Jackrabbits roll to Beef Bowl win

Saturday, September 16

Brookings, S.D.

6 p.m.

South Dakota State University

3-0

Drake

1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Drake

South Dakota State

Photo by: Jason Salzman

9/16/2017 10:47:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Fourth-ranked South Dakota State scored on all five of its offensive possessions in the first half and added a kickoff return for touchdown as the Jackrabbits rolled to a 51-10 victory over Drake Saturday night at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.

Playing before a Beef Bowl crowd of 15,806, SDSU improved to 3-0 overall. Drake dropped to 1-2.

After forcing Drake to punt on its opening possession, the Jackrabbits took over at their own 45 and marched 55 yards on seven plays, the last of which was a 15-yard touchdown by All-America tight end Dallas Goedert on a shovel pass from Taryn Christion. The extra-point attempt was missed.

SDSU's special teams unit set up the next Jackrabbit touchdown as Larenzo Williams blocked a punt at the Drake 40-yard line. The rushing tandem of Isaac Wallace and Mike Daniel combined for 27 yards on the drive, with Wallace plunging in from a yard out to make the score 12-0 less than nine minutes into the game. SDSU's two-point try also failed.

Christion accounted for two Jackrabbit scores in the second quarter, which were sandwiched around Wallace's second 1-yard touchdown run of the game. A junior from Sioux Falls, Christion connected on a 2-yard touchdown pass with Jake Wieneke three minutes into the second stanza, then ran for a 10-yard score following an interception by Logan Backhaus and 35-yard run by Wieneke on the first play of the ensuing drive. Christion's fourth touchdown run of the season made the score 34-0.

Wallace set up his second touchdown of the game with a 34-yard reception to the 1-yard line.

Drake got on the board late in the first half on a 24-yard field goal by Danny Donley that capped an 11-play, 60-yard drive by the Bulldogs.

However, on the ensuing kickoff, Jackrabbit redshirt freshman Cade Johnson field the ball on the right hash, received a key block in the middle of the field and motored 95 yards for a touchdown and a 41-3 lead. It was SDSU's first kickoff return for a touchdown since Tyrel Kool returned the opening kickoff of an October 2012 game against Western Illinois 100 yards for a touchdown.

With the Jackrabbits sitting several starters for the entire second half, the two teams traded third-quarter touchdowns. Drake struck first on a 62-yard pass from Grant Kraemer to Seven Doran.

SDSU responded with a quick five-play, 64-yard scoring drive. Backup quarterback Dalton Douglas completed all three of his passes for the first 52 yards before Daniel found the end zone from 11 yards out.

Chase Vinatieri closed out the scoring with a career-long 51-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

SDSU held a 377-324 advantage in total offense. Christion was 14-of-22 passing for 171 yards, while Douglas ended the night 7-of-13 for 81 yards. Alex Wilde led the Jackrabbit receivers with five catches for 64 yards, followed by Wieneke with four receptions for 33 yards.

Daniel led the rushing attack with 50 yards on eight carries.

For Drake, Kraemer completed 18-of-31 passes for 201 yards. Doran caught five balls for 91 yards, with Brock Reichardt pacing the ground game with 68 yards on 16 carries.

Freshman linebacker Seven Wilson was the Jackrabbits' leading tackler with six stops. Austin Smenda recorded 1.5 sacks as SDSU notched five sacks and eight tackles for loss in the contest.

Connor Willis of Drake registered a game-high seven tackles.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits will have their lone bye week of the regular season before opening Missouri Valley Football Conference action Sept. 30 at Youngstown State.

NOTES
• Drake leads the all-time series, 8-4, but the Jackrabbits have won each of the last three matchups
• SDSU improved to 30-21 in Beef Bowl games
• Johnson was named the Outstanding Player of the Beef Bowl as he added a pair of receptions for 18 yards
• SDSU opened the season 3-0 for the fourth time in the Division I era (since 2004), also accomplishing the feat in 2009, 2013 and 2015
• Goedert moved into a tie with Wayne Rasmussen (1961-63) and Glen Fox (2006-09) for eighth place in career touchdown receptions at SDSU with 15
• Christion moved into fourth place in career touchdown passes by a Jackrabbit with 44, passing Ted Wahl (43 touchdown passes from 1985-88)
• The Jackrabbits have scored in all 12 quarters so far this season and hold a 44-0 advantage in first-quarter scoring

-GoJacks.com-