SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The (RV) Sioux Falls football team opens their 103rd season this Thursday, August 31, as they host No. 9 Minnesota State at 6:00pm at Bob Young Field. The 2023 season marks the beginning of the Jim Glogowski era at USF, as he makes his debut against his former institution. The Cougars open the season at home followed by two road games at the University of Mary on September 9 and the University of Minnesota Duluth on September 16.  

COUGARS v. MAVERICKS HISTORY 

The two teams faced off just 10 months ago with Minnesota State taking a 38-24 victory over the Coo. Thursday's matchup will be the 13th time the two programs will face each other with Minnesota State holding an overall 9-3 record against the Coo dating back to 1936. USF picked up their first Division II victory against the Mavs in 2016 when they secured a 24-14 on the road and again in 2021. 

The Cougars have forced 251 points on the Mavericks averaging 27.89 points every time the two faceoff. USF, historically, is 0-5 when facing MSU at home but have been 7-4 in season openers since the beginning of the DII era. 

THE COUGAR FILE 

USF is coming off an 8-3 season before seeing many changes come throughout the offseason in regards to their coaching staff and their overall roster.  

Last season the Cougars outscored their opponents 361-228 while averaging 32.82 points per game. Sioux Falls missed out on the playoffs after starting the season 7-0 followed by three losses from Winona State, Minnesota State and Wayne State and ending the 2022 season with a 50-6 win over Upper Iowa. 

Aside from graduate quarterback Adam Mullen, the Coo will have a newer backfield in junior running backs Jacqueze Lockett and Dylan Rudningen. Last season, Mullen sat third in the NSIC with 2,231 passing yards while completing 172-of-279 pass attempts and 13 touchdowns. Rudningen rushed for 289 yards last season along with 3 touchdowns. Lockett added 2 rushing touchdowns of his own while rushing for 86 yards on 25 carries. In the air, Carter Slykhuis returns after pulling down 36 receptions for 439 yards last season along with 2 touchdowns. 

On the defensive side of the ball, Sioux Falls brings back some key players in Joseph Sapp, Amaurii Grosskopf, Brady Crawford and Cal Botsford. Sapp recorded 36 tackles last season along with 8 pass break-ups and an interception. Grosskopf returns after an all-conference season where he recorded 31 tackles along with 3.5 sacks for a loss of 27 yards. Crawford forced 25 tackles last season along with 2 sacks and 4 tackles for a loss of 18 yards while Botsford recorded 16 tackles and 2.5 sacks for a loss of 17 yards and 5 QB hurries. 

THE MAVERICK FILE 

Minnesota State finished their 2022 season with a 10-3 record along with a piece of the NSIC South Division title. The Mavericks fell to Colorado School of Mine in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 48-45. 

Mankato outscored their opponents 431-303 last season while averaging 33.62 points a game. The Mavs defense allowed 23.3 points along with 358.8 yards a game during their 2022 outing. 

Junior quarterback Hayden Ekern led the herd with 1,837 passing yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for 333 yards and 8 rushing touchdowns. 

Shen Butler-Lawson led the backfield with 996 yards and 12 touchdown carries on the season while Isaiah Emanuel and Gabe Hagen combined for 30 passes for 551 yards and 4 touchdowns 

On the defensive side of the ball, Jacob Daulton, Terrell Hall and Trey Vaval return with a combined 140 tackles last season. Daulton recorded 4 sacks during his junior campaign while Hall added 11 pass break-ups. 

MORE INFO 

For all things Cougar Football, be sure to download the USF Cougars app as well as follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X. Fans can also follow along via live stats, live video and through the KWSN radio broadcast with Tom Frederick and Tim Hiatt for every Cougar Football game!