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6 p.m.
Football
at Murray State
South Dakota State University Athletics
Saturday, September 27
Nacogdoches, Texas
6 p.m.
South Dakota State University
3-2
50
at
48
Stephen F. Austin
1-3
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
South Dakota State
3
3
14
30
50
Stephen F. Austin
10
14
10
14
48
Jackrabbits complete comeback for the ages
9/27/2008 1:00:00 AM | Football
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Kyle Minett scored from a yard out as time expired, lifting South Dakota State to a 50-48 victory over Stephen F. Austin in non-conference football action Saturday night at Homer Bryce Stadium.
In the largest comeback in John Stiegelmeier's 12-year tenure as head coach, the 20th-ranked Jackrabbits rallied from 28 points down midway through the third quarter for the victory. SDSU improved to 3-2 overall, while SFA dropped to 1-3 overall.
SDSU trailed 34-6 with 9 minutes, 9 seconds left in the third quarter before scoring on four consecutive possessions.
Ryan Berry engineered the comeback, scrambling for a 10-yard touchdown run with 5 minutes, 2 seconds remaining in the third quarter. On the next drive, Minett scored his first touchdown of the game with 31 seconds remaining in the quarter.
The momentum stayed with the Jackrabbits in the fourth quarter. On the first play of the final stanza, Danny Batten picked off a Jeremy Moses pass and returned it 24 yards to the SFA 15. SDSU struck again quickly as Berry connected with Glen Fox on the Jackrabbits' first play for a 15-yard touchdown.
General Parnell then recorded his second interception of the game, stepping in front of a Moses pass and returning it 22 yards to the Lumberjack 10. Two plays later, Minett found paydirt from a yard out to eventually knot the game at 34-all.
SDSU grabbed the lead with a six-play, 29-yard drive set up by an Adam Fritz interception. JaRon Harris scored from 16 yards out on a wide receiver screen pass from Bery with 5:24 remaining.
The Jackrabbits' first lead of the game lasted all of 12 seconds as Vincent Pervis returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown to re-tie the game.
SDSU appeared on the verge of sealing the victory on its next possession. A nine-play, 37-yard drive stalled before Peter Reifenrath nailed a 42-yard field goal to go ahead 44-41 with 1:19 left.
The Jackrabbit kickoff rolled out of bounds, setting up the Lumberjacks at their own 40. Five plays later, Moses connected with Tyrone Ross on a 14-yard touchdown pass with 41 seconds to play.
The comeback finally became complete as Berry and Minett moved the Jackrabbits back down the field. With the ball at their own 44 with two timeouts remaining, Berry completed a 24-yard pass to Matt Hylland for 24 yards. Following an incomplete pass, Berry found Harris for 14 yards and Minett for 16 more to move the ball to SFA 2. The Lumberjacks were called for offsides, setting SDSU up at the 1-yard line with two seconds left.
On the final play, Berry rolled right on an option play before pitching the ball to Minett, who dragged a defender across the goal line for the game-winner.
Minett finished the game with a career-high 33 carries for 103 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching seven passes for 92 yards. Berry ended the night 30-of-44 for 350 yards and two scores. Glen Fox led the receiving corps with nine catches for 103 yards.
The teams traded field goals on their respective opening drives of the game. SFA opened the scoring by taking the opening kickoff 77 yards on eight plays before a 27-yard field goal by Cory Long. SDSU responded with a 36-yard field goal from Peter Reifenrath with 7:56 remaining in the first quarter to cap a nine-play, 32-yard drive.
The Lumberjacks regained the lead following an interception. Taking over at the SDSU 31, Jeremy Moses hooked up with Tyrone Ross from eight yards out for the first touchdown of the game. After another SDSU turnover, SFA put together a six-play, 46-yard drive that ended with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Moses to Dominique Edison.
SDSU closed the gap to 17-6 on a 34-yard field goal by Reifenrath at the 5:30 mark of the second quarter, but the Lumberjacks came right back with another touchdown to push the margin to 24-6 on a 10-yard pass by Moses to Tyrel Williams.
The Jackrabbits appeared on the verge of putting points on the board at the end of the first half, moving to the SFA 14. However, back-to-back sacks moved the ball back to the 22 and Reifenrath's 39-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the half was blocked.
SDSU quarterback Ryan Berry was sacked five times in the first half, including three times by Tim Knicky. The Jackrabbits were 0-for-8 on third-down attempts in the opening 30 minutes.
Things went from bad to worse early in the second half for the Jackrabbits, who fumbled the opening kick at their own 36. The SDSU defense held the Lumberjacks, but Long kicked a 45-yard field goal to run the score to 27-6.
SDSU again drove deep into SFA territory before being stopped on fourth down, when Berry was sacked for the seventh time in the game and fumbled at the Lumberjack 43.
SFA quickly made the Jackrabbits pay for their latest miscue, scoring on a 42-yard pass from Moses to Aaron Rhea with 9:01 remaining in the third quarter.
Moses finished the game 34-of-51 for 370 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. Duane Brooks caught nine passes for 107 yards. SFA was limited to minus-4 yards rushing.
Derek Domino led the Jackrabbit defense with eight tackles.
Jabar Williams led all players with 19 tackles, including 1.5 sacks, for SFA.
The Jackrabbits return to action against another Southland Conference foe, hosting nationally ranked McNeese State (La.) Oct. 4 in the Hobo Day game. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
SDSU Notes: The Jackrabbits improved to 2-0 against SFA and 7-1 versus teams from the Southland Conference ... SDSU's previous largest comeback in the Stiegelmeier era was 24 points at Augustana in 2000 and versus St. Cloud State in 2001 ... Minett has scored a touchdown in all five games this season ... the Jackrabbits played without four starters on defense -- Eric Schroeder, Brian Fischer, Brock Campbell and Conrad Kjerstad ... SDSU last allowed an opponent to return a kickoff for a touchdown in 2001 ... Berry topped 300 yards for the second consecutive game and third time this season ... Minett went over the 100-yard mark for the third time in 2008 ... the combined 98 points between the two teams were the most in a game involving the Jackrabbits since a 60-42 SDSU victory over Mankato State (Minn.) in 1993
Team Stats
SDSU
SFA
Total Yards
472
366
Pass Yards
350
370
Rushing Yards
122
-4
Penalty Yards
55
91
1st Downs
29
21
3rd Downs
4
7
4th Downs
3
0
TOP
37:28
22:24
1st Quarter
SDSU 0, SFA 3
SFA - Long, Cory 27 yd field goal 8 plays, 77 yards, TOP 3:25
SDSU 3, SFA 3
SDSU - PeterReifenrath 36 yd field goal 9 plays, 32 yards, TOP 3:31
SDSU 3, SFA 10
SFA - Ross, Tyrone 8 yd pass from Moses, Jeremy (Long, Cory kick) 5 plays, 31 yards, TOP 1:26
2nd Quarter
SDSU 3, SFA 17
SFA - Edison, Dominiq 16 yd pass from Moses, Jeremy (Long, Cory kick) 6 plays, 46 yards, TOP 1:57
SDSU 6, SFA 17
SDSU - PeterReifenrath 34 yd field goal 9 plays, 43 yards, TOP 4:52
SDSU 6, SFA 24
SFA - Williams, Tyrel 10 yd pass from Moses, Jeremy (Long, Cory kick) 11 plays, 72 yards, TOP 2:38
3rd Quarter
SDSU 6, SFA 27
SFA - Long, Cory 46 yd field goal 4 plays, 1 yards, TOP 0:42
SDSU 6, SFA 34
SFA - Rhea, Aaron 42 yd pass from Moses, Jeremy (Long, Cory kick) 4 plays, 56 yards, TOP 1:34
SDSU 13, SFA 34
SDSU - Ryan Berry 10 yd run (PeterReifenrath kick), 8 plays, 76 yards, TOP 3:49
SDSU 20, SFA 34
SDSU - Kyle Minett 5 yd run (PeterReifenrath kick), 8 plays, 54 yards, TOP 1:57
4th Quarter
SDSU 27, SFA 34
SDSU - Glen Fox 15 yd pass from Ryan Berry (PeterReifenrath kick) 1 plays, 15 yards, TOP 0:06
SDSU 34, SFA 34
SDSU - Kyle Minett 1 yd run (PeterReifenrath kick), 2 plays, 10 yards, TOP 0:46
SDSU 41, SFA 34
SDSU - JaRon Harris 16 yd pass from Ryan Berry (PeterReifenrath kick) 6 plays, 29 yards, TOP 3:16
SDSU 41, SFA 41
SFA - Pervis, Vincent 94 yd kickoff return (Long, Cory kick)
SDSU 44, SFA 41
SDSU - PeterReifenrath 42 yd field goal 9 plays, 37 yards, TOP 3:46
SDSU 44, SFA 48
SFA - Ross, Tyrone 14 yd pass from Moses, Jeremy (Long, Cory kick) 5 plays, 60 yards, TOP 0:38
SDSU 50, SFA 48
SDSU - Kyle Minett 1 yd run (TEAM rushfailed), 5 plays, 56 yards, TOP 0:38
Game Leaders
CMP
30
TD
2
YDS
350
INT
2
Players Mentioned
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