Wayne State hands USF Cougars third straight loss
The USF football team saw their late-season slide continue on Saturday, as the Cougars dropped their third straight game, a 31-24 defeat at home to Wayne State, a loss that will put their Division II playoff chances in jeopardy.
It wasn’t just that the Cougars lost, either, it was how they did.
USF appeared to be in control of the action when Cain McWilliams jumped a Wildcat pass early in the third quarter and returned it 29-yards for a touchdown to make it 21-7, but it was pretty much all Wildcats from there, as they would outscore USF 24-3 the rest of the way.
Nick Bohn connected with Trevor Marshall on a 28-yard touchdown to make it a 21-14 game, and after the teams traded field goals, Bohn broke off a 56-yard touchdown run to tie it, then connected with Jadon Johnson on a 17-yard strike to put WSC (8-2) in front with 9:13 to play.
That left USF with plenty of time to answer, but the Cougars couldn’t get out of their own way, committing seven fourth-quarter penalties for 90 yards, several of which were post-play personal fouls or unsportsmanlike penalties. Coach Jon Anderson, on his postgame radio interview, apologized for his team’s lack of discipline, which he called “embarrassing.”
Since the loss drops USF to 7-3, those mistakes may end up keeping the Cougars out of the playoffs. Since opening the season with a seven-game winning streak and rising as high as 11th in the national poll, the Cougars are 0-3, and will fall out of the Top 25 (they were 25th this week) and down the regional rankings.
Bohn rushed for 115 yards and threw for 165 and three touchdowns. Mason Lee had six catches for 93 yards and a score.
Thuro Reisdorfer rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns for the Cougars, while Adam Mullen was 17-of-26 for 140 yards.
The Cougars close out the season Saturday at Upper Iowa, needing a win and some help to have hopes of getting a playoff spot.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, host MSU-Moorhead next week, and a win would likely clinch them a berth in the playoffs.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Wayne State hands USF Cougars third straight loss
