.  UMC also lost 44-20 to MSU Moorhead; 38-0 to St. Cloud State, 27-10 to Bemidji State and 24-16 to Minot State. The Golden Eagles are led offensively by quarterback Jalin Scott, who has completed 35-of-68 passes for 505 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.  He also has 64  carries for 181 yards. Backup quarterback Tristan Robbins has 57 carries for 127 yards and  has completed 27-of-48 passes for 427 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. The leading receiver for UMC is Jonattan Mudd with 21 receptions for 308 yards and four TDs or 61.6 yards per game. Nathan Coy has 15 receptions for 228 yards or 45.6 yards per game. On defense, UMC is led by Will Cross with 39 tackles while Tysen White has 34 tackles and Austin Steele 32 stops, 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.

#Breaking down USF-U-M Crookston

In a breakdown of the USF and Minnesota Crookston, teams, the Cougars own a 30.8-to-10.6 points per game advantage. USF, which is fourth in scoring defense in the league, has allowed 16.0 points per game while UMD has give up 163 or 32.6 per game. With 21 TDs, USF is for third in the league with Bemidji State.

In total offense, USF ranks second to Minnesota State (477.6 yards per game) with 424.4 yards per game and average 5.9 yards per game with 2,12 total yards on 358 plays. The Cougars have shown good offensive balance under the direction of offensive coordinator Jim Chapin. USF has 1,154 pass yards and 968 yards rushing.  USF ranks second in rushing offense with 4.4 yards per carry and 193.6 yards per game. USF also is second to MSU Moorhead in passing offense with 230.8 yards per game and a league best 8.4 yards per pas play.  USF quarterback Caden Walters, a senior from Dodge City, Kan., leads the NSIC in passing with a 144.2 efficiency ranking and 222.8 yards per game. He has completed 81-of-132 passes for 1,114 yards and two interceptions with six touchdowns. Additionally, his 61.4 completion percentage is the best in the NSIC.

Led by Caden Walters, USF has the fourth-ranking passing offense at 229.8 yards per game. They also lead the league in pass defense and total defense. USF is allowing just 142.5 yards per game through the air and have six interceptions. Teams are completing just 48.2 percent of their passes, which ranks second in the league. USF also has two of the top six receivers with Nate Johnson averaging 85.0 yards per game on 27 catches and Karnell Collier sixth in the NSIC with 71.4 yards per game on 21 catches. Thuro Reisdorfer ranks sixth in the NSIC with 69 carries for 367 yards and six TDs. He is averaging 73.4 yards per game. Ja'Tai Jenkins has averaged 51.0 yards per game (45-255-2 TDs) as USF has solid production without the services of All-American and Harlon Hill finalist in 2018 Gabriel Watson, who has played just one game and was limited with just nine carries.

In total defense, USF is at top of the league and fourth in NCAA DII by allowing 220.4 yards per game, which includes just 389  rushing yards in five games. They have  allowed just 3.6 yards per play, which leads the NSIC and ranks second in DII.  As for UMC, the Golden Eagles ranks 13th in the NSIC by allowing 387.8 yards per game. In rushing defense, the Cougars stand third overall at 77.8 yards per game and just 2.4 yards per carry. UMC is 15th in the NSIC by allowing 234.8 yards per game.

#USF celebrating Year 100

It is year 100 for University of Sioux Falls Football. As the Cougars start the milestone year, they do it with 446 wins in school history, a 25-year streak of winning seasons, which ranks among the best across all NCAA divisions, and four postseason appearances in the past five years. In its history, the Cougars have won four NAIA national titles, an NSIC crown in 2016 when they finished 11-0 in conference play and have totaled 20 league titles.

#Former USF All-Americans Dennis Gardeck and Trey Pipkins on NFL Rosters with Cardinals and Chargers

For the 1st time, two former University of Sioux Falls Football position standouts have made NFL rosters in the same year (2019). Both five-time All-American offensive tackle Trey Pipkins and four-time All-American linebacker Dennis Gardeck have the final NFL 53man rosters. Pipkins, who was a third-round draft pick for the Los Angeles Chargers, and Dennis Gardeck, who signed as a free agent a year ago with the Arizona Cardinals and will make an NFL roster for the second straight year, have made the grade as NFL players. Pipkins, who finished his career at USF in 2018 and was a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award while earning the five All-American honors, played the 2017 season at USF with Gardeck as the Cougars made the NCAA DII playoffs. Last spring, Pipkins becomes the first-ever USF position player and second overall drafted into the NFL. Pipkins was chose with the 27th pick of the third round and 91st selection overall. Brian Hansen, the director of the FCA in South Dakota, was drafted as a punter by the New Orleans Saints in the ninth round of the 1984 draft, which was some 35 years ago. With his selection, Pipkins was the highest draft pick (third round) of any school in the area (USD, SDSU, Augustana, etc.). Pipkins was one of the elite players in DII in 2017-18 when USF was 16-7 overall and made a playoff appearance in NCAA DII in 2017. Not only was Pipkins, USF's first-ever position player to be drafted but was the first-ever USF student-athlete to compete at the NFL Scouting Combine. Pipkins, a three-time All-NSIC selection, is one of five former NCAA DII football student-athletes and the only player from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference selected for the NFL Scouting Combine in March in Indianapolis.  One of the nation's top offensive lineman in 2018 Pipkins was a USF sports management graduate (2017) and played a key role as USF earned three postseason berths and compiled a 37-11 overall record during his time with the USF program. Pipkins finished third in the balloting for the Upshaw Award (DII Offensive Lineman of the Year). Gardeck played one season at USF after transferring from West Virginia State. In that season he was named the NSIC Newcomer of the Year and to five All-American Teams. He was selected a finalist for Cliff Harris Award (Small College Defensive Player of the Year) and nominated for the Harlon Hill Trophy as DII Player of the Year in 2017.  He has made two tackles this season both solo stops. In 20 NFL games, he has 10 tackles. Originally signed by the Cardinals as a rookie free agent out of Sioux Falls in 2018, Gardeck appeared in all 16 games in his debut season. He was one of four rookies who appeared in all 16 games for Arizona in '18, joining C Mason Cole, RB Chase Edmonds and LB Ezekiel Turner.  He led all NFL rookies with 388 total snaps on special teams in 2018. Among all NFL players, only Jets WR Terrence Brooks (395) played more snaps on special teams last season. Gardeck the 2018 season with eight special teams tackles and scored his first career TD in the season finale at Seattle when he recovered a blocked punt in the endzone. It was his first TD since his senior year at Crystal Lake (IL) South High School when he returned a fumble 80 yards for a TD.

#Walters leads NSIC and ranks 20th in total offense in DII

Senior quarterback Caden Walters leads the NSIC and ranks 20th in DII in total offense at 266.2 yards per game (1,331 yards on 179 plays or 7.4 yards per play). This year, his total offense includes 276 vs CSP; 285 vs Winona State; 195 vs SMSU; 273 against Augustana and a season-high of 295 against U-Mary. Walters ranks 23rd nationally in yards per pass at 8.44 and is 34th in passing efficiency at 144.2. He has seven games of 200 yards passing or more with his career high of 283 when he was 21-of-27 with a TD and interception against Upper Iowa on Oct. 27, 2018. He has opened the 2019 season with four 200-yard passing games (217 vs. Concordia St. Paul; 215 yards vs Winona State; 281 yards against Augustana; and 235 against U-Mary). As a result, he now has completed 227-of-356 passes  for 63.76 percent for 3,081 yards with 20  touchdowns and nine interceptions in his career. He is the 12th quarterback in school history to pass the mark.

In 2019, he is 81-of-132 for 1,114 yards with six TDs and two interceptions. In the NSIC stats, he ranks first in efficiency (144.8), completion percentage (61.4 percent) and passing yards per game (222.8) while sitting second in yardage at 1,114 which is seven yards back of Kyle Saddler of Augustana at 1,121 yards. Additionally, he has been a factor with his feet. Walters has 97 carries for 362 yards and six TDs in his career. He is averaging 4.6 yards per tote this year with 47 carries for 217  yards and four TDs. He has accounted for 10 TDs (six passing, four rushing).   Walters has twice totaled 295 yards in a game. He had a career-long 59-yard run against CSP on Sept. 5 . In the win over Winona State, Walters had nine carries for a career-high 70 rushing yards.

#Reisdorfer paces rushing attack and ranks first in NSIC in scoring TDs
In the backfield, redshirt sophomore Thuro Reisdorfer has 63 carries for 337 yards and six TDs or 84.2 yards per game, which ranks fifth in the NSIC. However, he is tied for the league lead (Nate Gunn, MSU) with seven TDs for 42 points or 8.4 ppg. Nationally, Reisdorfer is 20th in rushing TDs and total TDs. So far, this season, he has 13 carries for 92 yards against CSP and 20 carries for 82 yards and his first two career TDs in the 34-12 win over Winona State. He had a a career best 113 yards and a career-high four TDs with a personal-best 50-yard TD run on 13 carries. Against Augustana, he had 17 carries for 50 yards and caught a career-first 50-yard TD reception. Ja'Tai Jenkins has 45 carries for 255 yards and 5.7 yards per carry. Two weeks against against SMSU, he had a career best 102 yards rushing on 10 carries with a career-best 51-yard TD run. Against U-Mary, he led USF in rushing with 80 yards on 13 carries and a TD. This season he has two receptions for 16 yards and a TD.

#Johnson records sixth-best receiving yardage total in school history 
In the receiving corps, USF has two of the top six pass catchers in the league, Junior newcomer Karnell Collier has accumulated 21 catches for 357 yards or 17.0 per catch and 71.4 yards per game, which ranks him sixth in the NSIC. He had his first career 100-yard receiving game in the win over Winona State with seven catches for 108 yards. Against SMSU, he had one catch for a career-best 91 yards. He set his career-high catch total with eight receptions for 89 yards against Augustana. Against U-Mary he registered two catches for 43 yards with a long 33 yards.

Senior Nate Johnson has had a big run of catches and yardage over the past two weeks when he has accumulated 18 and 268 yards of his totals of 27 catches and 425 yards, which rank fourth in the NSIC. He has three TD receptions and has five catches for 23 yards or longer. In his career, Johnson has 49 in his  career for 820  yards and seven  TDs. He had a season-career high 10 receptions for 82 yards against Augustana. Against U-Mary he tied his career high with three TDs (SMSU, 2018) and set a career-best with 186 receiving yards, which is the most at USF since 2003 when Grant Brecher had 10 catches for 187 yards. Johnson's total ranks sixth best all-time at USF.  In addition, Johnson has 542 all purpose yards this season (425 receiving, 95 punt returns, 22 kick off returns) for a team-high 108.4 yards per game. He has accumulated 1,436 career all-purpose yards (820 receiving, 364 punt returns and 232 punt returns) in 13 games or 110.46 per game.

#Grantham leads USD in tackles

On defense, senior Brody Grantham leads USF with 33 tackles. He has 21 solo stops, 4.0 TFLs, interception and pass breakup in his five games on the balanced defense employed by defensive coordinator Nick Benedetto. In his career, he has played 33 games with 135 tackles which included 72 solo stops. He has accumulated 13.5 tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Senior Ryan Nieman registered his sixth career interception  and first-ever defensive TD against U-Mary with a 37-yard return in the second quarter of a 39-0 win. He has three picks this year and 0.6 interceptions per game which ranks 11th in NCAA DII. So far, he has three interceptions for 129 yards or 43.0 yards per carry.   For his career he has 138 yards in interception returns on those six picks. He  has 23 tackles this year with 11 solos. He has 50 tackles with 33 solos in his career 

Junior defensive end Joey Wehrkamp has 15 tackles with a team-high 7.0 TFLs and four sacks and now has totaled 70 tackles with 18 TFLs and 8.5 sacks in his career. 

Also for USF, junior linebacker Harvey (Michael) Enalls has 103 career stops, 9.5 TFls and seven sacks. He has 23 tackles, four TFLs and four sacks in 2019.

Senior safety Tucker Stout has 17 tackles and 12 solo stops with an interception in 2019 as he has built his career numbers to 98 tackles with 69 solo stops an interception and fumble recovery.

#Esparza off to solid start for USF 

USF's junior placekicker Daniel Esparza earned his first career Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honor after making a career-best 50-yard field goal against Winona State. Esparza, originally of Dallas, Texas, scored 10 points as the USF Football Team earned a 34-12 victory over Winona State in a key NSIC South contest at Bob Young Field on Saturday (Sept. 14).

In his first year at USF, Esparza is perfect on his kicking as he made four of four field goals of 17, 19, 38 and 50 yards and is 16-of-18 on extra points.  Against U-Mary, there was a strong cross wind that played havoc with the kicking games both in kickoffs and extra points/field goals. Against Winona State, he made a career-best 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, which was the longest kick since former USF standout Stu Vanden Heuvel connected from 50-yards on Sept. 9, 2017 also at Bob Young Field.

USF punter Thomas Chapin is averaging 37.7 yards per punt with a long of 54 yards and six placed inside the 20-yard line. He has two punts over 50 yards and 21 punts for 792 yards. In his career, he has placed 20 punts into the 20 yard line and has nine punts of 50 yards or more with a long of 72 yards. He has 58 punts for 2,257 yards or 38.91 per punt.

#USF extends scoring mark to 166 games

Since moving to DII in 2011, the Cougars have scored 3,327 points in 96 games or 34.65 ppg. USF has scored in 166 straight games, which dates 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.