Wieneke records highlight Jackrabbit romp

Thursday, August 31

Brookings, S.D.

7 p.m.

South Dakota State University

1-0

Duquesne

0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Duquesne

South Dakota State

Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen

8/31/2017 11:47:00 PM | Football

Box Score

BROOKINGS, S.D. — On a night in which he set the Jackrabbits' career record for receptions, wide receiver Jake Wieneke tied a single-game school standard with four touchdown catches in helping lead the fourth-ranked South Dakota State University football team to a 51-13 victory over Duquesne in the season opener for both teams Thursday night at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

The high-powered Jackrabbit offense used big plays on each of its first three possessions to open a 20-0 first-quarter lead. Junior quarterback Taryn Christion found wide receiver Adam Anderson open down the middle of the field for a 57-yard pass play on third-and-15 on SDSU's first drive. Three plays later, Christion connected with Wieneke in the right back corner of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown.

With the Jackrabbits facing third-and-8 from their own 3-yard line on their next possession, Christion scrambled and broke into the open field for a career-long 90-yard run to the Duquesne 7. After a penalty on the Dukes moved the ball to the 3, Isaac Wallace finished the drive with his first touchdown of the season. The extra point was missed.

After the Jackrabbit defense forced a three-and-out, SDSU took over at the Duquesne 46 after a punt late in the first quarter. On the second play of the drive, Christion hooked up with All-America tight end Dallas Goedert for 37 yards to the Dukes' 9. Fullback Kane Louscher then caught a screen pass from Christion in the right flat and beat two defenders to the goal line to put the Jackrabbits out front 20-0.

Wieneke tallied two more touchdown receptions in the second quarter. One play after redshirt freshman linebacker Logan Backhaus picked off a Duquesne pass, Wieneke reached up and over a defender for a 22-yard score. On SDSU's next drive, Wieneke recorded his 226^th career reception to set a new Jackrabbit standard, then finished off an 11-play, 60-yard march with a 2-yard touchdown reception to push the SDSU advantage to 34-0.

Duquesne got on the board late in the first half, putting together a six-play, 65-yard drive that was capped by a 2-yard pass from Tommy Stuart to Nehari Crawford.

SDSU turned to the ground game early in the second half. Senior running back Brady Mengarelli rushed for the final 44 yards of a six-play, 60-yard drive, with the last of his five consecutive carries covering three yards for a touchdown.

Following another three-and-out by the Jackrabbit defense, Wieneke further etched his name into the SDSU record book with his fourth touchdown of the game, a 15-yard catch and run to the right pylon that put the Jackrabbits ahead 48-7. It also was Christion's fifth touchdown pass of the game, tying a career high.

Wieneke finished the night with six catches for 75 yards. Christion ended the night 17-of-26 passing for 254 yards and was the Jackrabbits' leading rusher with 96 yards on only three carries. Mikey Daniel added 83 yards on 17 carries, with Mengarelli tallying 61 yards on nine attempts.

Duquesne strung together a six-play, 81-yard drive that ended with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Stuart to Kareem Coles.

Chase Vinatieri capped the scoring in the fourth quarter for SDSU with a 23-yard field goal.

The Jackrabbit defense bottled up 2016 Jerry Rice Award winner A.J. Hines, limiting last season's top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision to 34 yards on 13 carries. Stuart was 14-of-22 passing for 175 yards, with Chavas Rawlins recording six catches for 83 yards.

Overall, SDSU held a 609-259 advantage in total offense. The Jackrabbits were 9-of-13 on third-down attempts, while Duquesne was 2-of-11.

Nick Farina led the Jackrabbit defense with five tackles.

NEXT UP
SDSU faces its first road test of the season, traveling Sept. 9 to Montana State. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. Mountain Time (7 p.m. Central) in Bozeman, Montana.

GAME NOTES
• SDSU is 1-1 all-time against Duquesne, with the first meeting between the two programs taking place in 1932.
• The Jackrabbits are 13-8 in season openers under head coach John Stiegelmeier. SDSU is 10-1 when opening the season at home during Coach Stig's career.
• Wieneke ended the night with 229 career receptions, breaking the previous mark of 225 by Josh Davis (2002-05).
• Wieneke vaulted five spots from 11^th to sixth place on the FCS career receiving yards chart, ending the night with 4,267 yards in 40 career games.
• Wieneke also moved from 11^th place to seven in career touchdown receptions at the FCS level with 47. He recorded his fifth career game with three or more touchdown receptions.
• Wieneke now shares the SDSU single-game record of four touchdown receptions with Don Bartlett (1949) and Goedert (2016). He is one of eight players in Missouri Valley Football Conference history with four TD receptions in a game.
• Goedert moved into seventh place on the SDSU career receiving yards list with 1,920, passing Aaron Rollin (1,878 from 2009-12).
• Christion overtook Dan Fjeldhiem (5,176 yards from 2000-03) for sixth place on the SDSU career passing yards list, ending the night with 5,254 yards.
• Christion moved into fifth place in career total offense with 6,032 yards as he passed both Andy Rennerfeld (5,765 from 1997-2000) and Ryan Berry (5,971 from 2005-08).
• Vinatieri's consecutive extra-point streak came to an end at 57, putting him tied for third all-time in Missouri Valley Conference with Adam Keller (North Dakota State).
• Christion's 90-yard scamper in the first quarter was the longest run by a Jackrabbit since Zach Zenner went 94 yards for a touchdown against Indiana State in 2014.

-GoJacks.com-