Jackrabbits win at WIU, await Selection Sunday

Saturday, November 21

Macomb, Ill.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

8-3 , 7-1

Western Illinois

1-10 , 0-8

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
South Dakota State	10	14	3	0	27
Western Illinois	7	0	0	0	7

11/21/2009 5:00:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

MACOMB, Ill. - The 12^th-ranked South Dakota State University football team made a final statement toward locking up a Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth Saturday afternoon, downing Western Illinois, 27-7, at Hanson Field.

The Jackrabbits, who snapped a two-game losing skid, ended the regular season with an 8-3 overall record and second-place mark of 7-1 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play. SDSU will await the announcement of the FCS playoff pairings at 2 p.m. Central Time Sunday on ESPNews.

WIU dropped its 10^th consecutive game, falling to 1-10 overall and 0-8 in league play.

SDSU wasted little time setting the tone by scoring in the opening minute of the game. After Aaron Rollin returned a kickoff 45 yards into Western Illinois territory, Kyle Minett broke through the right side of the line for a 39-yard touchdown run on the Jackrabbits' second play.

The Fighting Leathernecks took advantage of a Jackrabbit interception to score its first touchdown of the day. After a 20-yard return by Ed Rogers gave WIU the ball at the Jackrabbit 25, Dre Gibbs rambled into the end zone on the first play of the drive.

The Jackrabbits answered with a 39-yard field goal by Kyle Harris with 5 minutes, 6 seconds remaining in the first quarter and extended the lead to 17-7 early in the second quarter after Chris Johnson forced a fumble that was recovered by Conrad Kjerstad at the WIU 45. Minett capped the nine-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.

SDSU came up with another big play to set up its third touchdown of the half. Chris Tracy blocked a punt with 1:37 and Erich Feller fell on the ball at WIU 16. Two plays later, Thomas O'Brien connected with Glen Fox from 10 yards out to put the Jackrabbits up 24-7 at the half, following the extra point by Harris.

In the third quarter, the Jackrabbits ended a Western Illinois scoring drive with their second blocked kick of the game on a 34-yard field goal attempt. SDSU then marched 68 yards on 12 plays, chewing up nearly six minutes before Peter Reifenrath kicked a 33-yard field goal on the final play of the third quarter for the final scoring of the day.

Minett ended the game with 147 yards on 23 carries as he posted his 13^th career 100-yard rushing game and sixth of the season.

O'Brien completed 12-of-24 passes for 142 yards. Saunders Montague led the receivers with five catches for 68 yards.

Buck Buchanan Award nominee Danny Batten led the defensive effort by recording a career-high three sacks for a loss of 19 yards. As a team, the Jackrabbits recorded four sacks.

Chris Johnson and Derek Domino each notched eight tackles for the Jackrabbits, with Batten and Corey Jeske each tallying seven stops.

For Western Illinois, Gibbs topped the 100-yard mark with 103 yards on 20 carries. Wil Lunt completed 25-of-38 passes for 206 yards, with Lito Senatus recording a game-high seven receptions for 63 yards.

Kyle Glazier led the Fighting Leathernecks with 12 tackles.

NOTES: Western Illinois leads the all-time series, 4-3, although SDSU has won the last two meetings ... the Jackrabbits improved to 13-3 in Missouri Valley Football Conference games since joining the league at the start of the 2008 season ... SDSU posted its first eight-win season since going 8-3 in 1999 ... with three receptions, Glen Fox upped his season total to 60 - the sixth-highest single-season total by a Jackrabbit receiver ... Minett moved into eighth place on the single-season rushing charts at SDSU with 1,173 yards ... backup running back Tyrel Kool saw action on both sides of the ball, recording two carries for eight yards while also playing cornerback ... Batten upped his season sack total to nine and career total to 23