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SDSU falls at home
CHRIS SOLARI
csolari@argusleader.com
Article Published: 10/30/05
BROOKINGS - South Dakota State's starry-eyed gaze of wonderment at the Division I-AA superpowers has clearly worn off. All the Jackrabbits need to figure out now is how to pull off an upset in one of these games.
Nineteenth-ranked Georgia Southern, a six-time I-AA national title winner, had 484 yards rushing and needed every iota of speed it could muster to hold off SDSU for a 55-42 victory Saturday in front of a loud-but-small contingent of 4,128 fans at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
"We will not leave the locker room feeling good about playing a good team close," SDSU coach John Stiegelmeier said. "To be that team we want to be ... we need to find a way to find a way to win that game."
There were plenty of high points Saturday, including the most points and passing yards allowed by the Eagles all season. SDSU (4-4) gained 523 yards and tied the score at 21 early in the second half when Anthony Watson broke six tackles en route to a 52-yard touchdown run.
But Georgia Southern quarterback Jayson Foster, perhaps the epitome of the Eagles' explosive team speed, went on to score TDs on three of the next four drives to provide enough cushion.
"Whenever our offense scores, we've got to come through and shut them down, or try to at least," SDSU redshirt freshman defensive end Jason Nobling said. "We did the best we could."
SDSU's Ryan Berry, a redshirt freshman starting his first career game at quarterback while Andy Kardoes sat out with with an ankle injury, showed a lot more than just potential. The Watertown native tied Todd McDonald's 12-year-old school record for touchdown passes in a game with five. Berry finished 17-of-27 for 289 yards with three interceptions. It was the highest passing total for the Jackrabbits this year.
"(Berry) didn't get rattled. He knew he was going to take shots," Eagles coach Mike Sewak said. "He said, 'If I'm going to throw a completion and take it in the face, I'm going to throw a completion and take it in the face.' You love a kid like that."
After being supplanted as a starter by sophomore Cory Koenig a month ago, junior running back Watson responded by barreling and bucking his way to a career-best 204 yards on 16 carries. It was SDSU's first 200-plus yard game since Josh Ranek ran for 272 yards against Minnesota State-Mankato in 2001.
SDSU senior Josh Davis, the school's all-time receptions leader, turned into Berry's top target with nine receptions for 177 yards. Davis hadn't scored a touchdown before Saturday but had three against Georgia Southern.
"Once we got going and I got my feet wet a little bit, I felt real comfortable out there," Berry said. "It felt good. I just didn't make enough plays out there, and I made some mistakes."
Still, all of the Jackrabbits' losses have come against ranked I-AA teams.
"It was such a close game that we left all our heart out on the field," said Watson, who moved into fourth place all-time in total rushing yards. "It's always hard when you lose a close one like that or when you fail on opportunities that could have changed the game."
Saturday's uncharacteristic 59-degree temperature and typical 20 mph winds provided the Jackrabbits with more comfort than Statesboro's sweltering heat a year ago in Georgia when the Eagles trounced SDSU 63-7.
Stopping the Eagles' quick, athletic option proved every bit as tough Saturday as last season. Quarterback Foster ran for 178 yards and scored three times, while fullback Jermaine Austin had 146 yards and a career-best four touchdowns as both cleared the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
Georgia Southern had 615 total yards of offense in the game.
"We actually had a really good game plan," said Nobling, who had 14 tackles. "Our coaches put us in the right spot all the time, we just couldn't make the plays to stop their quarterback and Austin."
With Cal Davis upsetting Great West Conference-leading Cal Poly on Saturday, the Jacks (1-1) still have a shot at a share of the league title. They host Southern Utah next Saturday at 1 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni with one thing on their minds.
"That's our goal, to be a championship team," Watson said. "We know we have a chance, and that's where our focus has got to be for the last three games of the season."
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.
(couple of nice pictures on the site)
SDSU falls at home
CHRIS SOLARI
csolari@argusleader.com
Article Published: 10/30/05
BROOKINGS - South Dakota State's starry-eyed gaze of wonderment at the Division I-AA superpowers has clearly worn off. All the Jackrabbits need to figure out now is how to pull off an upset in one of these games.
Nineteenth-ranked Georgia Southern, a six-time I-AA national title winner, had 484 yards rushing and needed every iota of speed it could muster to hold off SDSU for a 55-42 victory Saturday in front of a loud-but-small contingent of 4,128 fans at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
"We will not leave the locker room feeling good about playing a good team close," SDSU coach John Stiegelmeier said. "To be that team we want to be ... we need to find a way to find a way to win that game."
There were plenty of high points Saturday, including the most points and passing yards allowed by the Eagles all season. SDSU (4-4) gained 523 yards and tied the score at 21 early in the second half when Anthony Watson broke six tackles en route to a 52-yard touchdown run.
But Georgia Southern quarterback Jayson Foster, perhaps the epitome of the Eagles' explosive team speed, went on to score TDs on three of the next four drives to provide enough cushion.
"Whenever our offense scores, we've got to come through and shut them down, or try to at least," SDSU redshirt freshman defensive end Jason Nobling said. "We did the best we could."
SDSU's Ryan Berry, a redshirt freshman starting his first career game at quarterback while Andy Kardoes sat out with with an ankle injury, showed a lot more than just potential. The Watertown native tied Todd McDonald's 12-year-old school record for touchdown passes in a game with five. Berry finished 17-of-27 for 289 yards with three interceptions. It was the highest passing total for the Jackrabbits this year.
"(Berry) didn't get rattled. He knew he was going to take shots," Eagles coach Mike Sewak said. "He said, 'If I'm going to throw a completion and take it in the face, I'm going to throw a completion and take it in the face.' You love a kid like that."
After being supplanted as a starter by sophomore Cory Koenig a month ago, junior running back Watson responded by barreling and bucking his way to a career-best 204 yards on 16 carries. It was SDSU's first 200-plus yard game since Josh Ranek ran for 272 yards against Minnesota State-Mankato in 2001.
SDSU senior Josh Davis, the school's all-time receptions leader, turned into Berry's top target with nine receptions for 177 yards. Davis hadn't scored a touchdown before Saturday but had three against Georgia Southern.
"Once we got going and I got my feet wet a little bit, I felt real comfortable out there," Berry said. "It felt good. I just didn't make enough plays out there, and I made some mistakes."
Still, all of the Jackrabbits' losses have come against ranked I-AA teams.
"It was such a close game that we left all our heart out on the field," said Watson, who moved into fourth place all-time in total rushing yards. "It's always hard when you lose a close one like that or when you fail on opportunities that could have changed the game."
Saturday's uncharacteristic 59-degree temperature and typical 20 mph winds provided the Jackrabbits with more comfort than Statesboro's sweltering heat a year ago in Georgia when the Eagles trounced SDSU 63-7.
Stopping the Eagles' quick, athletic option proved every bit as tough Saturday as last season. Quarterback Foster ran for 178 yards and scored three times, while fullback Jermaine Austin had 146 yards and a career-best four touchdowns as both cleared the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
Georgia Southern had 615 total yards of offense in the game.
"We actually had a really good game plan," said Nobling, who had 14 tackles. "Our coaches put us in the right spot all the time, we just couldn't make the plays to stop their quarterback and Austin."
With Cal Davis upsetting Great West Conference-leading Cal Poly on Saturday, the Jacks (1-1) still have a shot at a share of the league title. They host Southern Utah next Saturday at 1 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni with one thing on their minds.
"That's our goal, to be a championship team," Watson said. "We know we have a chance, and that's where our focus has got to be for the last three games of the season."
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.
(couple of nice pictures on the site)