By: Madie Brink
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The University of Sioux Falls returns to Bob Young Field this weekend looking to get back in the win column as the Cougars host Southwest Minnesota State in NSIC action. USF enters the matchup at 3-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play after a 37-20 setback at Augustana, while SMSU comes to Sioux Falls at 1-5 overall and 0-5 in the NSIC following a 28-6 loss to Minnesota Duluth.
The Cougars enter averaging 25.8 points and 322.8 yards per game, while SMSU is averaging 7.2 points and 251.5 yards of offense. USF's defense has forced 11 turnovers through six games, including seven interceptions, while the Mustangs have turned the ball over 15 times this season.
Inside the Series
OVERALL: 18th Meeting - Sioux Falls leads 13-4
CURRENT STREAK: Sioux Falls, Won 2
LAST MEETING: Oct. 11, 2025 - USF 35, SMSU 14 (Marshall, Minn.)
Series History
Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State meet for the 18th time in a series dating back to 1968, with the Cougars holding a 13-4 all-time advantage. USF won the inaugural meeting 13-6 in Marshall and has controlled the series since the programs became conference opponents, posting a 12-1 conference record against the Mustangs. The Cougars are 6-2 at home and 7-2 on the road in the series.
USF has won nine of the last 10 meetings and enters Saturday riding a two-game winning streak against SMSU. The Cougars won 10 consecutive meetings from 2012 through 2022, a stretch that included a 51-7 victory in 2019 for USF's largest margin of victory in the series. SMSU snapped that run with a 28-10 win in Marshall in 2023 before the Cougars responded with consecutive victories.
The programs last met on Oct. 11, 2025, when Sioux Falls earned a 35-14 road victory in Marshall. USF built a 21-6 halftime advantage before adding two more touchdowns in the third quarter to take control. That followed a 41-14 Cougar victory at Bob Young Field in 2024, giving USF a combined 76-28 scoring advantage over the last two meetings.
The Cougar File
Sioux Falls enters the weekend at 3-3 overall and 3-2 in NSIC play. The Cougars opened conference action with three consecutive victories over Jamestown, MSU Moorhead and UMary before dropping back-to-back contests against No. 3 Minnesota State and Augustana. Through six games, USF has scored 155 points while allowing 151, averaging 25.8 points per game. The Cougars are producing 322.8 yards of total offense per contest, with 205.0 coming through the air and 117.8 on the ground.
The Cougars have scored 21 touchdowns, including 12 through the air and eight on the ground. Sioux Falls has also remained productive in the red zone, scoring on 18-of-20 opportunities, with 15 resulting in touchdowns. The Cougars have been particularly productive before halftime, scoring 102 of their 155 points across the first two quarters.
Bennett Brueck has continued to lead the Cougar offense, completing 77-of-136 passes for 1,003 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has also been USF's leading rusher with 256 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 1,259 yards of total offense and 14 total touchdowns accounted for. Brueck is averaging 209.8 yards of total offense per game.
Bubba Tann III has added 224 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 57 carries while catching nine passes for 104 yards and two scores. His five touchdowns and 30 points lead the Cougars.
Daevion Simonsen has added 100 rushing yards and a touchdown, while
Gaven Dean has averaged 7.3 yards per carry with 58 yards and a score.
In the passing game,
Adonis Hutchinson leads USF with 30 receptions for 470 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 94.0 receiving yards per game and 15.7 yards per catch.
Hank Brown Jr. has added 13 catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns, while Tann and
Caden Henkes have each caught two scores. Nine different Cougars have recorded at least 20 receiving yards this season, giving the offense several options in the passing game.
Defensively, Sioux Falls is allowing 340.7 yards and 25.2 points per game. The Cougars have generated 27 tackles for loss, seven sacks and seven interceptions, while recovering four fumbles. USF has been particularly effective at limiting passing touchdowns, allowing just six through six games, and owns a plus-four turnover margin with 11 takeaways against seven giveaways.
Owen McCloud has emerged as USF's leading tackler with 40 stops, adding an interception and fumble recovery.
Garret Hoffman follows with 37 tackles and an interception, while
Andy Henson has recorded 31 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Beau Giblin has added 29 tackles and leads the Cougars with two interceptions.
The Cougar front has continued to generate plays behind the line of scrimmage, led by
Denim Blackstad with 5.5 tackles for loss.
James Woodward has recorded three tackles for loss and a team-high two sacks, while Henson,
London Kolb,
Vayo Kamara and
Isaac Rudningen have also recorded sacks. In the secondary,
Cam Enright has an interception, three pass breakups and a team-high two forced fumbles.
USF has also received production from its return units.
Mark-hel Joinville has returned 12 kickoffs for 280 yards, averaging 23.3 yards per return, while Henkes has 113 yards on five returns.
Cade Morse has averaged 26.0 yards on two punt returns, and Rudningen owns a 23-yard punt return touchdown.
Scott Dickson has placed seven punts inside the 20 and recorded four punts of 50-plus yards, including a season-long 70-yarder.
JT Frieders is 2-for-2 in field goals for The Coo with a long of 25 yards and is 6-for-7 in PATs.
Scouting the Opponent
Southwest Minnesota State enters Saturday at 1-5 overall and 0-5 in NSIC play. The Mustangs opened the season with a 10-7 victory over NAIA opponent Valley City State before dropping five straight conference games. SMSU is averaging 7.2 points and 251.5 yards of offense per game, including 187.3 passing yards and 64.2 rushing yards. The Mustangs have scored five touchdowns through six games and have converted 6-of-13 trips into the red zone.
SMSU has used three quarterbacks this season. Macloud Crowton leads the group with 559 passing yards, while Drew Kluender has thrown for 412 yards and three touchdowns and Tommy Hoffman has added 153 yards and a score. Tryg Auten leads the Mustangs with 28 receptions for 262 yards, while Cooper Murphy has 16 catches for 213 yards and a team-high two receiving touchdowns. On the ground, Josh Lancifort has rushed for a team-best 203 yards.
Defensively, SMSU is allowing 33.3 points and 437.8 yards per game, including 211.3 rushing yards per contest. Hunter Hanegraaf leads the Mustangs with 51 tackles and has produced a team-best nine tackles for loss, while Aiden Planer has 34 tackles, six tackles for loss and an interception. Keegan Patterson has been the leader in the secondary with three interceptions, as the Mustangs have recorded five picks and six sacks as a team.
SMSU Interim Head Coach Levi Bullerman
Levi Bullerman was named interim head coach at Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 20 following the retirement of Scott Underwood after four games. Bullerman is in his ninth season on the Mustang coaching staff and fifth as defensive coordinator while also coaching the linebackers. A former SMSU linebacker and 2009 team captain, Bullerman played for the Mustangs from 2005-09 before beginning his coaching career. Prior to returning to SMSU, he made stops at Illinois College, Presentation College and Minnesota Crookston, where he served as defensive coordinator in 2017.
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