Missouri State football embarrassed in home loss to South Dakota
Wyatt D. Wheeler
South Dakota scored 24 points in the first five minutes of the second quarter to put Missouri State away early.
Missouri State (1-4, 1-1) fell 45-10 to South Dakota (3-3, 2-0) on Saturday afternoon in Springfield.
Turnovers and big plays continued to haunt the Bears as they enter the most difficult three-week span of their schedule.
The Bears will travel to No. 1 North Dakota State next week before a pair of home games against nationally-ranked Northern Iowa and South Dakota State.
Here's what went down Saturday at Plaster Stadium:
This story will be updated.
South Dakota mistake turns into MSU score
On the Coyotes' first offensive play of the game, MSU linebacker Tyler Lovelace stripped tailback Kai Henry and recovered it himself at the South Dakota 32 yard-line.
A personal foul on the first play of the drive moved the Bears to the USD 15. The Bears couldn't get any closer and attempted a short field goal.
On the field goal, a Coyote lined up over the long snapper — which is a personal foul — and gave the Bears the ball at the South Dakota four.
Three plays later, starting MSU quarterback Peyton Huslig rolled out to his right and hit an open Jordan Murray for a four-yard touchdown pass.
South Dakota immediately responds
Big plays have haunted the Bears all season, and it wasn't any different early in Saturday's game.
South Dakota quarterback Austin Simmons hit wide receiver Caleb Vander Esch on a screen and good blocking down the field sprung him loose. Vander Esch turned the short pass into a 56-yard touchdown pass and a tied game.
Coyotes take first lead of game
Both teams exchanged a pair of empty drives before the Coyotes drove down to take a three-point lead.
MSU punter and reigning FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week Brendan Withrow booted a 25-yard punt into the wind following a Bears three-and-out to give the Coyotes the ball at the MSU 45.
On third-and-10, Simmons found an open receiver down the field for a 19-yard completion to move to the MSU 26, but the Coyotes couldn't get any closer.
South Dakota settled for a 38-yard field goal into the wind to take a 10-7 lead just 10 seconds into the second quarter.
Wheels come off for Bears
On the first play following a Missouri State three-and-out, South Dakota tailback Ben Klett took a handoff up the middle and saw nothing but open space in front of him.
Klett ran 57 yards all the way down to the MSU eight before being tackled. On the following play, Simmons hit receiver Drew Greenhaw for an eight-yard touchdown.
Missouri State took over at its own 31 following the touchdown, but it didn't get any better for the Bears.
On the first play of the Bears' drive, there was a low snap to Huslig, who couldn't get control of the ball before a Coyote jumped on the ball to recover the fumble.
When South Dakota took over, Simmons found Vander Esch wide open in the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown strike to extend the Coyotes' lead to 24-7.
It got even worse just a few plays later.
Huslig threw an interception on the Bears' second play following the touchdown. He stared down one receiver and the linebacker jumped the pass and returned it to the Bears' five yard-line.
Two plays later, South Dakota was in the end zone after a one-yard touchdown run to go up 31-7 with 10:11 remaining in the quarter.
South Dakota scored 24 points within 4 minutes and 39 seconds.
It could have been worse
Huslig threw his second interception of the game when driving into South Dakota territory.
The senior quarterback was being pressured from the blindside when he threw a pass behind his intended receiver. The receiver tipped the ball behind him and was caught by a Coyotes defender. South Dakota returned the interception to the Missouri State 45.
South Dakota drove down to the MSU three-yard line but was stopped on fourth-and-one. The score remained 31-7 at the half.
Huslig ended the half 10-for-23 with 88 yards, a touchdown, two interceptions and a lost fumble. Simmons went 9-of-13 for 166 yards and three touchdowns for South Dakota.
USD extends lead with touchdown drives
South Dakota extended its lead on its opening drive of the second half.
The Coyotes had 55 rushing yards on the opening drive and completed just a pair of passes en route to the end zone.
The drive ended with Simmons hitting a wide-open Klett down the middle of the field for an easy 14-yard touchdown.
Missouri State earned a first down on its opening play of its next drive but couldn't do much else as it punted the ball away.
South Dakota proceeded to go on a 13-play, 85-yard touchdown drive to extend its lead. Canaan Brooks capped off the drive with a six-yard run.
Missouri State attempts to start a comeback when down 38 with a field goal
Down 38 points, Missouri State ate up 6 minutes and 51 seconds of the clock to drive 55 yards down the field.
Twelve minutes remained on the clock when the Bears were faced with a fourth-and-eight. Missouri State elected to bring on the field goal unit to cut South Dakota's lead to 35 with 11:48 remaining.
Both teams lost fumbles on their next drives before Missouri State drove down to the South Dakota seven.
On another fourth down, the Bears sent out their field goal unit. This time, the Bears faked it with a Huslig run up the middle. He was short of the first down as MSU turned it over on downs with 4:05 to go.
Missouri State's comeback came up 35 points short.
What the Bears said
"The avalanche took place. We turned the ball over and they scored on five plays. Time of possession was way in our favor. We'd sustain drives or we'd fumble the ball or get an interception. We had a tipped pass — Peyton was responsible for one of them and we have to catch the other ball. The center also snapped the ball to the tailback and I don't know about that one. It's not a good remedy for success. Defensively, we have to do better rallying to that sudden change and we didn't do that." — Head coach Dave Steckel on the beginning of the second quarter
"I don't think the young guys are aware of it yet. You go and play a heck of a game last week and you scratch your head and it's like you're a parent and you're scratching your head because this week was a very good week of preparation. They play a good first quarter and then the second quarter happens and the kitchen sink gives out. It felt like a Geico commercial." — Steckel on the younger players reacting to MVFC play
"I saw a lot of fundamental mistakes from the youth and the experienced. I think what happens is when panic goes on, you leave your keys and your fundamentals and you try to do something that's not your job. I saw more fundamental mistakes, I would say." — Steckel on youth mistakes vs. fundamental mistakes
"That's a great question, I'll have to go look at the video. We took the field goal there at the end of the game to reward them with some points to feel good about a drive and then we practice a fake field goal all week long. On that field goal, they gave us the exact look we wanted and everybody but one guy made the block and that's the guy who tackled him. I wish I had the remedy and the answer." — Steckel on the offense
"It's just being gap-sound, honestly. Mentally, I think we're focused and ready. They did a good job at trying to fool us with their schemes and what they do, but it just comes down to being gap sound." — Linebacker McNeece Egbim on the start of the second quarter
"It's what we worked on in practice — finishing in the green zone and just executing plays down there — we'll get better at that this week." — Wide receiver Tyler Currie on the offense's struggles
Stats
MSU
- QB Peyton Huslig - 21-of-40 for 184 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Also rushed for 20 yards while losing a fumble.
- RB Kendall Stewart - Two carries for 20 yards
- WR Tyler Currie - Nine catches for 87 yards
USD
- QB Austin Simmons - 15-of-21 for 228 yards and four touchdowns. Also had seven rushes for 34 yards.
- RB Ben Klett - Five carries for 69 yards. Also had two catches for 14 yards and a touchdown.
- RB Kai Henry - 15 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown
- RB Canaan Brooks - Eight carries for 43 yards and a touchdown
- WR Caleb Vander Esch - Four receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns
Team comparisons
- Total yards - USD 452 MSU 248
- Pass yards - USD 232 MSU 184
- Rush yards - USD 220 MSU 64
- 3rd Downs - USD 5-13 MSU 3-15
- Turnovers - USD 2 MSU 4
Scoring summary
1Q 9:37 - Peyton Huslig four-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Murray. MSU 7-0.
1Q 8:06 - Austin Simmons 56-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Vander Esch. 7-7.
2Q 14:50 - Mason Lorber 38-yard field goal. USD 10-7.
2Q 11:59 - Austin Simmons eight-yard touchdown pass to Drew Greenhaw. USD 17-7.
2Q 11:37 - Austin Simmons 29-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Vander Esch. USD 24-7.
2Q 10:11 - Kai Henry one-yard touchdown run. USD 31-7.
3Q 10:51 - Austin Simmons 14-yard touchdown pass to Ben Klett. USD 38-7.
3Q 3:39 - Canaan Brooks six-yard touchdown run. USD 45-7.
4Q 11:48 - Parker Lacina 38-yard field goal. USD 45-10.
Up next
Missouri State hits the road next week to play No. 1 North Dakota State at the Fargodome.
North Dakota State has won seven of the last eight national championships and is undefeated entering Saturday's game against Northern Iowa.
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or join the conversation on Twitter where his handle is @WyattWheeler_NL.