BROOKINGS, S.D. – The Western Illinois football team met the eighth-ranked South Dakota State Jackrabbits inside Dana Dykehouse Stadium Saturday (March 6) and fell by a score of 45-10.
The Jackrabbits thwarted Western’s momentum at every turn.
The second quarter saw the Leathernecks on the brink of scoring their first touchdown, working a 72-yard drive, when the Jacks intercepted a pass in the end zone. The play was met by an 80-yard rushing TD, and after Connor Sampson and Dallas Daniels connected for six on the subsequent drive, SDSU seemingly erased it with another score just before halftime.
The Jackrabbits took a 42-10 advantage into the locker room. They scored 14 points off turnovers, scoring on six of eight first-half opportunities.
Western found itself in SDSU territory three times in the latter half, and the drives resulted in an interception and two turnover on downs.
WIU welcomes North Dakota to Hanson Field next Saturday, March 13, at 12 p.m.
- Mason Laramie sent a 26-yard field goal through the uprights for Western’s first points of the afternoon; he is 2-for-2 in FGs this year
- Daniels scored his first touchdown in a WIU uniform; he set up the play with a 62-yard pass, which marked the longest reception of the season. Daniels finished the game with 111 receiving yards to become the first to put up 100-plus this season
- Western Illinois moved to 45-87-1 all-time against ranked opponents, with a 30-67 mark in conference play
- Greg Benton Jr. and Justin Nutof each recorded nine tackles (five solo); Nutof added a forced fumble
***Recap courtesy of WIU Athletics***
