WINONA, Minn. – The University of Sioux Falls Football team overcame a seven-point halftime deficit, scoring 21 unanswered points in the second half to secure a 21-14 road victory over Winona State on Saturday afternoon. The win improves the Cougars to 6-3 overall and 6-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play.
Sioux Falls finished with 327 yards of total offense, including 186 through the air and 141 on the ground, while recording 21 first downs and controlling possession for 34:08. The Cougars were led offensively by quarterback Tate Schafer, who completed 18-of-28 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown without an interception.
Hank Brown Jr., Noah Robertson and Daevion Simonsen each found the end zone in the second half, while the USF defense held Winona State to just 86 rushing yards and came away with a critical takeaway.
First Half Recap
The opening half featured a defensive battle as neither team found the end zone in the first quarter.
Winona State broke the scoreless tie with 7:22 remaining in the second quarter, completing an eight-yard touchdown pass to cap a seven-play, 80-yard drive and take a 7-0 lead.
The Cougars were unable to find the end zone before halftime, entering the locker room trailing 7-0.
Second Half Recap
Sioux Falls came out of halftime determined to establish its offense, putting together an 11-play, 66-yard touchdown drive that consumed 6:05 of game clock. Brown Jr. capped the possession with a 10-yard touchdown run, and JT Frieders converted the extra point to even the score at 7-7 with 5:59 remaining in the third quarter.
The Cougars continued their offensive momentum on their next scoring possession, marching 61 yards on eight plays. Just seven seconds into the fourth quarter, Schafer connected with Robertson for a 15-yard touchdown pass, giving Sioux Falls its first lead of the afternoon at 14-7.
USF extended its advantage midway through the final period with another 66-yard scoring drive. Simonsen broke free for a 32-yard touchdown run with 7:27 remaining, pushing the Cougar lead to 21-7 following Frieders' third successful extra point.
Winona State responded with a touchdown at the 5:00 mark to cut the deficit to 21-14, but Sioux Falls held on to secure the seven-point road victory.
Key Standouts
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Tate Schafer completed 18-of-28 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown, finishing without an interception.
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Hank Brown Jr. led the receiving corps with seven catches for 60 yards and added a 10-yard rushing touchdown.
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Adonis Hutchinson recorded four receptions for a team-high 64 receiving yards, including a 29-yard gain.
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Daevion Simonsen rushed eight times for 49 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by his 32-yard fourth-quarter score.
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Bubba Tann III contributed 47 rushing yards on 16 carries.
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Noah Robertson hauled in a 15-yard touchdown reception to give USF its first lead.
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Cade Morse led the Cougar defense with 11 total tackles, including six solo stops.
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Andy Henson registered eight tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
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James Woodward recorded a sack and recovered a fumble, while Owen McCloud added six tackles.
By the Numbers
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21 – Unanswered points scored by Sioux Falls in the second half.
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327 – Total yards of offense for the Cougars.
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186 – Passing yards for Tate Schafer.
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141 – Rushing yards for Sioux Falls.
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21 – First downs recorded by USF.
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34:08 – Time of possession for the Cougars.
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7-of-14 – Third-down conversion rate for Sioux Falls.
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86 – Rushing yards allowed by the Cougar defense.
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3 – Touchdowns scored by three different USF players.
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0 – Turnovers committed by Sioux Falls.
Up Next
Sioux Falls will head to Wayne State on November 7 to take on the Wildcats in a 1pm kickoff. The Cougars will host Concordia-St. Paul on November 14 for Senior Day with kickoff slated for 1pm.
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