By: Madie Brink
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Sioux Falls Football team (3-3, 2-3 NSIC) hits the road for a Saturday evening matchup at Southwest Minnesota State (1-4, 1-4 NSIC) in Marshall. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. as part of SMSU's Homecoming festivities. After dropping a heartbreaker to No. 8 Augustana last weekend, 29–28, the Cougars look to get back in the win column and build momentum heading into the second half of NSIC play.
INSIDE THE SERIES
SERIES HISTORY: Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State meet for the 17th time, with the Cougars holding a commanding 12–4 series lead. Since joining the NSIC, USF has dominated the matchup, consistently combining a balanced offensive attack with strong defensive play. The Cougars won last year's meeting 41-14 at Bob Young Field, holding the Mustangs to under 180 total yards while forcing four turnovers.
THE LAST TIME: In last season's regular-season finale, Sioux Falls closed the 2024 campaign with an emphatic 41–14 win over Southwest Minnesota State at Bob Young Field. The Cougars came out firing, scoring on their opening drive and building a commanding 31-7 halftime lead behind the steady play of quarterback
Camden Dean, who collected over 220 yards of offense and three touchdowns. The offensive line dominated the trenches, paving the way for more than 260 rushing yards as USF controlled time of possession and tempo throughout the game.
Defensively, the Cougars were relentless, limiting SMSU to under 180 total yards while forcing multiple turnovers.
Mauloa Wells and
Garret Hoffman led a unit that consistently pressured the Mustang backfield and held their offense to just one score after the first quarter. The victory capped another winning season for USF and extended its stronghold in the series.
THE COUGAR FILE
QUICK HITS: Sioux Falls will aim to rebound from last week's one-point loss by reestablishing control on both sides of the ball against a rebuilding SMSU team. The Cougars' offensive balance has been key all season — averaging nearly 200 yards rushing and 245 passing per game — while the defense has created nine turnovers through six games. Saturday's matchup also provides a chance for the Cougars to regain momentum in the NSIC South Division standings and continue their dominance in the series.
PREGAME TIDBITS: The Cougars enter the week averaging 30.33 points and 438 yards per game behind one of the league's most balanced and efficient offenses. Senior quarterback
Camden Dean continues to lead the charge with 1,622 yards of total offense and 13 touchdowns through six games. Dean has passed for 1,313 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for 309 yards and four more scores, ranking among the NSIC's top five in total offense. In the backfield,
Bubba Tann III has been the workhorse, carrying 94 times for 416 yards and five touchdowns, while
Christian Nash (240 yards, two TDs) and
Jordan Smith (100 yards, one TD) add depth and explosiveness.
USF's receiving corps has been just as dynamic, led by
Hank Brown Jr., who ranks among the NSIC leaders with 50 catches for 601 yards and a touchdown while also adding a 13 yard rushing score.
Isaiah Emanuel has been a big-play threat with 299 yards and four scores, while
Christian Janis and
Dahlton Wood have each added multiple touchdown receptions. The Cougars' offensive line, anchored by
Jarome Jackson and
Ryan Ziegelbauer, has provided consistent protection, allowing Dean time to extend plays and push the ball downfield.
Defensively, USF continues to play with aggression and discipline, led by
Garret Hoffman (27 tackles, two interceptions),
Isaac Rudningen (23 tackles, one interception), and
Mauloa Wells (19 tackles, one interception). The front seven has shown flashes of dominance, with
London Kolb recording six tackles for loss and
Mouhamed Diawara contributing 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. The Cougars have forced nine turnovers through six games, including four interceptions.
Special teams have also played a major role in USF's success this season.
Adonis Hutchinson provided one of the highlights of the year with a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown, while kicker
JT Frieders has converted 20 of 21 extra points and added a 37-yard field goal. Overall, USF continues to embody the physical, hard-nosed identity that has defined the program's long-standing success, entering Saturday's matchup focused on execution, consistency, and getting back above .500 in the NSIC standings.
As a team, USF has excelled in time of possession, leading the conference while controlling the ball for nearly 35 minutes per game, and has been sharp on third down, converting at a 51.2 percent rate — one of the best marks in the conference. Offensively, Sioux Fall leads the conference with nearly 2,630 yards of total offense.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
PREGAME TIDBITS: Southwest Minnesota State enters its Homecoming weekend with a 1–4 overall record and a 1–4 mark in NSIC play following a 63–28 loss at Minnesota Duluth. The Mustangs' lone win came on Sept. 13 with a 12–7 road victory at Jamestown. Offensively, SMSU has struggled to find rhythm, averaging just 11.6 points and 226.4 yards per game, including just 30.6 rushing yards per contest. Quarterback Macloud Crowton has thrown for 908 yards and three touchdowns on 73 completions, while Colin Maher leads the receiving unit with 22 receptions for 275 yards and one score. Running back Jacob Honstetter provides the primary rushing threat with 91 yards and two touchdowns, including a season-long 75-yard run earlier this year.
Defensively, the Mustangs are allowing 42.4 points and 428.8 yards per game but have shown flashes of playmaking ability. Gideon Ervasti leads the team with 36 tackles and two sacks, while Cam Enright and Josiah Hedensten have each recorded 26 stops. Parker Knutson has emerged as one of the NSIC's interception leaders with five picks and four pass breakups, while Logan Booth adds 22 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss. Mason Carver handles all kicking duties, averaging 38.2 yards per punt and connecting on both of his field goal attempts this season.
SMSU HEAD COACH SCOTT UNDERWOOD: Scott Underwood is in his fourth season as head coach at Southwest Minnesota State University in 2025, guiding the Mustangs through a steady rebuild since taking over the program in January 2022. The 11th head coach in team history, Underwood led SMSU to its most wins since 2018 during his first season, highlighted by a 4-1 start and the program's first four-game winning streak since 2015.
A veteran coach with over 15 years of head coaching experience, Underwood owns a career record of 93-83, including 86 victories during a highly successful 12-year tenure at St. Cloud State (2008–19). A three-time NCAA playoff qualifier and the 2011 NSIC Coach of the Year, he guided SCSU to seven winning seasons and a school-record 12 victories in 2013. Prior to his head coaching stops, Underwood served as defensive coordinator at several programs, including the University of Sioux Falls from 1993–96, where he helped lead the Cougars to three NAIA playoff appearances and the 1996 NAIA Division II National Championship.
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