SIOUX FALLS -- The University of Sioux Falls Football Team (7-3, 7-3 NSIC), which owns the second-ranked defense in NCAA DII, will close out the regular season at Wayne State (4-6, 4-6 NSIC) in an important Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division matchup at 1 pm Saturday (Nov. 16) at Bob Cunningham Field. Fans can tune into the radio broadcast on KWSN with veteran announcer Tom Frederick and analyst Tim Hiatt. Live video and stats will be available at www.usfcougars.com.

After opening the season 2-2, the Cougars have won five of six games when they have outscored opponents, 246-to-82 with a 123-to-21 second quarter edge. In fact, USF owns a 171-37 margin in the first half of those games. In that six-game run, USF has averaged 440.2 yards (6.8 yards per play) in total offense and allowed just 262.5.

On Nov. 9, the Cougars dropped a heart-breaking 42-39 decision to No. 4 Minnesota State (10-0) at Bob Young Field. USF was the first team this year to lead MSU at halftime (17-14) and the first to hold a second half lead over the conference leaders. USF, which accumulated 371 yards in total offense and five TDs against the nation's No. 1 defense,, also was the first to lead MSU in the second half.
 

Prior to the MSU game, USF had won five straight with their most recent victory, a 47-10, road decision over Upper Iowa. In that game, USF picked up its 450th program win. It was also USF's 75th win in 100 games at the NCAA DII level.  On Saturday, 26 USF seniors will play their final regular season game but look for the team's eighth win as USF remains in the hunt for a postseason berth in the NCAA DII playoffs. The field will be announced Sunday at 4 pm (CST) on NCAA.com. The Cougars sit eighth in the current rankings with the top seven teams advancing.

 #USF clinches 26th straight winning season

After a 35-13 win at Northern State, the Cougars clinched a 26th straight winning season, which is a mark fourth best across all divisions. 

1. Linfield (Ore.), 63 years, 1956 (7-1 this year)

2. Mount Union (Ohio), 41 years, 1979 (9-0 this year)

3. Wartburg (Iowa), 27 years, 1993 (8-1 this year)

5. Hobart (Ind.), 22 years, 1997 (7-2 this year)

6. Wheaton (Ill.), 21 years, 1998 (9-0 this year)

7. LSU, 21 years, 1999 (9-0 this year)

8. Oklahoma, 21 years, 1999 (8-1 this year)

For a third straight week, USF is ranked eighth in the NCAA DII Super Region Four rankings which have been released Nov. 11 by the NCAA. USF is among four Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) teams ranked in Super Region Four. Minnesota State (10-0) ranks second while Augustana (8-2) is fifth, Sioux Falls (7-3) is eighth and Winona State (7-3) is ninth in the third of three rankings.  

The NSIC, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), the Lone Star Conference (LSC) and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) make up the 41-team NCAA Super Region Four this season. 

The Division II Football Championship provides for a maximum field of 28 teams, seven from each of the four super regions. Twelve (12) first-round games will be conducted on the campus of one of the competing institutions. The top seed in each selection region (super regional) will receive a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

The NCAA DII Football selection show is set to air on NCAA.com on Sun., Nov. 17 at 4 pm central time.

Super Region Four Rankings   

Rank School (Conf) In-Reg DII Rec

1 Tarleton State (LSC) 7-0, 8-0

2 Minnesota State (NSIC) 10-0, 10-0

3 Colo. Sch. of Mines (RMAC) 10-0, 10-0

4 Colorado St.-Pueblo (RMAC) 9-1, 9-1

5 Augustana (NSIC) 8-2, 8-2

6 Tex. A&M-Commerce (LSC) 7-2, 7-2

7 Angelo State (LSC) 8-2, 8-2

9 Winona State (NSIC) 7-3, 7-3

10. Dixie State (RMAC) 7-3, 7-3

#Walters continues to lead NSIC in total offense 

USF quarterback Caden Walters, a senior from Dodge City, Kan., who was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Oct. 14, continues to lead the NSIC in total offense and ranks third in passing.

Walters also leads the NSIC in completion percentage (60.4 percent) and leads the NSIC with 19 TD passes. A Dodge City, Kan., senior, Walters has completed 141-of-235 passes with 19 TDs against two interceptions and is first in the NSIC and 15th in DII pass efficiency ranking of 159.3. With 2,491 total yards or 249.1 per game, Walters ranks first in the NSIC in total offense per game and sits 32nd in DII. He has a career-high of 334 yards total offense in the win over Minnesota Crookston and 320 yards against No. 4 Minnesota State.  Walters had just two interceptions this season and a pass streak of 134 straight passes without a pick. Over the last six games, Walters has been a standout with a 178.42 pass efficiency ranking. He completed 74-of-127 passes (58.3 percent) for 1,188 yards with 16 touchdowns and no interceptions.

One of the league's top dual-threat signal callers, Walters has 96 carries for 424 yards (4.4 avg.) with eight TDs this season. He has 146 carries for 569 yards and 10 TDs in his career.  As for his career passing numbers, he is now 287-of-459 for 62.5 percent for 4,100 yards with 33 TDs and nine interceptions in his career. He ranks ninth in school history in passing yards 4,100 and is 12th in total offense with 4,690 yards (645 plays, 7.12 yards per play – fourth all-time).  

Coordinated by third-year coach Nick Benedetto, USF's defense is the second-ranked unit in NCAA DII at 241.7 yards per game. While USF ranks just behind Minnesota State in total defense (231.1 yards per game), the Cougars have allowed 3.87 yards per play, which is the best mark by a defense in DII. The Cougars have faced 43 more plays than MSU and allowed 106 more yards (2417-to-2311). USF also ranks ninth in DII in passing yards allowed at 151.8 yards with the 10.54 yards per pass fifth in DII. The Cougars also stand 13th in DII by allowing just 89.9 yards per game. With a pass defense efficiency ranking of 83.74, USF is second in the nation. USF ranks 32nd in DII in total offense at 434.4 yards per game and average 6.34 yards per play.

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#Series Notes - USF leads WSC, 7-0  
USF is 7-0 all-time against Wayne State College in a series that began in 2012. A year ago, the Cougars took a 26-7 win at Bob Young Field as Gabriel Watson rushed for 149 yards. On a day when 15 USF seniors were honored in a pre-game ceremony, senior defensive tackle Steven McKee led USF's defense with eight tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss in his final game in USF's purple and white. He and his USF defensive mates held WSC to 149 yards on 44 total plays. The Cougars allowed just 74 yards on 33 carries while registering four sacks, five tackles for loss with both a fumble recovery and an interception. Watson had a school record 11th straight 100-yard rushing game as he totaled 33 carries for 149 yards and a TD. As a unit, USF, which had 182 yards rushing on 46 carries against WSC USF quarterback Caden Walters completed 18-of-26 passes for 190 yards with a TD throw to Ty Smith.

31-7 win over WSC at Bob Cunningham Field. In that game, USF recorded 376 yards in total offense with 209 yards passing.  On Nov. 12, 2016, USF recorded a 30-7 win at Bob Young Field. In the victory, Max Mickey had 17 carries for 132 yards and two TDs. On Oct. 3, 2015, USF took a 59-10 victory at Bob Cunningham Field. In that 2015 encounter, Luke Papilion completed 20-of-30 passes for 311 yards and three TDs while also recording two TD runs. On Nov. 15, 2014 at Bob Young Field, the Cougars picked up a 63-28 victory on a snowy day. USF, which was ranked No. 17 nationally, was led by Nephi Garcia with 21 carries for 225 yards and three TDs. Luke Papilion also threw for 225 yards and four TDs. On Nov. 16, 2013, USF defeated the Wildcats, 35-10, at Bob Cunningham Field. Solomon St. Pierre had his first career interception return for a TD (70-yards) and Brady Rose had 111 yards rushing and two TDs.  Sioux Falls won the first-ever meeting between the two programs, 24-14, on Nov. 10, 2012 as John Tidwell had a 77-yard punt return for a TD.

2018 - Sioux Falls 26 Wayne State 7, Bob Young Field

2017 -- Sioux Falls 31 Wayne State 7, Bob Cunningham Field

2016 -- Sioux Falls 30 Wayne State 7, Bob Young Field

2015 -- Sioux Falls 59 Wayne State 10, Bob Cunningham Field

2014 -- Sioux Falls 63 Wayne State 28, Bob Young Field

2013 -- Sioux Falls 35 Wayne State 10, Bob Cunningham Field

2012 -- Sioux Falls 24 Wayne State 14, Bob Young Field

WSC is directed by head Dan McLaughlin who  is in his 15th year as Head Football Coach at Wayne State College. McLaughlin is the all-time wins leader at WSC and has a career record of 79-87 overall and 75-76 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. He is the second-longest tenured coach in the NSIC, trailing only Winona State's Tom Sawyer (24 years), and is now the longest tenured coach at WSC, surpassing Del Stoltenberg's 14-year tenure from 1969-82.

The Wildcats rolled to a 62-0 win over Upper Iowa last Saturday as they moved to 4-6 on the season. Wayne State ranks 10th in the league in scoring offense (23.1) and 10th in scoring defense (24.6). The 'Cats average 361.3 yards per game on offense (6th-NSIC), recording 193.4 yards per game rushing (3rd-NSIC) and 167.9 yards per game passing (13th-NSIC).  On defense, WSC allows 364.7 yards per game to rank eighth overall. The 'Cats give up 148.8 yards per game rushing (11th-NSIC) and 215.9 yards a game passing (9th-NSIC).

WSC is fourth in the league in sacks with 31. They are led on offense by quarterback Andy McCance who has completed 92-of-174 passes for 1,174 yards with eight TDs and 10 interceptions. Devin Mercuris leads the ground game with 627 yards on 107 carries and four TDs.Mason Lee has 30 for 384 yards and four TDs. On defense, Nicholas Joynt has 85 tackles with three TFLs and two sacks.

In the receiving corps, USF wideouts Nate Johnson, Karnell Collier and Jermaine Broadnax have accounted for 43 receptions for 926 yards and 12 TDs. Johnson had 21 receptions for 393 yards with seven TDs while Collier added 20 catches for 273 yards and three TDs while Broadnax had 12 receptions for 254 yards and two TDs.

Taking a look at their totals through the season and career, shows that Collier has 39 receptions for 587 yards and three TDs in his first season at USF. He is averaging 58.7 yard s per game (10th in the NSIC) and 15.1 yards per catch. 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. Collier caught his first career TD at USF with a 20-yard pitch and catch from Walters in the UMD win. 

Senior Nate Johnson has 40 catches for 632 yards and seven TDs. He averages 15.8 yards per catch, which is second in the NSIC, and 63.2 yards per game places him seventh in the league. In his career, Johnson has 62 catches for 1,039  yards and 11  TDs. He had a season-career high 10 receptions for 82 yards against Augustana on Sept. 26. 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 186-yard game total ranks sixth best all-time at USF.  In addition, Johnson has 863 all purpose yards this season (632 receiving, 118 punt returns, 113 kick off returns) for 86.3 per game.

On defense, senior Brody Grantham leads USF with 53 tackles. He has 34 solo stops, 6.0 TFLs, an interception and a pass breakup in his 10 games on the balanced defense. In his career, he has played 40 games with 155 tackles which included 85 solo stops. He has accumulated 15.5 tackles for loss with 4.5 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. 

Senior Ryan Nieman registered his seventh career interception  against NSU and first-ever defensive TD against U-Mary with a pick-six 37-yard return in the second quarter of a 39-0 win. He has four picks for 141 yards and a TD. In his career, he has seven interceptions. He has 33 tackles this year with 19 solos. He has 60 tackles with 41 solos and eight pass breakups in his career. 

Junior defensive end Joey Wehrkamp has 31 tackles with a team-high 8.0 TFLs, four sacks and now has totaled 86 tackles with 19 TFLs and 8.5 sacks in his career.   

Also for USF, junior linebacker Harvey (Michael) Enalls has 117 career stops, 11.0 TFLs and eight sacks. He has 37 tackles(20 solos), six TFLs and 5.5 sacks in 2019.  Plus he has three fumble recoveries which is tied for the league lead and ranks second in NCAA DII. 

Senior safety Tucker Stout has 46 tackles and 33 solo stops with five interceptions in 2019 as he has built his career numbers to 126 tackles with 90 solo stops and five interceptions, two TD interceptions returns and a fumble recovery.  Stout has recorded interceptions in four straight weeks. 12-time All-American Solomon St. Pierre is the last USF player with interceptions in four straight games as he did in 2015 when he had five in four weeks.

Senior cornerback Parker Gregston has 31 tackles with 26 solo stops, two interceptions and 1.5 tackles for loss in 2019. With 12 passes defended, Gregston ranks second in the NSIC. In his career, he has 93 tackles with 64 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss, sack, 23 passes defended, 17 pass breakups and six interceptions.

In the backfield, redshirt sophomore Thuro Reisdorfer has 133 carries for 906 yards and 12 rushing TDs or 90.6 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the NSIC in rushing yards per game.  With the 906 yards, Reisdorfer is second overall in the NSIC. Against Upper Iowa two weeks ago, he had 16 carries for 157 yards and TD runs of 58 and six yards. It was his third straight game of 100 yards or more and fourth overall this year and in his career.Reisdorfer's 98-yard TD run against Northern State is the longest offensive play in the NSIC and second longest in NCAA DII (99 yards, Daniel McCants, Tarleton State). Reisdorfer needs 94 yards to become the fourth player to reach 1,000 yards rushing in a season in the DII era (Gabriel Watson, 1957, 2018; Max Mickey, 1,763, 2016; Nephi Garcia, 1,190, 2014; Nephi Garcia, 1,068, 2013).

Reisdorfer ranks second in the NSIC in scoring with 16 total TDs for 9.6 points per game. He established a career high with 171 yards on 13 carries and two TDs against UMD. He also had 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 113 yards and a career-high four TDs with a personal-best 50-yard TD run on 13 carries  against SMSU. Against Augustana, he had 17 carries for 50 yards and caught a career-first 50-yard TD reception. Against UMC he had 135 all purpose yards which included three catches for 20 yards and a three-yard TD pass and an 80-yard kickoff return for a TD. The return was his first-ever kickoff return TD.   

Sophomore Ja'Tai Jenkins is 10th  in the NSIC in rushing at 57.0 yards per game He has 95 carries for 515 yards for 5.4 per carry and has three TDs with a long of 51.  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 three receptions for 15 yards and a TD. He added 14 carries for 92 yards against Minnesota Crookston. Against UMD, he had 12 carries for 75 yards with a long of 29 yards. Between Jenkins and Reisdorfer, USF has five 100-yard rushing games this year. In the past 21 games, USF has 18 100-yard or better rushing performances.   

Tucker Stout, Logan Dykstra, Nick Zimmerman, Caden Walters, Gabriel Watson and Brody Grantham are serving as team captains this season for USF. Dykstra, and Stout are two-year team captains.

USF has outscored opponents, 78-26, in the first quarter and 147-to-61 in the second quarter for a 225-to-87 halftime advantage. The Cougars also have a 68-33 edge in the third quarter and 68-to-42 in the fourth quarter.

The University of Sioux Falls is 70-22 (.761) since joining the NSIC (68-19 in league games) and 75-26 (.743) all-time in NCAA DII. USF is 40-15 (.727) mark against South opponents and 28-4 (.875) vs. the North. The Cougars are 33-10  (.767) in road NSIC games and 35-9  (.795) in home NSIC games. In North Division road games, the Cougars are 13-3 and 15-1 at home against NSIC North teams. USF stands 20-8 against South opponents at home and is 20-7 on the road.  

Since moving to DII in 2011, the Cougars have scored 3,534 points in 101 games or 34.95 ppg. USF has scored in 171 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.