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South Dakota State University Athletics
Jackrabbits look to regroup at Missouri State
10/28/2015 4:48:00 PM | Football
The South Dakota State University football team will attempt to bounce back from its second loss of the season, traveling Saturday to Missouri State for a Missouri Valley Football Conference matchup.
Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Plaster Stadium in Springfield, Mo. The game will be available for viewing on ESPN3.com.
The Jackrabbits, ranked 13th in this week's Football Championship Subdivision coaches' poll and 14th in the STATS media poll, enter Saturday's contest with a 5-2 overall record and 2-2 mark in league play. SDSU dropped a 10-7 Hobo Day decision to Northern Iowa last week.
Missouri State, meanwhile, is in search of its first MVFC victory of the season. The Bears have posted a 1-6 overall record so far under first-year head coach Dave Steckel and are 0-4 in league play following a 40-10 setback at the University of South Dakota on Oct. 24.
THE SERIES: Saturday's game will mark the eighth meeting on the gridiron between South Dakota State and Missouri State. The series began in 2008, when the Jackrabbits joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference, with SDSU holding a 6-1 series edge.
The Jackrabbits won the first five meetings before Missouri State recorded a 35-21 victory at Plaster Stadium during the 2013 season.
In last season's meeting, Oct. 11, 2014, at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium, the Jackrabbits rallied from an 18-point deficit to pull out a 32-28 victory.
SDSU wide receiver Jake Wieneke scored three touchdowns, the first of which covered 78 yards and gave the Jackrabbits a brief 10-7 lead. Missouri State reeled off three second-quarter touchdowns — a pair of 12-yard runs by quarterback Kierra Harris and a 2-yard run by Calan Crowder — to build a 28-10 lead.
Wieneke scored on a 10-yard pass in the closing seconds of the first half and drew the Jackrabbits to within 28-25 on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Zach Lujan and ensuing two-point conversion early in the fourth quarter.
Zach Zenner scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run midway through the fourth quarter and the Jackrabbit defense completed its second-half shutout with an interception and fourth-down stop at the SDSU 31 on the Bears' final two possessions.
Wieneke finished the game with eight catches for 183 yards and the three scores.
CAPTAINS: Leading the Jackrabbit football team on the field and in the locker room are six captains:
• Jimmie Forsythe, Sr., defensive back, Omaha, Neb.
• Cam Jones, Sr., tight end, Eagan, Minn.;
• T.J. Lally, Sr., linebacker, Chicago, Ill.;
• Zach Lujan, Jr., quarterback, Anchorage, Alaska;
• Jacob Ohnesorge, So., offensive lineman, Waunakee, Wis.;
• J.R. Plote, Sr., defensive end, Phoenix, Ariz.
Lally has been selected as a team captain for the second year in a row.
ELITE COMPANY: South Dakota State is one of only six Football Championship Subdivision programs to reach the playoffs each of the last three seasons.
The five other programs to play in the postseason each year since 2012 include:
• North Dakota State
• Eastern Washington
• Coastal Carolina (S.C.)
• Sam Houston State (Texas)
• New Hampshire
RABBITS RANKED: The South Dakota State University football team vaulted into the top 10 of both major Football Championships Subdivision polls following its season-opening Sept. 5 at Kansas. The Jackrabbits have climbed to as high as fifth in the STATS media poll and sixth in the FCS coaches' rankings this season, but have since slid to 13th (FCS coaches) and 14th (STATS) in this week's polls.
SDSU has been ranked in both FCS polls every week since Oct. 29, 2012.
JACKS PICKED FIFTH IN VALLEY: The South Dakota State University football team has been picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference during the 2015 season, according to a preseason poll released on July 27.
Four-time defending national champion North Dakota State again was tabbed as the conference favorite in the poll, which was conducted among the league's coaches, sports information directors and select media representatives. The Bison earned 32 of a possible 40 first-place votes and 389 total points.
Last season's co-champion and national runner-up. Illinois State, received the other eight first-place votes and ranked second in the poll with 366 points. The Redbirds lost the FCS title game, 29-27, to NDSU last year, marking the only time in FCS history two teams from the same league played one another for the crown.
Completing the upper half of the 10-team poll were UNI, Youngstown State and SDSU.
A pre-season favorite has claimed the league crown 16 times (in 28 previous polls). North Dakota State was picked to win the league last season. Indiana State, which joined UNI and SDSU in the FCS playoffs last season to give the MVFC a record five selections, was tabbed sixth.
In addition, five Jackrabbit players were named to the MVFC Preseason Team. Leading the SDSU contingent was senior linebacker T.J. Lally, who has been a two-time second-team all-league selection (2012, 2014). Lally led the team with 117 tackles last season, including 9.5 tackles for loss.
Joining Lally on the defensive side was junior defensive tackle Cole Langer. A second-team all-MFVC honoree in 2014, Langer totaled 49 tackles and blocked two kicks.
Two Jackrabbit sophomores highlight the squad's offensive selections to the MVFC Preseason Team. Wide receiver Jake Wieneke was named conference Freshman of the Year and was a first-team all-MVFC selection after recording 73 receptions for 1,404 yards and a school-record 16 touchdowns.
Center Jacob Ohnesorge filled one of five spots on the offensive line. Ohnesorge started all 14 games in 2014 and was an honorable mention all-league selection.
Rounding out the Jackrabbits' selections was Je Ryan Butler as return specialist. A senior, Butler averaged 13.2 yards on punt returns and 18.1 yards in limited kick return duties in 2014.
STINGY DEFENSE: The Jackrabbit defense has allowed only one FCS opponent to score more than one touchdown in a game this season. Since giving up three first-half touchdowns to North Dakota State on Oct. 3, the Jackrabbit defense has allowed only three touchdowns over the next 14 quarters.
SDSU currently leads the Missouri Valley Football Conference and ranks eighth among FCS teams with an average of 15.9 points allowed per game. The Jackrabbits also stand 11th in the FCS with an average of 160.6 passing yards allowed per game, a figure bolstered by the fact that no FCS team has thrown for more than 200 yards in a game against SDSU this season.
TURNOVERS TELL THE STORY: South Dakota State enters the week leading the Football Championship Subdivision in fewest turnovers lost with only two this season. The Jackrabbits have not turned the ball over in six of their seven games, with the two turnovers a pair of interceptions against Robert Morris (Pa.) on Sept. 26. SDSU and Montana State are the only FCS teams not to lose a fumble so far during the 2015 season.
The Jackrabbits rank ninth in turnover margin at plus-1.14 per game and plus-8 for the season. SDSU has forced 10 turnovers (5 fumbles, 5 interceptions). The Jackrabbits have scored 45 points (6 touchdowns, 1 field goal) off its opponents' 10 turnovers.
SACK ATTACK: South Dakota State entered its Oct. 10 game against Indiana State with only three sacks as a team, but the Jackrabbits racked up six sacks against the Sycamores in a 24-7 victory. Senior defensive end J.R. Plote led the way with two sacks, with reserve defensive ends Chase Kern and Jared Blum each tallying one.
SDSU's sack total was the most in a game since recording seven in a 2013 playoff victory at Northern Arizona.
LALLY NEAR THE TOP IN TACKLES: Senior linebacker T.J. Lally currently ranks in a tied for third among active Football Championship Subdivision players in career tackles.
A native of Chicago, Lally has tallied 362 career stops, tying him with Donelle Williams of Presbyterian (S.C.). Drake (Iowa) linebacker John Hugunin leads active FCS players with 379 tackles, followed by Donald Payne of Stetston (Fla.) with 372.
Lally, who has started all 48 games of his Jackrabbit career, has finished either first or second on the team in tackles each of his first three seasons and has posted a pair of 100-tackle campaigns.
Lally registered 107 tackles during his redshirt freshman season in 2012 to rank second on the team, and added a team-best 117 tackles during the 2014 season.
Lally's 362 tackles are the most by a Jackrabbit in the Division I era and third most in program history, trailing Greg Osmundson (1986-89) with 435 and J.D. Alexander (1971-74) with 393.
BOBBIT LEADING DEFENSE: Linebacker Jesse Bobbit leads the Jackrabbit defense with 64 tackles this season on the strength of four double-digit performances. A junior from Palatine, Illinois, Bobbit recorded 10 tackles in the Sept. 5 season-opening win at Kansas. He later tallied double figures in tackles in back-to-back weeks, notching 11 in a win over Robert Morris (Pa.) and tying a career high with 13 tackles Oct. 3 against North Dakota State. He also forced a fumble against the Bison.
Bobbit ranked third on the team with 90 tackles in 2014 and has started 21 games in a row.
BUTLER SETS PUNT RETURN MARK: Jackrabbit punt returner Je Ryan Butler set one career punt return record and is poised to set another SDSU career standard this season. A senior from Tempe, Arizona, Butler has totaled 66 career punt returns, surpassing the previous mark of 63 set by Paul Aanonson from 2004-07.
In addition, Butler has totaled 699 career punt return yards and enters Saturday's game against Northern Iowa 100 yards away from breaking Aanonson record of 798 yards.
A preseason all-MVFC pick as a return specialist, Butler averaged 13.2 yards on 28 punt returns a season ago. He took over the Jackrabbits' punt return duties midway through the 2013 season.
Butler, who also is a starting cornerback, leads active Jackrabbit players with nine career interceptions, adding to his total Oct. 17 at Youngstown State. His nine pickoffs rank 15th among active FCS players.
LUJAN UNDER CENTER: Junior quarterback Zach Lujan became the fastest Jackrabbit to throw for 1,000 yards in a season, reaching the mark in the third game of the 2015 season.
A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Lujan named Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for a career-high 395 yards in a 34-10 home victory over Robert Morris (Pa.) on Sept. 26. Lujan's yardage total tied for the second most in a game in program history and upped his season yardage total to 1,002 yards in only three games. He sat out games against Indiana State (Oct. 10) and Youngstown State (Oct. 17) before returning to the starting lineup Oct. 24 against Northern Iowa, although he played only two offensive series.
Lujan began the season by completing 17-of-33 passes for 293 yards and tied a career high with three touchdown passes in a Sept. 5 win at Kansas. Two of Lujan's completions came on fourth-down attempts, including a 23-yard strike to tight end Dallas Goedert on fourth-and-5 from the KU 29 that set up SDSU's final touchdown with 6:18 to play in the game. His other fourth-down completion came in the third quarter, extending a drive that led to a field goal.
Lujan threw two more touchdown passes — both to Jake Wieneke — in a 55-10 home win over Southern Utah the following week. He ended the night 19-of-27 passing for 314 yards, marking his third career 300-yard game.
The junior signal-caller played a key role in the Jackrabbits reaching the FCS playoffs a season ago. Lujan stepped in for an injured Austin Sumner and led the Jackrabbits to a 5-2 record as the starter. He took over early in the 2014 season opener at Missouri after career passing leader Austin Sumner was injured, leading SDSU on two scoring drives. He held lead a touchdown drive to open the second half and pull SDSU to within 21-18. A native of Anchorage, Alaska, who played the 2013 season at Chabot College (Calif.), Lujan completed 21-of-28 passes for 239 yards with one interception at Mizzou.
A member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team, Lujan led the team with 1,943 passing yards and completed 61 percent (147-of-241) of his pass attempts. In his first career start, Sept. 6 against Cal Poly, Lujan finished the night 12-of-20 passing for 236 yards and three touchdowns.
Lujan went on to establish a new season-high in yards in three of four Missouri Valley Football Conference games, including a 329-yard performance on 28-of-42 passing with two touchdowns in his last 2014 start, Oct. 25 against Youngstown State.
WIENEKE ADDED TO WATCH LIST: South Dakota State University wide receiver Jake Wieneke has been added to the official watch list for the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year award.
A sophomore from Maple Grove, Minnesota, Wieneke ranks among the FCS leaders with 40 receptions for 781 yards and seven touchdowns through seven games. He caught two touchdown passes in each of the Jackrabbits' first three games, which included an 11-reception, 205-yard performance against Southern Utah on Sept. 12. Wieneke became the first SDSU player in 19 seasons to top 200 receiving yards in a game.
Wieneke was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award as the FCS' top freshman during the 2014 season, ending the year with 73 receptions for 1,404 yards and a school-record 16 touchdowns. He also earned All-America honors from The Associated Press and Sports Network.
Currently, 25 players appear on the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List. The list will be revised periodically throughout the remainder of the 2015 season, with voting for the award taking place at the end of the regular season.
Only 21 games into his collegiate career, Wieneke is radiply moving up the Jackrabbit career receiving charts. He enters Saturday's game with 113 career receptions for 2,185 yards — a total that stands ninth among active FCS players. His average of 104 receiving yards per game for his career ranks second among active FCS players.
Wieneke has caught 23 touchdown passes for his career, including two in each of the Jackrabbits' first three games this season, to break a tie with Jason Schneider (20 TD receptions from 2011-14) for fourth place on the SDSU charts. He has caught a touchdown pass in 15 of 21 career games, including nine of 12 games against Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents.
TIGHT ENDS CATCHING ON: After combining for 16 catches all of last season, South Dakota State tight ends have tallied 27 receptions so far this season for an average of 17.2 yards per catch.
Senior Cam Jones is tied for second on the team with 14 receptions for a total of 216 yards. Sophomore Dallas Goedert has tallied 13 receptions and ranks second on the team for receiving yards with 249 and is tied for second on the squad with a pair of receiving touchdowns.
CHRISTION REPEATS AS TOP NEWCOMER: For the second week in a row, true freshman quarterback Taryn Christion was honored as the Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Week on Oct. 19.
Christion improved to 2-0 as the Jackrabbits' starting quarterback, helping lead SDSU to its second consecutive win over a ranked opponent with a 38-8 win at Youngstown State on Oct. 17. Christion completed 8-of-14 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown, and also gained 75 yards on the ground. He scored on a 70-yard run early in the fourth quarter for the middle of three second-half touchdowns for the Jackrabbits.
Christion received both national and conference awards for his efforts in helping lead the Jackrabbits to victory over Indiana State in his collegiate debut on Oct. 10.
A Sioux Falls native, Christion was named STATS National Freshman of the Week on Oct. 12, a day after being named MVFC Newcomer of the Week. Starting in place of an injured Zach Lujan, he accounted for 320 yards of total offense in the Jackrabbits' 24-7 home victory. Christion opened the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, then threw his first career touchdown pass – a 34-yarder to Jake Wieneke – later in the quarter. For the game, Christion completed 15-of-24 passes for 221 yards and carried the ball 16 times for 99 yards.
Christion played all but the first two offensive series for the Jackrabbits in their Oct. 24 Hobo Day game against Northern Iowa. He finished the day with 227 yards of total offense (156 passing, 61 rushing).
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Four other true freshmen made their collegiate playing debuts in the Jackrabbits' 41-38 win at Kansas on Sept. 5.
On the offensive side of the ball, guard Matt Clark played most of the fourth quarter and helped lead SDSU on a decisive scoring drive. Defensive tackle Blake Whitsell and cornerback Shakial Taylor also saw playing time in the victory. On special teams, Brady Hale handled the punting duties, averaging 41.6 yards on five attempts, including a 56-yarder on his first collegiate punt.
Two more true freshmen made their initial appearances in a Jackrabbit uniform during the Sept. 12 matchup with Southern Utah. Fullback Luke Sellers and wide receiver Alex Wilde saw action but did not factor into any statistics.
WALLACE SHINES IN DEBUT: Redshirt freshman running back Isaac Wallace turned in an impressive collegiate debut by rushing 24 times for 118 yards and adding two receptions for eight yards, as well as two kick returns for 42 yards in the Jackrabbits' win at Kansas on Sept. 5. The Omaha native was especially effective in the fourth quarter, when he spurred the decisive scoring drive by gaining 44 yards — 38 rushing and six receiving — including the final three yards on his first collegiate rushing touchdown.
ACADEMIC HONORS: For the seventh season in a row, South Dakota State claimed the Missouri Valley Football Conference Team Academic Award, compiling a 2.99 team grade-point average during the 2014 season. The Jackrabbits have received the award every year they have been a member of the MVFC.
Also during the 2014 season, six Jackrabbit football student-athletes, highlighted by repeat selections Jason Schneider and Zach Zenner, were named to the Capital One Academic All-District 6 Team. The Jackrabbits recorded the most selections among all University Division members across seven districts.
Zenner went on to earn Academic All-America Team Member of the Year honors for Division I football and was joined on the first team by Schneider and offensive lineman Nick Purcell.
Three other Jackrabbits — Cole Langer, Nick Mears and Ethan Sawyer — were honored on the academic all-district team for the first time in 2014.
FAREWELL TO COUGHLIN: The 2015 campaign marks the 54th — and final — season of Jackrabbit football at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. Since opening on Sept. 22, 1962, SDSU has compiled a 180-108 record (.625 winning percentage) on its home field.
Since moving to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision in 2004, the Jackrabbits have posted a 49-16 mark (.754 winning percentage) at CAS.
WORKING OVERTIME: SDSU's 37-34 double-overtime victory over Northern Iowa on Oct. 26, 2013, upped the Jackrabbits' record in overtime games to 2-0 against Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents. SDSU also defeated Missouri State in a double-overtime game, 43-36, in 2011.
Overall, SDSU is 3-4 in games decided in overtime since the format was adopted in the mid-1990s. The Jackrabbits won their inaugural overtime game, 30-27 in two overtimes against Nebraska-Omaha in the 1998 Hobo Day game.
Following is a complete list of SDSU's overtime games:
1998: SDSU 30, Nebraska-Omaha 27 (2 OT — at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium)
2002: Augustana 39, SDSU 33 (3 OT — at Sioux Falls)
2004: Southern Utah 23, SDSU 17 (2 OT — at Cedar City, Utah)
2007: Western Illinois 29, SDSU 26 (4 OT — at Macomb, Ill.)
2008: McNeese State 46, SDSU 44 (3 OT — at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium)
2011: SDSU 43, Missouri State 36 (2 OT — at Springfield, Mo.)
2013: SDSU 37, Northern Iowa 34 (2 OT — at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium)
JACKRABBIT INSIDER: Throughout the 2015 football season, head coach John Stiegelmeier will be a guest on the “Jackrabbit Insider,” a weekly behind-the-scenes look at South Dakota State University athletics.
The half-hour television show, which features interviews with Jackrabbit coaches and student-athletes, airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on Sioux Falls-based MyUTV. The show is also broadcast on KELO-TV at 11 p.m. Central Sunday and at 10 p.m. Mountain Time Sunday on KDLO-TV. Online, the show can be viewed on demand at GoJacks.com.
STIG SHOW: The John Stiegelmeier Radio Show airs each Monday throughout the 2015 football season.
The show is scheduled to air at 6 p.m. on the Jackrabbit Sports Network, originating with WNAX 570 AM in Yankton. In addition, the weekly show also will be streamed online free of charge at GoJacks.com.
Hosted by Tyler Merriam, the John Stiegelmeier Radio Show will also feature interviews with Jackrabbit student-athletes and assistant coaches. Jackrabbit fans are encouraged to attend the show in person at Cubby's Sports Bar and Grill, 307 Main Ave., in downtown Brookings.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits close out home action next Saturday (Nov. 7) by hosting league-leading Illinois State. Kickoff for the Coughlin-Alumni Stadium Farewell Game is set for 2 p.m.
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