Jacks keep conference title hopes alive

Saturday, November 10

Brookings, S.D.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

6-4 , 3-0

Southern Utah

0-10 , 0-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Southern Utah

South Dakota State

11/10/2007 1:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

South Dakota State scored the first 16 points and the final 36 points of the game, surviving a scare from Southern Utah to remain unbeaten in Great West Football Conference play with a 52-27 victory Saturday afternoon at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.

Tyler Koch returned two interceptions for touchdowns as part of a 28-point fourth quarter for the Jackrabbits, who improved to 6-4 overall and 3-0 in the GWFC. Southern Utah remained winless at 0-10 overall, 0-4 in league play.

The Jackrabbits will play for the Great West Football Conference title next Saturday (Nov. 17) against North Dakota State. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in what also will be the battle for the Dakota Marker.

Against Southern Utah, SDSU dominated the first quarter, taking a 16-0 lead on a pair of Cory Koenig 16-yard touchdown runs and a 47-yard field goal by Parker Douglass.

Jackrabbit mistakes, especially on special teams, began to pile up in the second quarter, shifting the momentum to Southern Utah. Taking advantage of a short field, the Thunderbirds got on the board on their second drive of the quarter on a 41-yard field goal by Steve Pulver.

On the ensuing kickoff, Adam Monke fumbled and the Thunderbirds took over at the SDSU 31. Four plays later, Johnny Sanchez found the end zone from 13 yards out.

The momentum firmly shifted to the Thunderbirds as SDSU failed to handle a short kickoff and SUU again gained the football at the Jackrabbit 34. Pulver's second field goal of the game, this one from 42 yards, made the score 16-13 in favor of SDSU.

SUU took its first lead of the game with a six-play, 79-yard touchdown drive after the Jackrabbits were intercepted deep in Thunderbird territory. Quarterback Cody Stone hit Nick Miller behind the Jackrabbit defense for a 45-yard scoring strike that gave SUU a 20-16 halftime lead.

The Thunderbirds retained control of the game through the first 10 minutes of the third quarter, eventually taking a 27-16 lead on a 22-yard run by Sanchez with 5:34 remaining in the quarter.

On SUU's next possession, the tide began to turn back to the Jackrabbits. SDSU stuffed the Thunderbirds on two consecutive short-yardage plays, taking over on downs at their own 39. Three plays later, Ryan Berry found tight end Chris Wagner on a crossing pattern and the senior from Brookings rambled 55 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. Koenig added the two-point conversion on a pass from Berry to make the score 27-24.

This time it was SUU's turn to fumble the kickoff. Antonio Thompson forced the fumble at the Thunderbird 24 and Conrad Kjerstad hopped on the loose ball to swing the momentum firmly SDSU's way. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Kyle Minett scored from two yards out to give the Jackrabbits their first lead of the second half at 31-27.

All four Southern Utah drives in the fourth quarter ended in interceptions. Koch returned the first interception of the quarter 45 yards for a touchdown, then Brock Campbell picked off a pass at the SDSU 1 to end a Thunderbird scoring drive.

The Jackrabbits put the game out of reach with 5:51 remaining as Berry connected with Glen Fox on a 28-yard touchdown pass in the back left corner of the end zone for Fox's first career touchdown. Fox led all players with seven receptions for 87 yards.

Koch then added the last blow, picking off another Stone pass and returning it a school-record 99 yards for a touchdown, capping the 52-27 victory. Koch, the reigning GWFC Defensive Player of the Week, has recorded five interceptions the last two weeks.

Koenig ground out his fourth consecutive 100-yard game, carrying the ball 19 times for 113 yards. Berry finished the game 17-of-31 for 203 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Sanchez led all players with 25 carries for 143 yards for SUU. Stone completed 22-of-43 passes for 266 yards and four interceptions. Jeremy Edwards and Tysson Poots each caught six passes, with Edwards recording 84 receiving yards and Poots 77.

Defensively, Chris Johnson notched a game-high 16 tackles, recovered a fumble and broke up a pass. Eric Schroeder added 10 tackles, including 2 1/2 sacks.

D.J. Senter led Southern Utah with nine tackles.

Notes: SDSU recorded a school-record 171 yards in interception returns, breaking the previous mark of 156 established the last time Southern Utah visited Brookings, on Nov. 5, 2005 ... the Jackrabbit record for longest interception return had stood since 1962, when Roger Eischens returned an interception 85 yards versus Toledo (Ohio) ... Koenig has tallied five 100-yard games this season and 11 for his career ... the Jackrabbits have returned five interceptions for touchdowns, including three by Koch, who now has 10 interceptions for his career ... Southern Utah ran 85 offensive plays compared to 65 by the Jackrabbits ... Berry has thrown a touchdown pass in every game this season