League-leading Jacks head to Illinois State

South Dakota State will attempt to hold sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference standings Saturday, when it travels to Illinois State.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Ill. The game will be televised on Comcast Sports Network Chicago and also available for viewing on ESPN3.com.
SDSU, which is ranked seventh in the STATS media poll and 10th by the FCS?coaches, enters Saturday's matchup with a 5-2 overall record and 4-0 mark in league play. The Jackrabbits gained sole possession of first place in the league standings with a 24-10 Hobo Day victory over Youngstown State on Oct. 22.
Illinois State, meanwhile, finds itself in unfamiliar territory in the league standings with a 3-5 overall mark and 1-4 record in MVFC?action. The Redbirds went a combined 14-2 in league play during the 2014 and 2015 seasons to tie for the MVFC?title each year. The Redbirds are receiving votes in this week's STATS media poll.

THE SERIES: Saturday's game will mark the seventh meeting on the gridiron between SDSU and Illinois State, a series that dates back to when the Jackrabbits joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2008. The series is tied at three games apiece, with each team winning twice at home and once on the road.
SDSU won the first two matchups in the series, while Illinois State won the next two matchups during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. After not facing each other during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, the Redbirds grabbed a 3-2 series advantage with a 45-10 victory in the 2014 MVFC opener on their home field.
The Jackrabbits handed Illinois State its only conference loss of the 2015 season, posting a 25-20 victory on Nov. 7, 2015, in the final game played at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. Taryn Christion ran for one touchdown and threw for two more, and Jake Wieneke tallied four catches for 104 yards and a pair of scores to lead the SDSU?offense.
The Jackrabbit defense held Redbird running back Marshaun Coprich to 65 yards on 22 carries, but Anthony Warrum hauled in eight passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns to pace the Illinois State offense.

AN ILLINOIS SWEEP?: South Dakota State will attempt to accomplish something it hasn't previously done as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference — defeat all three opponents from the state of Illinois in the same season. The Jackrabbits have gone a combined 15-7 against Western Illinois (8-1), Southern Illinois (4-3) and Illinois State (3-3) since joining the league in 2008. SDSU defeated Western Illinois (52-14) and Southern Illinois (45-39) to open league play this season.

ELITE COMPANY: South Dakota State is one of five Football Championship Subdivision programs to reach the playoffs each of the last four seasons.
The four other programs to play in the postseason each year since 2012 include:
• Coastal Carolina (S.C.)
• Sam Houston State (Texas)
• New Hampshire
• North Dakota State

CAPTAINS: Leading the Jackrabbit football team on the field and in the locker room are six captains:
• Jesse Bobbit, Sr., linebacker, Palatine, Ill.;
• Shayne Gottlob, Sr., defensive tackle, Salem, S.D.;
• Zach Lujan, Sr., quarterback, Anchorage, Alaska;
• Nick Mears, Sr., safety, Milbank, S.D.;
• Brady Mengarelli, Jr., running back, Prescott, Ariz.;
• Jacob Ohnesorge, Jr., offensive lineman, Waunakee, Wis.
Lujan and Ohnesorge have each been selected as a team captain for the second season. Ohnesorge has started all 33 games at center over the past three seasons.

RABBITS RANKED: For the third time in four years, the South Dakota State University football team entered a season with a top-10 national ranking.
The Jackrabbits checked in at No. 8 in the preseason STATS FCS Poll. SDSU, which posted an 8-4 overall record in 2015 and made its fourth consecutive appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, returns 15 starters. SDSU also was recognized in the FCS Coaches' Preseason Poll with a 14th-place showing.
In this week's rankings, the Jackrabbits moved held steady at seventh place in both the STATS and HERO Sports media polls, while gaining one spot to 10th in the FCS coaches' rankings.

JACKS PICKED THIRD IN VALLEY: The South Dakota State University football team has been picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Football Conference during the 2016 season, according to a preseason poll released on Aug. 2.
Five-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 37 of a possible 39 first-place votes and 388 total points.
Northern Iowa received the other two first-place votes to finish second in the preseason poll with 343 points.
Completing the upper half of the 10-team poll were South Dakota State, Illinois State and Youngstown State. North Dakota State, UNI, SDSU, Illinois State and Western Illinois all reached the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs last season.
Western Illinois checked in at a distant sixth spot in the preseason poll, followed by South Dakota and Southern Illinois. Indiana State and Missouri State filled out the poll.
In addition, five SDSU players were named to the MVFC Preseason Team. Leading the Jackrabbit contingent was junior wide receiver Jake Wieneke, who has been a two-time first-team all-league pick (2014, 2015). Wieneke set a single-season league record in 2015 with 1,472 receiving yards. He ended the year with 72 receptions and 11 touchdowns en route to earning All-America honors for the second year in a row.
Fellow 2015 first-team all-MVFC performer Dallas Goedert joined Wieneke on the preseason honor squad at the tight end spot. A junior from Britton, Goedert hauled in 26 receptions for 484 yards and three touchdowns last season to rank second on the team in all receiving categories.
Completing the Jackrabbit offense's preseason honorees was junior center Jacob Ohnesorge. The native of Waunakee, Wisconsin, has started all 33 games since the start of the 2014 seson and was a second-team all-MVFC selection a year ago.
On defense, senior defensive tackle Cole Langer received preseason accolades. The Dell Rapids native tallied 43 total tackles, including team bests of 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks to earn second-team all-league honors.
Rounding out the Jackrabbit preseason individual honorees was senior linebacker Jesse Bobbit, who was an honorable mention selection. Bobbit ranked second on the team last season with 97 tackles.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: The Jackrabbits' top two receivers from a season ago, wide receiver Jake Wieneke and tight end Dallas Goedert, were both been recognized on preseason All-America teams leading into the 2016 season.
Jake Wieneke, a junior wide receiver from Maple Grove, Minnesota, earned first-team preseason accolades from both STATS and HERO Sports after a 2015 season in which he caught 72 passes for a Missouri Valley Football Conference-record 1,472 yards with 11 touchdowns. He also is being considered for FCS Offensive Player of the Year awards by both STATS and College Football Performance Awards on preseason watch lists.
Wieneke has been selected to All-America teams each of his first two seasons with the Jackrabbits, including first-team recognition from STATS and the Associated Press last year.
A junior tight end from Britton, Goedert was a second-team selection to the STATS?squad after earning all-MVFC honors in 2015. He ranked second on the squad with 26 receptions, 484 receiving yards and three touchdowns last season.

ROZEBOOM AMONG TOP FCS FRESHMEN: South Dakota State middle linebacker Christian Rozeboom was named Tuesday to the initial watch list for the STATS FCS Freshman Player of the Year award.
A redshirt freshman from Sioux Center, Iowa, Rozeboom currently leads the team with 72 tackles and two forced fumbles, while sharing the team lead with a pair of interceptions. He has recorded double figures in tackles in four of the Jackrabbits' seven games so far this season, including 20 in an Oct. 8 game at Southern Illinois.
Rozeboom has been honored twice this season as the Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Week, earning the award for the first time after registering 10 stops and returning an interception 37 yards for a touchdown Oct. 1 against Western Illinois. He was honored again for his efforts in SDSU's Oct. 15 win at top-ranked North Dakota State, where he recorded a team-high 12 tackles, including a key sack.
Rozeboom was the lone MVFC?player named to the initial 17-member watch list.

CHRISTION ADDED TO WATCH LIST: South Dakota State University quarterback Taryn Christion was added to the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Watch List on Oct. 19.
A sophomore from Sioux Falls, Christion is one of 28 players currently under consideration for the award, and joins Jackrabbit wide receiver Jake Wieneke on the official watch list.
Christion currently ranks in the top 10 of nine different offensive categories among Football Championship Subdivision players. He enters the week ranked third in both passing touchdowns (24) and passing efficiency (172.9), while ranking fourth in total offense with an average of 336.9 yards per game. Christion posted the top two total offense performances in program history in consecutive games to earn back-to-back Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week awards. He set SDSU single-game records with 466 passing yards and 475 yards of total offense at Southern Illinois on Oct. 8, followed by 444 yards (303 passing, career-high 141 yards rushing) Oct. 15 at North Dakota State.
Wieneke, meanwhile, leads all FCS players with 12 receiving touchdowns, while also tallying 44 total receptions for 736 yards. A junior from Maple Grove, Minnesota, Wieneke is poised to become SDSU's career receiving yardage leader in Saturday's game against Illinois State, needing only 10 yards for the top spot in program history.
A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will vote on the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year following the regular season. Also this season, STATS will honor the outstanding defensive player in the FCS, a freshman player of the year, a coach of the year and a scholar-athlete of the year.

SOULEK EARNS MVFC DEFENSIVE HONOR: South Dakota State University defensive tackle Kellen Soulek was selected as the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Jackrabbits' 24-10 victory over Youngstown State on Oct. 22.
A junior from Yankton, Soulek was credited with a pair of sacks among his five tackles and also broke up a pass to lead the Jackrabbit defense in a battle of conference unbeaten. Soulek's two sacks tied a career high and were part of a six-sack effort by SDSU. The Jackrabbits held YSU out of the end zone until the waning minutes of the game and limited the Penguins' league-leading rushing attack to 159 yards – 99 under their season average.

WIENEKE NEARS MORE RECORDS: Junior wide receiver Jake Wieneke is poised to set another career school record and is taking aim on a couple of Missouri Valley Football Conference marks, as well.
Wieneke enters this Saturday's game at Illinois State with 3,612 career receiving yards — 10 yards away from passing Jeff Tiefenthaler (3,621 yards from 1983-86) for the SDSU career lead. Wieneke's receiving yardage total ranks third in MVFC history, trailing a pair of Northern Iowa receivers — Eddie Berlin with 3,735 yards and Dedric Ward with 3,876 yards.
Wieneke's 39 career receiving touchdowns have already set a Jackrabbit standard and rank second in league history, behind Ward's 41 TD catches from 1993-96.

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Junior tight end Dallas Goedert tied a 67-year-old single-game school record with his four touchdown receptions Oct. 1 against Western Illinois. Don Bartlett had held the record all by himself since catching four touchdown passes against North Dakota State in 1949.
Goedert had his streak of seven consecutive games with a touchdown reception dating back to a 2015 FCS playoff game at Montana end in the Oct. 22 game against Youngstown State. He ranks third in the FCS?with nine touchdown receptions so far this season and added his first career rushing touchdown in the Oct. 8 win at Southern Illinois.
In addition, Goedert currently leads all Division I tight ends in receiving yards in 2016, with 819 yards on 51 catches. His nine touchdown receptions match Michael Roberts of Toledo for the Division I lead, but are the best in the FCS.

CHRISTION'S STRING ENDS: South Dakota State quarterback Taryn Christion had his streak of consecutive passes thrown without an interception end on his final attempt of the Jackrabbits' game against Cal Poly on Sept. 17. Christion did not throw an interception in his first 90 attempts of the 2016 season and had his streak grow to 133 attempts dating back to the 2015 campaign.
The longest streak on record for consecutive attempts without an interception by a Jackrabbit quarterback is 155 by Brad Nelson between the 2003 (last 143 passes) and 2004 (first 12 passes) seasons.

TWO HIT CENTURY MARK — FOUR TIMES: Two South Dakota State receivers went over the 100-yard mark for the first time in the same in nearly two seasons when Jake Wieneke and Dallas Goedert accomplished the feat Sept. 17 against Cal Poly.
Wieneke tallied nine catches for 114 yards and three touchdowns, while Goedert added five receptions for a 101 yards and a score.
The tandem struck again in the Jackrabbits' next two games. On Oct. 1 versus Western Illinois, Goedert recorded career highs of eight catches for 204 yards and four touchdowns, while Wieneke contributed receptions for 102 yards. Goedert's 204 receiving yards were the sixth-highest single-game total in program history.
In the Jackrabbits' Oct. 8 game at Southern Illinois, Goedert hauled in 12 receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown, tying him for third place for most catches in a game in school history. Wieneke tallied six catches for 164 yards and a pair of scores.
The fourth consecutive time the pair hit the century mark came in the Jackrabbits' Oct. 15 come-from-behind victory at North Dakota State. Goedert hauled in 11 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, while Wieneke corralled six catches for 108 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds of the game.
Prior to this season, he last time SDSU had two receivers tally 100-plus yards in the same game was against Western Illinois on Nov. 15, 2014, when Wieneke(10-159, 3 TD) and Jason Schneider (7-114, 2 TD) did the honors.

DEFENSIVE TURNAROUND: After some early season struggles, the South Dakota State defense has returned to form in recent weeks. In their four conference games, the Jackrabbits have allowed averages of 20 points and 369.2 yards per game — well below their respective season averages of 29.3 points and 435.7 yards per contest.

SACK?ATTACKS: The South Dakota State defense rose to the occasion on Southern Illinois' final drive on Oct. 8, posting sacks on the Salukis' final two plays to secure a 45-39 road victory.
The Jackrabbits finished the game with a season-high six sacks — all of which were recorded by defensive linemen. Defensive tackles Kellen Soulek and Blake Whitsell were each credited with two sacks, while Cole Langer and Jared Blum each notched one.
SDSU matched the season high of six sacks in a 24-10 Hobo Day victory over Youngstown State on Oct. 22. Soulek again led the way with two sacks, while eight other Jackrabbit defenders were credited with at least a half-sack.

TURNOVER MARGIN: Since the start of the 2015 season, South Dakota State has been one of the top teams in the Football Championship Subdivision when it comes to hanging on to the football. The Jackrabbits ranked second in the FCS with only 11 turnovers last season (9 interceptions, 2 fumbles) and are second for the fewest in the subdivision so far in 2016 with five turnovers (3 interceptions, 2 fumbles).
Conversely, SDSU forced 16 turnovers last season (10 interceptions and 6 fumbles) and has 14 takeaways (10 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries) so far this season.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS: South Dakota State scored in all three phases of the game in its 56-28 victory over Drake on Sept. 10. The Jackrabbit defense posted a touchdown late in the third quarter as defensive end Jared Blum intercepted a screen pass at the Drake 3-yard line and scored.
In the fourth quarter, reserve linebacker Cody Hazelett blocked a punt, which Jake Harms picked up at the Drake 2-yard line and ran in for a touchdown. It was the first time SDSU scored on a blocked punt in any game since 2009, and in a home game for the first time since 1993.
The Jackrabbits' three interceptions marked their most in a game since picking off three passes in a 31-28 win at Northern Iowa on Oct. 18, 2014.

PICK-SIX TIMES THREE: South Dakota State defenders have returned three interceptions for touchdowns through the first four games of the 2016 season. Two of those pick-six returns came in a 52-14 victory over Western Illinois on Oct. 1, marking the first time the Jackrabbits returned two interceptions for scores in the same game since a Nov. 10, 2007, contest against Southern Utah. Both of the interception returns this past week came in the third quarter — 37 yards by Christian Rozeboom and 19 yards by Dallas Brown.
The Jackrabbits' nine interceptions as a team so far this season have come from seven different players. Jordan Brown and Christian Rozeboom share the team lead with two.

FAMILY TRADITION: Redshirt freshman kicker Chase Vinatieri turned in an impressive collegiate debut against TCU on Sept. 3 to lead the Jackrabbits' special teams unit.
The nephew of former Jackrabbit and current Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, Chase Vinatieri connected on field goals of 25 and 37 yards, and made all five of his extra-point tries, for 11 points.
For the season, Chase Vinatieri has made 8-of-10 field goal tries and all 34 extra-point attempts to rank third on the team with 58 points.
During his career at SDSU from 1991-94, Adam Vinatieri made a then-school-record 27 field goals and was a NCAA Division II All-American as a punter his senior season.

JACKRABBIT BLOODLINES: Senior defensive tackle Cole Langer leads a group of South Dakota State football players with Jackrabbit bloodlines.
Langer, a native of Dell Rapids, South Dakota, is a third-generation Jackrabbit student-athlete. His grandfather, Jim Langer, is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame after a standout career with the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings. The starting center for the undefeated Dolphins team in 1972, Jim Langer earned all-conference honors in football at South Dakota State as a linebacker in 1969 and was an All-America selection in baseball as an outfielder that same year.
In addition, Cole Langer's father, Tracy, was an all-conference catcher in baseball for the Jackrabbits from 1989-92. Tracy's brothers, Craig and Russ, also played baseball at South Dakota State.
Several other Jackrabbits have extensive Jackrabbit bloodlines, including senior offensive lineman Seth Lansman, whose parents are both former SDSU student-athletes. Lansman's father, Howard, lettered in football from 1984-85, while his mother, Tara (Tessier) was a standout women's basketball player from 1985-88. Tara Lansman was inducted into the Jackrabbit Sports Hall of Fame in the fall of 2014.
Another returning Jackrabbit with family ties to Jackrabbit Athletics are brothers Mason and Tristan Leiseth, whose father, David, lettered in football for SDSU from 1989-91 and also was a three-time All-American in the shot put.
Two other sets of brothers are on the 2016 Jackrabbit roster: Jake and Clark Wieneke, along with Jacob and Jordan Brown.
Two other members of the Jackrabbit freshman class also have family ties to South Dakota State Athletics. Quarterback Taryn Christion's mother, Heather, played volleyball at SDSU and fullback Turner Blasius' father, Justin, was an NCAA?Division II national wrestling champion.

ACADEMIC HONORS: For the eighth season in a row, South Dakota State claimed the Missouri Valley Football Conference Team Academic Award, compiling a 3.084 team grade-point average during the 2015 season. The Jackrabbits have received the award every year they have been a member of the MVFC.
Also during the 2015 season, three Jackrabbit football student-athletes were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team. Nick Mears was a first-team selection, while Shayne Gottlob and Jake Wieneke were second-team honorees.
The Jacks were presented the Team Academic Award by MVFC Commissioner Patty Viverito during the Sept. 17 game against Cal Poly.

FAREWELL TO COUGHLIN: The 2015 campaign marked the 54th — and final — season of Jackrabbit football at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. Since opening on Sept. 22, 1962, SDSU compiled a 181-108 record (.626 winning percentage) on its home field.
Since moving to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision in 2004, the Jackrabbits posted a 50-16 mark at CAS.

NEW FACILITIES: The South Dakota State University football program is expected to benefit greatly from the addition of two new facilities.
The Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex, which opened in the fall of 2014, serves as the indoor practice facility for the Jackrabbit football team and a number of other Jackrabbit squads. The complex, which features 100 yards of soy-based AstroTurf, also houses a 300-meter competition indoor track and expanded areas for strength and conditioning, sports medicine and coaches' offices.
In October 2013, SDSU officials announced lead gifts totaling $12.5 million from Sioux Falls banker Dana Dykhouse and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford toward the construction of a new football stadium. The announcement was made in conjunction with the 100th Hobo Day game at SDSU.
Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 19,340 replaces Coughlin-Alumni Stadium, which served as the home of Jackrabbit football since 1962. The new stadium was built in phases on the current Coughlin-Alumni Stadium site, with completion scheduled in time for the Sept. 10 season opener against Drake.
The first phase of the stadium project, which included new seating on the east side and south end zone, along with installation of the largest scoreboard in the Football Championship Subdivision, was completed in September 2015.
The $65 million project was approved by the South Dakota Legislature in March 2014 and signed into law by Gov. Dennis Daugaard. The new west tower includes premium seating — club seats, loge boxes and suites — as well as a spacious press box and other amenities.
The stadium is being funded through private gifts and long-term revenue streams, including concessions and suite, loge box and ticket sales. Bonds are being secured to finance nearly half of the project's construction, with the remaining amount coming from private support.

JACKRABBIT INSIDER: Throughout the 2016 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 2016 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 return home to host Missouri State in the annual Dairy Drive game on Nov. 5. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
The Nov. 5 game also has been designated as the Hall of Fame Game, with the 50th induction class of Beth (Anderson) Kaspar, Laurie (Bruns)?Kruse, Doug Miller and Chris White to been honored at events throughout the day, including halftime of the football game.

-GoJacks.com-

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Players Mentioned

Turner Blasius

Jared Blum

Jesse Bobbit

Dallas Brown

Jordan Brown

Taryn Christion

Dallas Goedert

Shayne Gottlob

Jake Harms

Cody Hazelett

Cole Langer

Seth Lansman

Zach Lujan

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Brady Mengarelli

Jacob Ohnesorge

Christian Rozeboom

Kellen Soulek

Chase Vinatieri

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Upcoming Event: Football versus Drake on September 13, 2025 at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Football versus Mercyhurst on September 27, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Football at Youngstown State on October 4, 2025 at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT

Upcoming Event: Football versus Northern Iowa on October 11, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Football at Murray State on October 18, 2025 at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Football versus North Dakota State on October 25, 2025 at TBA

Completed Event: Football at Montana State on September 6, 2025 , Win , 30, to, 24 , 2 OT

Completed Event: Football versus Sacramento State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 20, to, 3

Completed Event: Football at North Dakota State on December 21, 2024 , Loss , 21, to, 28

Completed Event: Football versus Incarnate Word on December 14, 2024 , Win , 55, to, 14

Completed Event: Football versus Montana on December 7, 2024 , Win , 35, to, 18

Completed Event: Football at Missouri State on November 23, 2024 , Win , 45, to, 9

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