By: Madie Brink
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Sioux Falls Football Team (6–3, 5–3 NSIC) returns to Bob Young Field for its regular season home finale against Wayne State (5–4, 5–3 NSIC). The matchup doubles as Senior Day for the Cougars, honoring a decorated class that has helped re-establish USF among the NSIC's most balanced and competitive programs. With both teams sitting at 5–3 in league play, Saturday's meeting carries postseason implications in a deep NSIC race.
INSIDE THE SERIES
SERIES HISTORY: USF and Wayne State meet for the 13th time in series history, with the Cougars holding a 10-2 all-time advantage since the programs first met in 2012. The Cougars are 4-2 against the Wildcats at Bob Young Field, with their losses in 2022 and 2023.
THE LAST TIME: Last season the Cougars earned a gritty 23–13 road victory at Bob Cunningham Field in Wayne. The Cougars set the tone early with a 10-play, 75-yard opening drive capped by a 20-yard touchdown run from
Bubba Tann III, followed by a pair of scoring connections between
Camden Dean and
Carter Slykhuis, including a 7-yard strike just before halftime. Kicker
Nick Hernandez added a career-long 47-yard field goal late in the second quarter to give USF a 23–7 lead at the break.
The Cougar defense forced three interceptions and limiting Wayne State to just one score in each half.
Connor Aldrich,
Cain McWilliams, and
Alex Macksam each came up with a pick, while
Brendan Holt added a sack and
Andy Henson recorded right tackles to anchor a dominant defensive performance. The Cougars held the Wildcats to 1-of-5 on fourth-down conversions and just 62 rushing yards, sealing a statement win to close the 2024 road slate.
THE COUGAR FILE
PREGAME TIDBITS: The University of Sioux Falls enters its regular season home finale at 6–3 overall and 5–3 in NSIC play, riding a three-game winning streak after a 49–24 victory over Winona State. Behind one of the most balanced and efficient offenses in the NSIC, the Cougars rank second in the conference in total offense (454.0 YPG), third in passing offense (269.2 YPG), second in passing efficiency (165.0), second in first downs (221), third in third-down conversions (50%), and first in time of possession (34:29) — nearly 13 minutes more per game than their opponents. Defensively, USF ranks second in the NSIC in total defense (345.6 YPG) and third in rushing defense (144.4 YPG), complementing its high-powered attack with steady, physical play on the other side of the ball.
In last week's win, redshirt freshman quarterback
Tate Schafer delivered a breakout performance, completing 20-of-25 passes for 391 yards and three touchdowns, directing an offense that racked up 506 total yards and scored touchdowns on six of their eight final drives. The Cougars trailed 14–0 early but responded with 21 unanswered points, highlighted by a pair of touchdown catches from
Noah Robertson and a 44-yard strike to
Christian Janis. USF converted 8-of-12 third downs and scored on 5-of-6 red zone trips, while the defense forced two interceptions and three sacks to shut down the Warriors over the final three quarters.
For the season,
Camden Dean and
Tate Schafer have combined for over 2,300 passing yards and 25 total touchdowns, while the running game has provided steady production behind
Bubba Tann III, who ranks fifth in the NSIC in rushing (767 yards) and seventh in all-purpose yards (868). Complementing Tann are
Christian Nash and
Jordan Smith, who have combined for 429 rushing yards and five touchdowns, giving USF a deep and diverse backfield rotation.
Through the air,
Hank Brown Jr. continues to shine as one of the conference's premier playmakers, ranking second in the NSIC in receiving yards (843) and third in all-purpose yards (962).
Adonis Hutchinson (491 yards, 5 TDs) and
Isaiah Emanuel (441 yards, 4 TDs) round out a dynamic receiving corps that has helped the Cougars record 26 passing plays of 20+ yards.
Defensively,
London Kolb leads the front seven with 33 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, and ranks sixth in the NSIC in TFLs, while
Mouhamed Diawara ranks fourth in the NSIC in sacks (4.5) and continues to be a disruptive presence off the edge.
Garret Hoffman anchors the defense with 42 tackles and two interceptions, and
Mauloa Wells ranks seventh in the NSIC in passes defended, helping lead a secondary that has held opposing quarterbacks to a 57% completion rate. The Cougars' defense has also limited opponents to 39.18% on third down over the season, showcasing steady improvement during the team's recent surge.
Special teams have remained a consistent asset for USF.
JT Frieders has connected on 33-of-35 PATs this season, while punter
Scott Dickson has averaged 32.1 yards per punt with strong directional control.
Adonis Hutchinson continues to be a threat in the return game with a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown earlier this season, one of only four such plays in the NSIC in 2025. As the Cougars prepare for their home finale, the team's blend of offensive precision, defensive toughness, and special teams reliability has positioned them as one of the most complete programs in the league — and a dangerous opponent for any NSIC contender.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
PREGAME TIDBITS: Wayne State (5–4, 5–3 NSIC) enters Saturday's contest on a two-game winning streak after shutting out Concordia-St. Paul, 34–0, on the road and edging out No. 9 Minnesota State, 35-20. The Wildcats boast one of the NSIC's most physical rushing attacks, averaging 206.4 yards per game behind standout tailback Dawson Forgy, who leads the league with 1,058 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Running mate Brennan Hayes adds another 524 yards and four scores, giving WSC a backfield averaging nearly five yards per carry. Quarterback Bennett Dannenbring has thrown for 807 yards and nine touchdowns, connecting most often with Dane Petersen (404 yards, 5 TD).
Defensively, the Wildcats rank second in the NSIC in scoring defense (16.8 ppg) and lead the league in sacks (30) and tackles for loss (73). Linebacker Jes Krcil anchors the group with 81 tackles and 4.5 sacks, while Alex Kowalczyk and Clyde Hinton add pressure from the edge. WSC has forced 25 turnovers, including 13 interceptions, and has limited opponents to under 85 rushing yards per game.
WAYNE STATE HEAD COACH LOGAN MASTERS: Logan Masters is in his fourth season as head coach at Wayne State, where he has quickly built the Wildcats into one of the NSIC's most consistent programs. Since taking over in 2022, Masters has led WSC to four straight winning seasons, including the 2022 NSIC Championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. A 2022 NSIC Coach of the Year, Masters has guided the Wildcats to victories over multiple nationally ranked opponents while developing more than 30 All-NSIC performers and several All-Region selections.
A former All-American and Hall of Fame receiver at Wayne State, Masters remains the program's all-time leader in receptions (258) and receiving yards (3,863). Prior to his head coaching role, he served as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator and spent time on staff at Chadron State. A native of Storm Lake, Iowa, Masters was inducted into both the WSC Athletic Hall of Fame (2021) and NSIC Hall of Fame (2023) and continues to build upon his legacy in Wayne with his wife, Amber, and their four sons.
PRE-GAME EVENTS & REMINDERS
Friday, November 7th
- Join us for Coopers Corner at Gibs Sports Bar & Grill for a chance to talk with head football coach Jim Glogowski and athletic director Jon Hart ahead of this weekends events!
Saturday, November 8th
- The ticket office will open at 11:30am - Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets ahead of time at USFCougars.com/Tickets.
- Gates will open at 11:30am - Outside food and beverages are prohibited at Bob Young Field and there will be no re-entry upon leaving the stadium.
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