Jackrabbits run away from Indiana State

Saturday, November 8

Terre Haute, Ind.

1 p.m. ET/noon CT

South Dakota State University

6-4 , 3-3

Indiana State

6-4 , 3-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

South Dakota State

Indiana State

11/8/2014 4:58:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Football Championship Subdivision award candidates Zach Zenner and Jake Wieneke each scored touchdowns of 90-plus yards in the second half to lead South Dakota State to a 32-17 victory over Indiana State Saturday afternoon in a battle of nationally ranked Missouri Valley Football Conference teams.

Both teams moved to 6-4 overall and 5-3 in the MVFC. Indiana State entered the day ranked 17^th in the Sports Network media poll and 19^th by the FCS Coaches. SDSU was ranked 22^nd in both polls.

Trailing 9-7, the Jackrabbits took the lead for good when Wieneke, a candidate for the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the FCS, caught a slant pass from Austin Sumner and weaved his way through the Indiana State defense for a 91-yard touchdown with seven minutes and 14 seconds to play in the third quarter. The play tied the longest pass in school history, which was set 28 years ago to the day on a Ted Wahl-to-Jeff Tiefenthaler connection. Zenner ran in the two-point conversion to give SDSU a 15-9 lead.

SDSU pushed the lead to 18-9 in the first minute of the fourth quarter on a 46-yard field goal by Justin Syrovatka.

Indiana State appeared on the verge of making it a one-possession game on the ensuing drive, but sophomore linebacker Jesse Bobbit knocked the ball loose from Buck Logan and recovered the fumble just before the ball broke the plane of the goal line.

Two plays later, Zenner, a Walter Payton Award candidate, broke loose through the middle for his longest run of the season, a 94-yard touchdown run that made the score 25-9 following the extra point.

The Jackrabbit defense proved opportunistic once again as Melvin Taveras recorded his team-best third interception of the season to set up SDSU's final scoring drive of the game. On third-and-4, Sumner found a wide-open Wieneke along the left side for a 31-yard touchdown.

Wieneke ended the day with six catches for 172 yards, crossing the 100-yard mark for the fifth time this season.

SDSU fought off early adversity on special teams, which included a blocked punt that resulted in a safety and a 3-yard touchdown run by Buck Logan after the ensuing free kick sailed out of bounds. The Sycamore touchdown was set up by a 23-yard throw back to the quarterback from Chris O'Leary to Mike Perish.

The Jackrabbits closed to within 9-7 late in the first half as Zenner scored from a yard out to cap a six-play, 56-yard drive.

The Sycamores strung together a 16-play, 77-yard drive in the closing minutes for their final score of the day – a 2-yard pass from Mike Perish to Logan. Robert Tanyon added the two-point conversion on a pass from Perish.

SDSU set a season high with 510 yards of total offense, compared to 322 by Indiana State. Sumner completed 21-of-35 passes for 298 yards, while Zenner ended the afternoon with 193 rushing yards on 27 carries, and added four receptions for 26 yards.

Perish finished the day 27-of-47 passing for 183 yards, with Tonyan leading the Sycamore receiving corps with six catches for 74 yards. Logan gained 92 yards on 19 carries.

T.J. Lally led the Jackrabbit defense with 10 tackles, followed by Nick Mears with nine stops and Taveras with eight. Conlan Cassidy paced Indiana State with 11 tackles, while Mark Sewall made seven stops and recorded both Sycamore interceptions.

The Jackrabbits return home next Saturday (Nov. 15) to take on Western Illinois. Kickoff for Military Appreciation Day is slated for 2 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.

NOTES: SDSU leads the all-time series, 5-2, and has won the last three meetings … Wieneke recorded the fifth 100-yard game of the season and has now caught a touchdown pass in all six league games … Zenner crossed the 100-yard mark for the 29^th time in his career and scored his 11^th career touchdown of at least 50 yards … Zenner took over the lead for most career touchdowns in MVFC history with 57 and tied Tom Koutsos for the league record with his 52^nd career rushing touchdown … Zenner moved into fourth place in FCS career rushing with 5,955 yards and sixth in FCS career all-purpose yards with 7,450 … Syrovatka improved to 12-of-13 on field goal attempts this season, tying his season long with his 46-yarder in the fourth quarter … Syrovatka has made a field goal in 12 straight games dating back to last season ...