In a game where the temperature at kickoff exceeded 90 degrees, the South Dakota State football team displayed why it was a 50-plus point favorite against University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB).
Vegas might have underestimated the potentness of the Jacks offense.
SDSU (2-0) dominated from the opening whistle to the final whistle in front of 14,526 fans as the Jacks dismantled the UAPB Golden Lions (1-2) 90-6 in the 52nd annual Beef Bowl Saturday night at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
The SDSU offense moved the ball at will all night long.
The Jacks set school records for total yards (926), passing yards (557), points in a half (49) and points in a game (90). SDSU did not punt in the game.
Senior quarterback Taryn Christion threw five touchdowns on 14 attempts in the game. Christion also connected on 93 percent of his passes.
As a result of his performance, Christion set the Missouri Valley Football Conference record for career touchdown passes (81) and head coach John Stiegelmeier notched his 150th career win in the blowout victory.
After a 20-yard field goal by UAPB made the score 21-6 in favor of the Jacks with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter, the Jacks score 69 unanswered points.
Three Jackrabbits found the end zone multiple times against the UAPB defense.
Running backs Isaac Wallace and Mikey Daniel each ran for two scores and sophomore receiver Cade Johnson hauled in two touchdowns from Christion.
Wallace led the way on the ground for the Jackrabbits with 192 yards on five carries while Johnson led all SDSU receivers with 162 yards on five receptions.
In total, 10 different Jackrabbits crossed the goal line in Saturday night’s offensive explosion. Michael Wandmaker, C.J. Wilson and Blake Kunz scored their first career touchdowns.
Junior wide receiver Adam Anderson was one of the Jackrabbit receivers to catch a touchdown from Christion. Anderson knew the SDSU offense would be capable of putting up points this season even in the absence of Dallas Goedert and Jake Wieneke.
“I’m not really surprised,” Anderson said. “We have a lot of weapons receiver-wise and running backs, and we have something to prove this year.”
The Jackrabbits have scored 135 points through two games.
The SDSU defense forced four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumbles) and held the Golden Lion offense well below its season average of 42.5 points per game.
UAPB had several big plays on offense in the first half, but the Jackrabbit defense stifled the Golden Lions in the second half.
The UAPB offense fared better than Montana State against the SDSU defense.
The Golden Lions gained 310 yards of offense – just 53 yards came in the second half. Despite racking up over 300 offensive yards, UAPB only managed to put a pair of field goals on the scoreboard.
By comparison, Montana State gained 193 yards over a full four quarters in last week’s contest.
Junior cornerback Zy Mosley intercepted two passes from UAPB quarterback Roger Totten II and senior linebacker Eric Kleinschmit led the Jacks with 7 tackles.
UAPB starting QB Shannon Patrick was in street clothes on Saturday night for unknown reasons, and the Golden Lions were without the services of second-stringer Skyler Perry.
This left the third-string Totten to start against the Jackrabbits. He went 9 for 21 passing for 131 yards in the game.
The big-play offense that the Golden Lions displayed in the first two games of the season had its moments but was unable sustain consistent drives against the Jackrabbit defense.
Junior tailback Taeyler Porter led the UAPB offense with 106 yards rushing.
The Jackrabbits have a bye week next weekend, but travel to Fargo Sept. 29 to take on rival and Football Championship Subdivision No. 1 North Dakota State in the first conference contest of the season.
