SIOUX FALLS -- After registering a come-from-behind rivalry win in the "Key to the City" game, University of Sioux Falls Football Team (3-2, 1-0 NSIC South) will face another NSIC South challenge when they travel to meet Southwest Minnesota State  (2-3, 1-0 NSIC South) at 5 pm on Saturday, Oct. 9 at Mattke Field in Marshall, Minn.

This  game has a late start with SMSU hosting its homecoming. USF is 2-0 against SMSU on the Mustangs' homecoming while SMSU is 24-27 overall but 7-13 since 2000 in those games.

Follow Along - 

Fans can also tune into the radio broadcast on KWSN with veteran announcer Tom Frederick and analyst Tim Hiatt with sideline reporter Chad Birger. Click here for live video, live audio and live stats will be available at USFCougars.com.   

How Things Stand - USF vs. SMSU - 
Both teams will look to move to 2-0 in the NSIC South after earning victories a week ago in their divisional opener.  The Cougars enter the game at 3-2 after earning a 28-26 come-from-behind win in the "Key to the City" game with Augustana at Bob Young Field. With the victory, the Cougars increased their series lead over the Vikings, 7-2, in the "Key to the City" series which began in 2012. In the win, the Cougars were led by redshirt freshman quarterback Adam Mullen who had a career-high 26 completions on 36 attempts for 251 yards and tied his career-high with three TDs. USF rallied to take a lead late when Mullen hit Dominic Pegley with a 26-yard TD pass. Jacqueze Lockett had two TDs (receiving, rushing). The USF defense ended the Vikings' hope when Giovanni Purpura had his second career interception at the USF 30-yard line. SMSU rallied for a 20-14 win over Upper Iowa a week ago. 

NSIC Rankings -

Scoring -- USF, 9th, 30.6 ppg; SMSU, 11th, 22.2 ppg

Def. Scoring -- USF, 5th, 23.0 ppg; SMSU, 9th, 29.2 ppg

Total Defense -- USF, 4th, 356.0 ypg; SMSU, 9th, 403.2 ypg

Rushing -- USF, 3rd, 196.6 ypg; SMSU, 6th, 145.4 ypg

Def. Rushing -- USF, 4th, 92.0 ypg; SMSU, 8th, 128.8 ypg

Passing -- USF, 9th, 216.8 ypg; SMSU, 14th, 157.4 ypg

Def. Passing -- USF, 7th, 264.0 ypg; SMSU, 11th, 274.4 

Quick Look-in at the Cougars -

The Cougars, directed by fifth year head coach Jon Anderson (26-13 overall, 26-11 in the NSIC), opened the season with a 24-16 setback to Bemidji State on Sept. 2 at Bob Young Field. In week two, USF rolled past Minot State, 49-10, as Adam Mullen threw for three TDs and 199 yards while Thuro Reisdorfer recorded his second straight 100-yard rushing game of the season and seventh of his career after gaining 124 yards on 16 carries and TDs of two and 44 yards two weeks ago. Then the Cougars returned home and rolled to a 50-14 win over Concordia St. Paul by rushing for 388 yards - 8th best in the DII era. The Cougars had 549 yards of total offense - a season high while hold CSP to -14 yards. Thuro Reisdorfer led USF with 160 yards rushing on 14 carries with three first-half TDs. Then, USF passed for 276 yards and rolled up 442 offensive yards but fell at Northern State, 41-10. It was USF's first-ever loss in the DII era to Northern State. In game five, the Cougars had 256 yards in total offense, including 251 through the air as Mullen had three TD passes including the game-winning throw to Dominick Pegley with 2:53 to play. USF defeated Augustana for the 7th time in nine "Key to the City" games since USF joined the NSIC in 2012. 

How USF stands in NCAA DII - 

In NCAA statistics, the Cougars rank first in blocked punts with three. USF is 16th in first down offense with 115 and ranked 22nd in punt return defense with just 2.5 yards allowed per return. In rushing defense, USF is 23th with 92.0 yards allowed per game. The Cougars rank 29th in rushing offense at 196.6 yards per game. In addition, USF was 21st in sacks allowed with three this season. The Cougars also rank 42nd in total offense at 412.4 yards per game. Individually, Thuro Reisdorfer is eighth in rushing yards per carry at 7.12. He is 17th nationally in rushing yards with 527 and 25th in rushing TDs with five. Also, Reisdorfer is 19th in rushing yards per game at 105.4. Redshirt freshman quarterback Adam Mullen is 21st in DII and leads the NSIC in completion percentage at 65.3 percent while sitting 33rd in completions per game at 19.60. Freshman kicker Nicholas Hernandez is 15th in DII and second in the NSIC with 80 percent field goal made percentage (4-of-5). Dominic Pegley ranks second in DII with a punt return TD and is first in the nation with two blocked kicks (punts).

USF has a long legacy of excellence - 

Beginning in 1902 and continuing into the 21st century, the USF program has thrived on high expectations through a rich tradition heaped in excellence. The Cougars have 454 wins (454-419-20), 26 consecutive winning seasons and have earned postseason NCAA DII playoff berths in four of the last five seasons. It is a program that has four national NAIA championships and 20 conference crowns including the 2016 team that was unbeaten in NSIC play. 

USF has had at least six wins in every season in the NSIC and a winning run in DII of nine years, including 5-4 in the transition year from NAIA to DII in 2011.  The Cougars began NSIC play in 2012 and had a 9-2 mark while earning their first DII ranking (as high as No. 17). In 2014 USF opened 10-0 (11-1 overall) and later advanced to the Mineral Water Bowl, which they won 42-10 over Central Oklahoma of the MIAA. The Cougars earned their first NCAA DII playoff berth in 2015 (9-3 season) and won the NSIC with an unbeaten record (11-0, 12-1 overall). In 2016, USF earned a first-ever DII playoff win with a 34-21 win over Azusa Pacific as USF advanced to Sweet 16 in 2016. In 2017, the Cougars had the league's top defense and was ranked in the top five nationally in a 9-3 season which included another playoff berth in Anderson's first season as head coach. In 2018, the Cougars finished 7-4 with a 5-2 mark tied for second in the NSIC South. In 2019, USF was 8-4 with a 4-3 record in the South but earned a NCAA DII postseason bid for the second time.

Series Breakdown - Cougars hold a 9-3 lead over SMSU with eighth straight wins -

 As the teams meet for the 13th time, USF will look for a ninth straight win in the series. In the last meeting, the Cougars took a  51-7 victory over Southwest Minnesota State at Mattke Field on Saturday (Sept. 21). USF, which outgained SMSU, 564-to-160 in total yards and had a 358-to-6 edge in rushing yards, controlled the game from the opening whistle.  Offensively, USF registered its most yards in total offense since rolling up 616 in a win against Upper Iowa last Nov. 2. With Watson out with injury, redshirt sophomore Thuro Reisdorfer (13-113-4 TDs) and redshirt freshman Ja'Tai Jenkins  (10-102, TD) rushed for over 100 yards for the first time in their careers. And, USF accumulated 358 rushing yards. USF, which averaged eight yards per carry (45-358) scored seven rushing touchdowns for the first time since 2009 when the Cougars defeated Concordia (Neb.), 80-0.  In 2018, 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. 

Series - USF is 5-1 in Marshall and 4-2 in Sioux Falls.  USF is 8-0 against SMSU in league play. 

Sept. 21, 2019 -- USF 51 SMSU 7 -- Mattke Field

Sept. 15, 2018 -  #23 USF 39 SMSU 21, Bob Young Field

Sept., 30, 2017 -- #5 USF 24 SMSU 10, Mattke Field

Oct. 9, 2016  - #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. 

Reviewing the Mustangs -

SMSU has won two straight road games and will be looking for its first three-game winning streak since 2018. The team is led by 12-year Head Coach Cory Sauter, who has a 47-71 record with a 44-69 mark in NSIC games. Junior running back Jesse Sherwood ranks first on team with 360 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 60 carries. He rushed for a career-high 178 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries at Concordia-St. Paul on Sept. 25. Sherwood was the first SMSU player to reach 150 or more yards rushing in a game since Max Simmons versus Upper Iowa on Sept. 22, 2018.  •Senior quarterback Andrew Haidet has completed 48 of 96 passes for 607 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He also ranks second on the team in rushing with 222 yards and three touchdowns on 42 carries. All-NSIC linebacker Onte Burns averages 10.6 tackles per game. A week ago, SMSU won against Upper Iowa, 20-14, despite rushing for seven yards. However the y rallied from 14-0 halftime deficit to earn the victory. 

Team Captains for USF
Head Football Coach Jon Anderson named the team captains for the 2021 season prior to the first game. The captains, selected by vote of the team, include seniors Ty Smith, Harvey Enalls, Joey Wehrkamp and junior Thuro Reisdorfer, all of Sioux Falls. 

Reisdorfer ranks 2nd in NSIC In rushing - 8th in DII in avg. per carry
All-NSIC junior running back Thuro Reisdorfer, who earned this season earned offensive player of the week in the NSIC, has continued to progress up the USF season and careeer charts as a junior running back for USF. He ranks second in the NSIC at 527 yards (17th, DII) on 74 carries for a league-high (8th, DII) 7.1 yards per carry and ranks second with 105.4 yards per game (19th, DII). The Sioux Falls Washington prep has totaled three100-yard plus rushing games this season and now has eight in his career which ranks 10th all-time at USF. He has a career-best four straight 100-yard rushing games dating which began with the Colorado Mines playoff game in 2019 and continued through the first three weeks of the 2021 campaign. This season, Reisdorfer has 22 carries for 150 yards against Bemidji State; 16 carries for 124 yards and two TDs against Minot State;14 carries for 160 yards and three TDs against Concordia St. Paul and 17 carries for 75 yards against Northern State. Reisdorfer, who rushed for 1,150 yards as a sophomore in 2019 and was named second team All-NSIC, has pushed his career total to 1,779, which places leaves him just 23 yards from passing Andre McWell (1994-95), who had 1,801 yards. Reisdorfer has 24 career TDs with 19 by rushing.

Other Player Profiles - Look at career, season and game numbers 

WR -- Ty Smith (6-5, 209, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) 

Season -- 12 receptions - 173 yards - 0 TDs - long of 44 yards

Career - 77 receptions - 1,100 yards - four TDs. 

Game -- 110 yards vs. Minn. State on Nov. 11, 2017 and eight receptions against Upper Iowa on Oct. 27, 2018. 
 

Season  -- 29  receptions -- 371 yards -- 3 TDs - Long of 43 yards - 2 blocked punts - special teams TD on return punt 20 yards

Game -- 8 receptions (Bemidji State, Augustana, 2021); 94 yards (Minot State, 2021; TDs (1 vs Bemidji State, Concordia St. Paul and Augustana). 
 

Season -- 4 receptions -- 42 yards -- long of 25 yards

Career - 11 career receptions - 207 yards -- 2 TDs

Game -- 2 receptions - 65 yards -- Minnesota Crookston, 2019 -- long 44 yds.
 

Season -- 97 completions -- 149 attempts -- 65.3 completion rate -- 2 int. -- 8 TDs -- 1,035 yards -

Game -- 26 completions (Augustana, 2021); 39 attempts (NSU, 2021); 276 yards (NSU, 2021), 3 TDs (Augustana, Minot State).
 

Season -- 14 tackles, 9 solo stops -- TFL, Sack

Career -- 18 games played -- 28 solos, 26 assists, 54 tackles -- 4 TFLs -- FF -- FR

Game -- 7 tackles vs Augustana (2021)
 

Season -- 13 tackles , 10 solos -- 7 TFLs -- 3 sacks -- 3 pass break ups -- FF - FR

Career -- 40 games played -- 65 solos, 43 assists, 108 tackles -- 26 TFLs-- 11 sacks -- 8 pass breakups -- 3 FF -- 3 FR
Game -- 9 tackles, six solo stops vs Bemidji State on 10-6-18; 7 solo stops vs Northern State, 2018

Season -- 13 solos 3 assists - 16 tackles -- 2 breakups

Career -- 39 games -- 74 solos, 44 assists, 118 tackles -- 3.5 TFLs -- 10 pass breakups -- 2 interceptions

Game -- 13 tackles vs Colorado School of Mines, 11/23/19 playoffs
 

Season -- 14 solos, 5 assists, 19 tackles --- 1 TFL, 1 sack 2 pass breakups

Career -- 38 games -- 91 solos,  153 career tackles -- 13.5 TFLs -- 9.5 sacks - five fumble recoveries

Game -- 13 tackles vs Colorado Mines, 11/23/19 playoffs; Bemidji State, 2018
 

Season -- 6 solos -- 11 tackles -- 2 TFLs -- Sack

Career -- 17 games played -- 28 solos, 50 tackles -- 7 TFLs -- 4 passes broke up

Game -- 8 tackles vs. Minnesota State, 11-9-2019
 

Season -- 15 solos, 24 tackles -- 3 TFLs - pass breakup

Career -- 17 games -- 22 solos, 34 tackles -- 3 TFLs

Game -- 9 tackles vs Bemidji State, 9-2-21
 

Career -- 15 games -- 122 attempts -- 634 yards -- 5 TDs -- long of 51

Season -- 16 carries - 55 yards -- TD -- long of 29 yards

Game -- 10 carries, 102 rushing yards, TD vs SMSU, 9-21-19
 

Season -- 19 solos, 21 tackles; 4.5 TFLs, sack, int., 3 breakups, FF

Career -- 17 games -- 36 solos, 53 tackles; 5.5 TFLs, 8 passes defended, FF, 2 int.

Game -- 9 tackles vs Augustana, 10-2-2