Fresh off the bye week, No. 1 South Dakota State starts Missouri Valley Football Conference play with a dominant 41-3 victory over the Northern Iowa Panthers.
The Jacks’ defense continues to dominate week after week, allowing just six total points over its last three games.
Offensively, the Jacks turned three first-half turnovers by UNI into three scoring drives to build an early 24-point lead.
“We did a good job of attacking the ball in the air. Did a good job finding the ball when it was tucked away and getting punchouts,” said SDSU head coach Jimmy Rogers. “It was something we had harped on during improvement week and it came to fruition here today.”
On the opening Panther drive, the SDSU defensive line was able to generate pressure, with defensive lineman Jarod DePriest stripping UNI tailback Tye Edwards of the football, recovered by defensive end Kobe Clayborne for the first turnover of the game.
“When they’re stood up like that I usually just try to finish them off, but I saw the ball under his arm and thought ‘Why not take a shot at it’,” said DePriest.
DePriest had a career day on the defensive line, recording six tackles (two tackles for loss), a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery as well.
Quarterback Mark Gronowski and the offense were able to reach the endzone six plays later, as No. 11 found receiver Kentrell Prejean in the corner of the endzone for a 16-yard touchdown pass. From that point on, the Jacks defense settled in fast.
It was arguably Gronowski’s best game of the year, completing 16 of his 22 pass attempts for 223 yards and three touchdowns.
“The first couple of games we had some mistakes here and there and just throughout fall camp,” said Gronowski on the offense. “But that just comes with experience and continuing to play and continuing to spend time with each other, outside of the building too.”
After exchanging punts, the defense forced its second turnover of the first quarter. Defensive back Steven Arrell intercepted Dunne’s pass to set up a 13-yard field goal for kicker Hunter Dustman.
On the ensuing drive, SDSU forced another UNI punt on the Jacks side of the field but this time, sophomore safety Noah Thompson rushed, blocked and returned the punt for a special team’s touchdown.
“We were able to come free on the backside and Noah Thompson was savvy enough not to just jump on the ball, you know, and housed it for us,” said Rogers on the blocked punt touchdown.
If momentum wasn’t in the Jacks’ hands already, a strip sack by defensive tackle Max Baloun preceded another SDSU touchdown, as quarterback Chase Mason plunged in from seven yards out halfway through the second quarter.
The Panthers found a rhythm two possessions later that led to its first and only points of the game with just 1:25 to go in the first half as kicker Caden Palmer knocked one through the uprights with 1:25 to go.
But with under 90 seconds to play in the first half and no timeouts, Gronowski and company immediately matched the field goal with one of their own as Dustman connected on a 41-yarder before the halftime break to give the Jacks a 27-3 lead.
Of course, the game wasn’t out of reach just yet for the Panthers, who received the second-half kickoff.
But when you’re facing arguably the top defense in the FCS, the game never gets easier.
On UNI’s third play of the second half, Dunne tossed his second interception to linebacker Adam Bock, returning it to UNI’s 9-yard line, setting up a seven-yard touchdown pass from Gronowski to receiver Grahm Goering. Gronowski also surpassed the 10,000-career passing yard mark in the victory.
The final nail in the Panther coffin came on the very next SDSU drive, as Gronowski tossed his third touchdown pass of the game on a 66-yard screen pass touchdown to junior tailback Angel Johnson.
“That’s a full team touchdown, guys blocking on the perimeter,” said coach Rogers. “But just give your best players the football and watch them go.”
Johnson, after missing the last two games due to injury, had six carries for 31 yards while catching two passes for 78 yards and a touchdown.
“It definitely felt good, I was itching to get back out there so I’m very thankful. My body’s back right and I’m ready to go,” said Johnson.
South Dakota State forced two more stops defensively and chewed up as much clock as possible in its own final two drives, as that was all she wrote at the UNI-Dome.
Jacks improved to 4-1. 18 straight conference victories. And the 21st consecutive victory against a ranked FCS opponent.
Kirby Vorhees led the rushing attack Saturday with 45 yards on eight carries, Amar Johnson ran the ball 10 times for 43 yards, while Chase Mason added seven carries for 25 yards and a touchdown.
Grahm Goering caught three passes for 52 yards and a touchdown, receiver Griffin Wilde had three catches for 39 yards, while Prejean finished with two catches for 17 yards and a score.
Safety Colby Huerter tallied five tackles while Caleb Francl, Matthew Durrance, Boc, and Bryce Hawthorne each tallied four tackles in the win as well.
The Jackrabbit defense, while forcing four turnovers, blocked punt and one turnover on downs, also limited the UNI rushing attack to just 66 yards in the victory.
“That’s big time. It’s one of our weekly goals as a defense so that’ll be checked off on the goal board,” said DePriest on the four-turnover game.
Up Next
The Jacks return home next week for Hobo Days to take on the Youngstown State Penguins. Kickoff on Oct. 12 at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium is set for 2 p.m. and can be watched on Midco Sports, ESPN+, or listen to the Jackrabbit Sports Network radio broadcast.
“We got to get back to work. This is one game in the Missouri Valley,” said coach Rogers. “We got another tough one at home on Hobo Day, so we’re excited to come back and play in front of a sold-out crowd.”