South Dakota State moved to 6-0 on the season Saturday with a 31-3 Hobo Day victory over Northern Iowa. The Panthers fell to 2-4.

Quarterback Chase Mason completed 18 of 28 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Mason, a senior, also rushed for two touchdowns.

Running back Julius Loughridge rushed for 76 yards on 19 carries, an average of four yards per carry.

Alex Bullock led the Jackrabbits in receiving for the second consecutive game, catching five passes for 82 yards.

On defense, the star for SDSU was sophomore linebacker Chase Van Tol, who had four tackles, two sacks and an interception.

For the Panthers, quarterback Mathew Schecklman completed 12 of 20 passes for 125 yards and two interceptions.

Senior running back Bill Jackson led the team with 29 yards rushing and 42 yards receiving.

Defensively, Ryan Crandall led Northern Iowa with 10 tackles, two for a loss, including a sack.

UNI opened the game on offense but punted after a quick three-and-out.

On the Jackrabbits’ opening drive, they marched down the field, but the drive stalled, and kicker Eli Stader missed a 41-yard field goal attempt.

It didn’t take SDSU long to get the ball back. On the first play of the ensuing drive, senior defensive back Isaiah Johnson intercepted Schecklman and returned the ball 8 yards to the Panthers 37-yard line.

On the first play after the interception, Mason completed a 19-yard pass to Bullock to the 18-yard line. A few plays later, on third-and-goal from the 2, Mason ran for a touchdown. The extra point gave SDSU a 7-0 lead.

The next UNI possession started successfully as the Panthers drove down the field. After a third-down sack by Van Tol, UNI’s Max Bartacheck attempted a 36-yard field goal. Junior cornerback Cody Cotton blocked the kick.

SDSU took over but punted after a penalty pushed the Jackrabbits back to third-and-25.

UNI again marched the ball downfield, and on third down from the SDSU 9-yard line, Van Tol recorded another crucial sack. This time, the Panthers converted the field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.

SDSU answered on the next drive. A 27-yard rush by Loughridge put SDSU in Panther territory at the 37-yard line. Two plays later, Loughridge had a 20-yard run to the 2-yard line. On the next play, Mason scored his second rushing touchdown. The extra point put SDSU up 14-3.

UNI got the ball back late in the second quarter. After a completed pass to Kaden Amigon-Suiter, Cullen McShane forced a fumble that was recovered by SDSU linebacker Joe Ollman.

SDSU took over, and as time expired, Stader missed a 45-yard field goal attempt. SDSU led 14-3 at halftime.

SDSU started with the ball to open the second half but went three-and-out. The Max Pelham punt was blocked by the Panthers and recovered at the SDSU 12-yard line.

On the first play of the Panthers’ drive, receiver Aiden Dunne took a handoff on a reverse and threw a pass toward the end zone for Derek Anderson. SDSU safety Jalen B. Lee intercepted the pass.

SDSU got the ball back but went three-and-out. UNI followed with a three-and-out. SDSU then had its third consecutive three-and-out to start the quarter.

The Panthers faced a fourth-and-8 on their next drive when Van Tol intercepted a pass and returned it 29 yards to the SDSU 49-yard line.

SDSU gave the ball back to the Panthers after a fourth-and-12 pass intended for Grahm Goering fell incomplete. UNI went three-and-out on its next possession.

SDSU’s offense moved the ball effectively on its next drive. Mason connected with Greyton Gannon for 26 yards to the UNI 23-yard line. Two plays later, they connected again for a 22-yard touchdown. Stader’s extra point made the score 21-3.

The SDSU defense forced a turnover on downs, giving its offense the ball at the UNI 49-yard line.

For the second drive in a row, SDSU scored. Mason threw his second touchdown pass of the day, an 11-yard score to Andrew Gustad, to put SDSU up 28-3.

UNI punted again after six offensive plays.

Facing a third-and-8, Mason connected with Bullock for a 31-yard gain to the Panthers 30-yard line. Stader later made a 30-yard field goal to put SDSU on top 31-3.

That was the final score. Freshman corner Myles Green added a late interception for SDSU before UNI ran out the clock.

SDSU (6-0) travels to face Murray State next Saturday at 6 p.m.