University of Sioux Falls hosts Wayne State for Senior Day hoping to snap two-game skid
WAYNE STATE (7-2) AT SIOUX FALLS (7-2)
WHEN/WHERE: 1 p.m. Saturday at Bob Young Field
TV/ONLINE: NSIC Network
RADIO: KWSN-FM 98.1/AM 1230
COACHES: WSC – Logan Masters (1st year); USF – Jon Anderson (6th year, 39-16)
SERIES: USF leads 9-0
LAST TIME: USF won 38-17 last year in Wayne
LAST WEEK: Wayne beat Upper Iowa 56-14; USF lost 38-24 to MSU-Mankato
RANKINGS: USF is ranked No. 25 in Division II
ABOUT THE MATCHUP: USF met Wayne State last year in this exact same week in almost this exact same situation. It was Week 10, with two games to go, and the Cougars and Wildcats were tied in the standings, clinging to playoff hopes at 6-3. The Cougars won that day to effectively eliminate Wayne State, and USF won again the following week, but 8-3 wasn’t quite enough to get them in.
This year both teams are 7-2, and whoever loses Saturday won’t necessarily be out of the playoff picture, but the winner will certainly have strengthened its case. USF, after streaking to a 7-0 start, has dropped its last two.
Wayne started 4-0, lost two of their next three, and have won their last two. They have quality wins over Northern State and MSU-Mankato, and suffered a narrow, 31-27 loss at Augustana.
The Wildcat offense averages 33 points and 436 yards per game. Nick Bohn has thrown for 1,865 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Anthony Watkins has rushed for 673 yards and nine scores. Their two top receivers – Jadon Johnson and Mason Lee, both average 19 yards per catch.
The WSC defense allows 21 points per game, and linebacker Alex Kowalczyk has been their top performer, with 75 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions.
The Cougar offense has seen its scoring output decline during their two-game skid and will hope a healthier Thuro Reisdorfer can help them get back on track. The former Washington Warrior enters the final two games of the season with 1,088 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
The Cougars have never lost to Wayne State. They’ll be honoring the following 14 seniors as part of Senior Day festivities: Cam Alfaro, Tanner Beaton, Ethan Wittenburg, Grant Rice, Gio Purpura, Thuro Reisdorfer, Taj Wyatt, Caleb Kennedy, Jonathan Taylor, Terrell Conner, Jackson Wright, Jared Dexter, Jess Ybarra and David Martinez.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: USF hosts Wayne State for Senior Day hoping to snap two-game skid
