SDSU powers past Duquesne

Saturday, December 1

Brookings, S.D.

2 p.m.

South Dakota State University

9-2

Duquesne

9-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Duquesne

South Dakota State

Photo by: Jason Salzman

12/1/2018 7:26:00 PM | Football

Box Score

As snow descended on Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium Saturday afternoon, fifth-seeded South Dakota State turned to a potent rushing attack to advance to the Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals with a convincing 51-6 victory over Duquesne.

In winning their fifth consecutive game, the Jackrabbits improved to 9-2 overall and will travel to fourth-seeded Kennesaw State. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern (1 p.m. Central) on Saturday, Dec. 8, with television coverage on ESPN3.com.

Duquesne, which had its six-game winning streak snapped, ended its season with a 9-4 overall record.

On the opening drive of the game, SDSU went to the air, converting on fourth-and-1 from midfield on a pass from Taryn Christion to Cade Johnson. The pair hooked up three plays later on a 43-yard touchdown to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive. It was Johnson's 16^th touchdown reception of the season, tying the Jackrabbit single-season record set by Jake Wieneke in 2014 and matched in both 2016 and 2017.

After Brandon Snyder forced and recovered a fumble in the closing minute of the first quarter to give SDSU a short field, the Jackrabbits extended their lead to 14-0 on the first play of the second quarter as wide receiver Isaiah Hill took a handoff from Johnson on a reverse and weaved his way around right end for a 23-yard touchdown run.

SDSU pushed the lead to 24-0 going into intermission with 10 points in the final 92 seconds of the second quarter. Missouri Valley Football Conference Freshman of the Year Pierre Strong continued his late-season surge with a 52-yard touchdown run down the right sideline one play after the Jackrabbit defense stuffed Duquesne on fourth-and-1.

A stifling Jackrabbit defense quickly posted a three-and-out to get the ball back near midfield. Christion ran for 17 yards to set up a 39-yard field goal by Chase Vinatieri.

Duquesne put together its lone scoring drive of the afternoon to open the second half. Daniel Parr connected with Kellon Taylor for 68 yards to the Jackrabbit 7 before finding the end zone from 3 yards out. The extra point was blocked.

The Jackrabbits quickly regained the momentum, reeling off 20 points in the span of a little over three minutes. Hill scored for the second time on a reverse, this time going around left end for a 15-yard score. Two plays after a Larenzo Williams interception and 22-yard return, Mikey Daniel got into the scoring act by hurdling a defender en route to a 27-yard highlight-reel touchdown run.

The final SDSU tally of the scoring blitz came on a 43-yard interception return for touchdown by Zy Mosley -- his team-leading fourth interception of the season.

Daniel, who gained a career-high 100 yards on 10 carries, provided the final margin with a 4-yard touchdown run two minutes into the fourth quarter.

As a team, the Jackrabbits racked up 326 yards on the ground, averaging 8.1 yards per carry. Strong ended the afternoon with 92 yards on 12 carries.

Meanwhile, the SDSU defense never let the Duquesne running game get on track, holding the Dukes' All-America running back candidate A.J. Hines to only 21 yards on 10 carries. Duquesne managed only 84 total yards on the ground in 35 attempts.

Parr ended the game 14-of-24 passing for 160 yards for the Dukes. Taylor caught five passes for 97 yards.

SDSU completed only four passes in the final three quarters as Christion finished the afternoon 12-of-26 passing in a swirling wind for 144 yards. Johnson recorded eight receptions for 99 yards, with Adam Anderson adding three catches for 28 yards.

Logan Backhaus and Christian Rozeboom each registered seven tackles to lead the Jackrabbits, who notched three sacks and eight tackles for loss in the contest.

NOTES

SDSU leads the all-time series, 2-1, winning the last two matchups over the 2017 and 2018 seasons
The Jackrabbits improved to 5-0 in home postseason games, including a 4-0 mark at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
SDSU evened its all-time FCS playoff record at 7-7
The Jackrabbits improved to 20-2 overall in all games played at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium since the facility opened in 2016
Daniel became the fourth different Jackrabbit running back to rush for 100 yards in a game this season, joining Strong (three times), Isaac Wallace (two times) and C.J. Wilson (once)
SDSU's five rushing touchdowns tied a team season high
Mosley's interception return for touchdown was the first by a Jackrabbit since Kellen Soulek recorded a 65-yard pick-six at Northern Iowa in the 2016 regular season finale at Northern Iowa
SDSU blocked an extra point (Krockett Krolikowski) and punt (Seven Wilson), giving the Jackrabbits at least one blocked kick in four consecutive games
The Jackrabbits eclipsed the 50-point mark for the fifth time this season and third time in the last four games
SDSU kicker Chase Vinatieri broke his own school record for extra points in a season, upping his total to 60 (previous record: 58 in 2017)
Vinatieri improved to 14-of-14 on career field goal attempts between 30 and 39 yards and moved into a tie for third place on the SDSU career field goals chart with Brett Gorden (36 from 1995-98)