Southwest Minnesota State University Athletics 2007 Mustang FOOTBALL Athletic Communications Director: Kelly Loft, [email protected] (contact) Assistant Athletic Communications Director: Crystal Kruger, [email protected] For Immediate Release: Assistant Athletic Communications Director: Andy Schlichting, [email protected] OCTOBER 16, 2007 www.SMSUmustangs.com • phone: (507) 537-7177 • fax: (507) 537-6578 GAME:8 SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS (2-5, 2-3 NSIC) AT WAYNE STATE COLLEGE WILDCATS (4-3, 4-1 NSIC) Date: Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007 Kickoff: 1 p.m. Location: Wayne, Neb. • Memorial Stadium (3,000) THE GAME: Southwest Minnesota State University plays its final TEAM STATISTICAL COMPARISON Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference road game of the season THE SERIES SMSU WSC this Saturday, Oct. 20 in Wayne, Neb., versus Wayne State College. Southwest Minnesota State and Wayne State meet for the Scoring 142 (20.3) 154 (22.0) Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at WSC’s Memorial Stadium. 19th time on Saturday with WSC leading 13-5 ... Wayne First Downs 122 130 State has won the last two meetings, both held in Marshall SMSU will be looking to rebound following last week’s 39-27 Rushing 43 53 ... SMSU won 37-30 during the last game held in Wayne, road loss to Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa. Wayne State is Passing 70 66 Neb., in 2004 ... WSC leads 6-2 all-time in games played in riding high after earning a 24-21 road victory over defending confer- Penalty 9 11 Wayne ... WSC is 5-3 versus SMSU since joining the NSIC ence champion Bemidji State and has now won three straight league Rushing Yardage 792 (113.1) 931 (133.0) in 1999. games to stay within one game of conference leading Winona State. Passing Yardage 1,556 (222.3) 1,468 (209.7) Following this Saturday’s game, SMSU will close out the season Total Offense 2,348 (335.4) 2,399 (342.7) SERIES INFORMATION with home games versus Bemidji State and Winona State before 3rd Down Conv. 35/106 (33%) 29/92 (32%) (Complete game-by-game results on page 1) ending the season against MSU Moorhead at the Metrodome. 4th Down Conv. 7/15 (50%) 6/13 (46%) Touchdowns 17 19 OVERALL: ................................................WSC leads 13-5 Field Goals/Att. 7/15 6/8 IN MARSHALL: ........................................WSC leads 7-3 IN THIS RELEASE YOU’LL FIND...: In this 10-page release, you’ll be IN WAYNE: ................................................WSC leads 6-2 able to find out all the information you need for this week’s game. Scoring Defense 186 (26.6) 208 (29.7) NEUTRAL RECORD: ..................................................n/a Series information, statistics, historical notes and more are all listed Rushing Defense 1,092 (156.0) 1,272 (181.7) LAST SMSU WIN:..........................Oct. 16, 2004 (37-30) in the release. The 2007 SMSU roster and two-deep for this week’s Passing Defense 1,529 (218.4) 1,195 (170.7) game are all listed on page 8-10. Game statistics, player bios and LAST WSC WIN: ............................Oct. 21, 2006 (27-24) Total Defense 2,621 (374.4) 2,467 (352.4) BIGGEST WIN FOR SMSU:..................41 (55-14, 1987) more can all be found on the SMSU athletics Web site at BIGGEST WIN FOR WSC: ....................49 (49-0, 1969) www.SMSUmustangs.com For more information, please contact Kelly Loft. LONGEST WIN STREAK FOR SMSU: ......2 (1997-99) LONGEST WIN STREAK FOR WSC: ........5 (1992-96) BROADCAST INFORMATION: All SMSU football games can be heard on KARL, 105.1 FM with Aaron Ziemer handling CURRENT WIN STREAK: ..................................WSC, 2 the play-by-play. The games can also be heard via the internet at www.SMSUmustangs.com or www.MarshallRadio.net. Games can also be viewed over the internet for a small fee at www.northernsuntv.org THE COACHES SMSU: Eric Eidsness, 4th season, 15-25 overall at SMSU THE COACHES: Southwest Minnesota State University head coach Eric Eidsness, ALL-TIME SCORES WSC: Dan McLaughlin, 3rd season, 13-16 overall at WSC hired on Jan. 21, 2004, is in his fourth season at SMSU and has compiled an overall record of 15-25, including 9-18 in conference games. He is 1-2 all-time VS. WSC (5-13) Home: 3-7 • Away: 2-6 versus Wayne State. 1969 11/1 L H 0-49 Prior to being named head coach at SMSU, Eidsness was offensive coordina- 1970 11/7 L A 14-34 2007 SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE SCHEDULE tor at South Dakota State University for five seasons (1999-2003). He also 1986 9/20 L H 3-10 Aug. 30 Wisconsin-Eau Claire ............................L 13-42 served as assistant head coach during his last season in 2003. Prior to SDSU, 1987 9/19 W A 55-14 Sept. 8 at Jamestown (N.D.) ................................L 9-17 Eidsness was offensive coordinator at Ferris State (Mich.) (1998), was an offen- 1992 10/24 L A 29-49 Sept. 15 at Minnesota, Crookston * ....................W 20-15 sive assistant at South Dakota State (1996-97) and Morningside (Iowa) (1994- 1993 10/23 L H 34-63 1994 10/15 L A 6-31 Sept. 22 Northern State *......................................L 27-31 95). 1995 10/14 L H 28-33 Sept. 29 at Mary * ................................................L 22-23 Wayne State head coach Dan McLaughlin is in his third season and has com- 1996 10/12 L A 23-25 Oct. 6 Concordia * ^ (Ag Bowl) ......................W 24-19 piled an overall record of 13-16. He came to Wayne State after spending one 1997 10/11 W H 29-21 Oct. 13 at Upper Iowa * ......................................L 29-37 season as offensive coordinator at Minnesota State, Mankato in 2004. In 2003, 1999 10/23 W H 44-16 Oct. 20 at Wayne State *........................................1 p.m. McLaughlin was a graduate assistant coach at the University of Nebraska, work- 2000 10/21 L A 24-35 2001 10/27 W H 35-34 Oct. 27 Bemidji State * ..........................................1 p.m. ing as an assistant offensive line coach and assistant special teams coach while 2002 11/2 L A 13-16 Nov. 3 Winona State * ..........................................1 p.m. coordinating Nebraska's walk-on program. McLaughlin is 2-0 versus SMSU. 2003 9/27 L H 40-41 Nov. 10 vs. MSU Moorhead * % ............................7 p.m. 2004 10/16 W A 37-30 * Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game EIDSNESS MOVES INTO SECOND ON LIST: SMSU head coach Eric Eidsness 2005 10/15 L H 13-38 ^ Homecoming moved into sole possession of second place on the SMSU career wins list with 2006 10/21 L H 24-27 % played at Metrdome, Minneapolis, Minn. his 15th victory in SMSU’s win over Concordia on Oct. 6. Gary Buer is the pro- gram’s all-time leader with 70 wins in 14 years (1979-92). 2007 WAYNE STATE SCHEDULE Sept. 1 at Chadron State (Neb.)..........................L 14-55 ABOUT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE: Southwest Minnesota State is 2-5 overall and 2-3 in the NSIC and is cur- Sept. 8 Nebraska-Kearney ....................................L 7-31 rently tied for fifth place. Sophomore Zach Wysong leads the team in rushing with 483 yards on 110 carries while Sept. 15 at Upper Iowa * ....................................W 34-28 sophomore Paul Benesh has 369 yards on 76 attempts. Junior quarterback Josh Shudlick has passed for 1,556 yards Sept. 22 MSU Moorhead *....................................L 18-42 and nine touchdowns as he has completed 131 of 244 attempts. Sophomore Derek Townsend continues to lead the Sept. 29 Minnesota, Crookston * ..........................W 31-7 squad with 29 receptions for 384 yards while junior Matt Fischer has 21 receptions for 233 yards. Freshman Bret Oct. 6 at Northern State *................................W 26-24 Ballantine has 14 receptions which is tied for third on the team and has a team-high three touchdowns. Oct. 13 at Bemidji State * ..................................W 24-21 Oct. 20 Southwest Minnesota State *....................1 p.m. A pair of Mustang players have recorded over 60 tackles this season. Junior Tyler Reed is the team leader with Oct. 27 at Concordia *............................................1 p.m. 65 tackles including a team-high 38 solo stops. Senior Tyler Fischer has 61 tackles and is also second with six tack- Nov. 3 Mary * ........................................................1 p.m. les for loss. Redshirt freshman Robbie Slinkman is third on the team with 41 tackles. Nov. 10 vs. Winona State * ..............................3:30 p.m. LAST WEEK VERSUS UPPER IOWA: Upper Iowa rushed for 335 yards and held a nearly 2 to 1 time of possession and Southwest Minnesota State Football Game Notes - Page 1 2007 NSIC STANDINGS held off a late Southwest Minnesota State charge to earn defense and special teams have provided some very long NSIC Overall a 39-27 victory in Fayette, Iowa, last Saturday. and exciting plays this season. The SMSU offense has 10 Winona State ..................................................5-0 ............6-1 Upper Iowa built a 27-0 lead after three quarters of play plays of 30 yards or more while the kick return team has Mary (N.D.) ....................................................4-1 ............4-3 and limited the SMSU offense to just three first downs three returns of 40 yards or more. The SMSU defense Wayne State ....................................................4-1 ............4-3 after 45 minutes of play. SMSU would finally break also had a 100-yard interception return. Bemidji State ..................................................3-2 ............4-3 through in the fourth quarter scoring 27 points and rack- Mustang Plays of 30 or More Yards Southwest Minnesota State ................2-3 ..........2-5 ing up 11 first downs but it wasn't enough as the Peacock Yds Player Opponent Northern State ................................................2-3 ............2-5 offense and defense made enough plays to hold on.