CARBONDALE, Ill. – The top two offenses in the Missouri Valley Football Conference were on full display Saturday afternoon as South Dakota State and Southern Illinois combined for nearly 1,200 yards of total offense. When the dust settled, the sixth-ranked Jackrabbits came away with a 57-38 victory at Saluki Stadium to bolster their chances for a seventh-consecutive berth in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. SDSU quarterback Taryn Christion became the MVFC’s career passing yardage leader on a 64-yard throw to tight end Blake Kunz late in the first quarter and topped the 12,000-yard mark for career total offense on his first touchdown pass of the game. SDSU finished with a 656-541 advantage in total offense as Christion completed 13-of-23 passes for 341 yards. With its third win in a row, SDSU improved to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in league play.
VERMILLION, S.D. – South Dakota’s defense kept Western Illinois out of the end zone while the offense got just enough to get past the Leathernecks 17-12 on senior day Saturday inside the DakotaDome. Coyote quarterback Austin Simmons passed for 220 yards and a touchdown while Kai Henry added 70 yards and a score on the ground. USD also welcomed back speedy wide out and return man Kody Case from injury. Case caught seven passes for a team-best 71 yards. Western Illinois (5-5, 4-3 MVFC) had averaged 34 points during its three-game win streak, but totaled 272 yards and mustered just two long field goals against the Coyotes. USD held Western Illinois to 22 yards rushing and ended Sean McGuire’s streak of throwing a touchdown pass at 14 games dating back to last season.
