After starting the season with a three-game losing streak, the South Dakota State University is now on a three-game winning streak.
Saturday night, before a Beef Bowl-record crowd of 12,332, the Jackrabbits defeated Central Arkansas 20-7 to even its record at 3-3. UCA dropped to 4-2 overall.
SDSU's defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the game, recording five sacks and holding Central Arkansas to minus-16 net yards rushing. Eric Schroeder, who was named the Outstanding Player of the Beef Bowl, recorded two sacks among his three tackles.
The Jackrabbits scored first, putting together an eight-play, 56-yard drive capped by 1-yard touchdown run by Andy Kardoes. Earlier in the drive, Kardoes found Micah Johnson for 17 yards on third-and-10, and another 15 yards was tacked on for a personal foul.
The game remained 7-0 until 3:34 remaining in the third quarter, when Anthony Watson scored on a 3-yard run. The tandem of Kardoes and Johnson hooked up for a 40-yard pass play on the second play of the drive.
Johnson finished the game with six catches for 98 yards, while Kardoes completed 15-of-23 passes for 162 yards. He was intercepted twice as the Jackrabbits lost the turnover battle, 3-2.
SDSU made it a three-possession game midway through the fourth quarter as Parker Douglass booted a 48-yard field goal.
With UCA in danger of being shut out for the first time since 1995, the Bears got on the board on its next possession as Aaron Fairooz out-jumped three Jackrabbit defenders to haul in a 40-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Brown. That ended a wild series of plays in which the Bears had a touchdown called back on fourth-and-29 by a procedure penalty and the Jacks committed a pass interference penalty on the next play.
SDSU covered the ensuing onside kick and ended an eight-play, 34-yard drive with Douglass' second field goal of the game, this time from 28 yards out.
Watson led the Jackrabbit ground game with 89 yards on 16 carries as SDSU held a 338-274 advantage in total offense. Cory Koenig picked up 65 yards on seven carries -- all of which came in the first half -- including 28 as SDSU executed a fake punt in the second quarter.
Defensively, SDSU was led by Andrew Hoogeveen and Justin Kubesh with 10 tackles each. Hoogeveen was credited with one sack, forced a fumble and broke up a pass, while Kubesh recorded his second interception of the season.
Brown completed 26-of-38 passes for 290 yards, completing 13 consecutive passes in one stretch. Fairooz caught seven passes for 90 yards, with David Robinson adding five catches for 60 yards.
Jasper Johnson led the Bears with 16 tackles and added an interception.
SDSU will be idle next week before opening Great West Football Conference action Oct. 21 at Cal Poly.
Game Statistics