SIOUX FALLS -- After a bounce-back win in game two, the University of Sioux Falls Football Team (1-1, 1-1 NSIC South) will face Southwest Minnesota State (0-2, 0-2 NSIC) as the Cougars look for a second straight victory at 1 pm Saturday (Sept. 21) at Mattke Field in Marshall, Minn in week three of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.
Last Saturday (Sept. 14) against Winona State, the Cougars opened up a 17-6 lead and scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to claim the 34-12 win at Bob Young Field. With the victory, USF picked up its 70th win at the Bob, which opened in 2007. The Cougars, directed by third-year head coach
Jon Anderson (17-8 overall, 17-7 in NSIC), also recorded their 444th all-time victory.
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Quick Review of USF's win over WSU, 34-12Senior quarterback
Caden Walters had 285 yards in total offense after setting a career-high with 70 yards rushing on nine carries. He completed 16-of-25 passes for 215 yards and a TD. Walter's total offense mark ranks second in his career at USF (Upper Iowa, 319 yards, 10-27-18, Bob Young Field). His main target was
Karnell Collier, who had a career-high seven catches for 108 yards in his first 100-yard game. Redshirt sophomore
Thuro Reisdorfer put in a second straight strong performance in relief of All-American
Gabriel Watson with 20 carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns.
SMSU falls to Wayne State in OTAs for SMSU, the Mustangs took a second straight defeat with an overtime loss at Wayne State, 19-13. After Steven Nava connected on a 20-yard TD pass to Daniel Davis with 5:26 to play in the third quarter and then Skyler Crew hit a 43-yard field goal later in the quarter, SMSU led WSC, 13-6. However Andrew McCance threw a five-yard TD pass to Jason Hawkins with three seconds left to force overtime and then hit a pass to Mason Lee in the extra period to give the Wildcats the lead. Prior to the WSC score, SMSU missed on a field goal. IN total offense, WSC ran 96 plays for 550 yards and rushed for 260 yards on 57 carries. SMSU had 185 yards in total offense on 49 plays. They had 140 passing and 28 carries for 45 yards on the ground. Two weeks ago, SMSU dropped a 38-23 decision to No. 3 Minnesota State at home. The Mavericks, which had three TD runs and 242 yards from Nate Gunn, led 25-10 at halftime. Late in the third quarter, SMSU drew within 28-23 on a Nava to Quadri Busari TD pass. However, MSU put the game away with 10 fourth quarter points. MSU had a 601-to-350 yard edge in total yards including 394-to--4 rushing edge.Â
Breaking game down - USF vs SMSU
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 In scoring offense, USF owns a 25.5 point per game to 18.0 edge against the Mustangs. Defensively, USF has allowed 26.5 ppg while SMSU is permitting 28.5 points per game. In total offense USF ranks fourth in the lead at 410.0 yards per game while the Mustangs sit at 13th with 267.5 yards per game. USF is also fourth in the NSIC in total defense at 271.5 yards per game with SMSU ranking 16th and allowing 574.0 yards per game. In terms of rushing games, USF is fifth in the NSIC with 194.0 yards per game with
Thuro Reisdorfer ranking fourth with 33 carries for 174 yards and two TDs. He is tied for third at 87.0 yards per game. SMSU had averaged 24.5 yards per game rushing or 1.1 yards per carry. Defending the rush, USF is fifth in the NSIC at 102.5 yards per game and SMSU is 16th at 327.0 yards per game. SMSU ranks sixth in the NSIC in passing as they have averaged 243.0 yards per game while USF is eighth in the league with 216.0 yards per game. Both teams have played both a road and home game. On defense, USF had four sacks and SMSU two while USF also allowed six and SMSU nine. The Cougars rank sixth in the NSIC with three interceptions and SMSU is 11th with one pick on the season.Â
USF leads all-time series with SMSU, 8-3Last Time - USF had a 500-to-339 edge in total offense and earned a 39-21 win over SMSU at Bob Young Field. While SMSU threw for 301 yards and USF 196, the Cougars had a major advantage in the rush game with a 304-to-38 margin. All-American running back
Gabriel Watson had 19 carries for 193 yards and two TDs as the Cougars averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
Caden Walters completed 12-of-17 passes for 196 yards with a career-high four TD passes. He completed three of the TD throws to
Nate Johnson, who had four catches for 87 yards and TDs of 57, 4 and 15 yards. Defensively USF was led by
Brody Grantham with six tackles and his first career interception which he returned 48 yards.
Parker Gregston had five tackles and his first career sack. USF led 12-0 after one quarter and 26-14 at halftime. With a Walters to Johnson TD pass of 15 yards, USF took a 39-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Series Record - USF owns a 8-3 lead in the all-time series with Southwest Minnesota State and have won seven straight in a series that started in 1968. USF is 4-1 in Marshall and 4-2 in Sioux Falls. USF is 7-0 against SMSU in league play.
Sept. 15, 2018 -Â #23 USF 39 SMSU 21, Bob Young Field
Sept., 30, 2017 -- #5 USF 24 SMSU 10, Mattke Field
Oct. 9, 2016Â - #7 USF 48 SMSU 28, Bob Young Field
Oct. 17, 2015 - #5 USF 34 SMSU 26, Mattke Field
Oct. 18, 2014 - #19 USF 44 SMSU 20, Bob Young Field
Oct. 5, 2013 - USF 55 SMSU 48, Bob Mattke Field
Sept. 29, 2012 - #25 USF 41 SMSU 22, Bob Young Field
Oct. 20, 1979 -- SMSU 24 USF 6, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Oct. 21, 1978 -- SMSU 13 USF 0, Marshall, Minn.
Sept. 20, 1969 - SMSU 36 USF 12, Sioux Falls
Sept. 21, 1968 - USF 13 SMSU 6, Marshall. Minn.
Inside Look at SMSU
The Mustangs are directed by head coach Cory Sauter, who is in his 10th season with an overall record of 40-62. He is 39-60 in NSIC contests. Sauter's 40 wins rank second among 10 head coach in school history. He was named the head coach on March 29, 2010 after two seasons as an assistant at SMSU. Defensively, SMSU is led by safety Garrett Chapman with 23 tackles in two games, which ranks second in the NSIC. The offensive is led by quarterback Steven Nava, who has completed 23-of-39 passes for 319 yards and three TDs. He replaced an injured Boyer Bouman, who sat out game two. Both are listed on the two deep. Wide receiver Daniel Davis has 14 receptions for 216 yards and two TDs.
USF Player Notes - Walters, Reisdorfer, Collier, Sigg off to fast starts
 Senior quarterback
Caden Walters has five 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 consecutive 200-yard passing games (217 vs. Concordia St. Paul and 215 yards vs Winona State). As a result, he now has completed 179-of-283 passes for 2,465 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. In 2019, he is 33-of-59 for 432 yards with two TDs and an interception. Additionally, he has been a factor with his feet. Walters has 70 carries for 254 yards and three TDs in his career. He is averaging 5.4 yards per tote this year with 20 carries for 109 yards and a TD. Walters 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.Â
In the backfield, redshirt sophomore
Thuro Reisdorfer has 33 carries for 174 yards and two TDs or 87.0 yards per game. 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.
Ja'Tai Jenkins has 15 carriesf or 51 yards and 3.4 yards per carry.
In the receiving corps, junior newcomer
Karnell Collier has accumulated a team-high 10 catches for 134 yards or 13.4 per catch and 67.0 yards per game. He had his first career 100-yard receiving game in the win over Winona State with seven catches for 108 yards.
Nate Johnson has seven receptions for 112 yards and now has 29 receptions in his career for 507 yards and four TDs.Â
Senior
Clint Sigg has six catches for 56 yards and a TD in 2019 playing with a cast on his hand. An All-NSIC and All-Region performer, Sigg has played 21 games and caught 39 receptions for 516 yards and 3 TDs.
Grantham, Wehrkamp, Enalls and Stout leading DÂ
On defense, senior
Brody Grantham leads USF with 14 tackles. He has nine solo stops, TFL and pass breakup in his two games on the balanced defense employed by defensive coordinator
Nick Benedetto. In his career, he has played 28 games with 116 tackles which included 63 solo stops. He has accumulated 10.5 tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Last week senior
Ryan Nieman registered his fourth career interception and now has nine tackles this year with five solos. Junior defensive end
Joey Wehrkamp has seven tackles with three TFLs and 1.5 sacks and now has totaled 62 tackles with 14 TFLs and six sacks in his career. ALso for USF,
Harvey (Michael) Enalls has 89 career stops, 7.5 TFls and five sacks. He has nine tackles, two TFLs and two sacks in 2019. Senior safety
Tucker Stout has six solo stops and an interception in 2019 as he has built his career numbers to 87 tackles with 63 solo stops an interception and fumble recovery.
Daniel Esparza named NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week
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 was perfect on his kicking as he made two field goals of 17 yards and 50 yards and all four extra points. 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. In 2019, Esparza has made all three of his field goals and converted 6-of-6 extra points. He ranks second in made field goals and his 7.5 points per game also ranks second in the NSIC.
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Cougars run scoring streak to 162 games
Since moving to DII in 2011, the Cougars have scored 3,190 points in 92 games or 34.67 ppg. USF has scored in 162 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. Â
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Gardeck and Pipkins make NFL rosters
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 53-man 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
