On Saturday, the Jackrabbits host Illinois State in a Missouri Valley Football Conference clash scheduled for 6 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in the 15th annual “Cereal Bowl.”

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SDSU leads the relatively young series 2-0 and is looking for its first win of the season after falling to 17th-ranked University of Delaware 26-3. The Jackrabbits were ranked ninth at the time, but have since dropped to 20th. Illinois State is not ranked, but did receive votes in the poll.

SDSU running back Kyle Minett, a team captain, was held to 32 yards on 14 carries. Quarterback Thomas O’Brien completed 23 of his 45 passes for 225 yards, but three interceptions hurt the Jackrabbits’ chances. Wide receiver Tyrel Kool had a big day, though, catching nine passes for 107 yards.

Illinois State was picked to finish third in the preseason coaches poll, one spot behind SDSU. The Redbirds are 1-1 with a thrilling 55-54 win over NCAA Division II’s Central Missouri on Sept. 2. Their loss came to Northwestern (Ill.), which saw the Big Ten school drub them 37-3.

The Redbirds boast the conference’s reigning freshman of the year in quarterback Matt Brown, who has completed 69.2 percent (36-52) of his passes for 436 yards and three touchdowns.

Northwestern Oklahoma State (0-1) at University of South Dakota (1-1)

The Coyotes, riding high after last week’s monumental 41-38 win over the University of Minnesota, get to try out their new No. 24 ranking when they host Northwestern Oklahoma State at 4:05 p.m. Saturday in the DakotaDome.

The University of South Dakota got its first win over a Football Bowl Subdivision school since the two divisions were created in 1978. Junior quarterback Dante Warren was unstoppable for the Coyotes, accounting for 433 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. He finished 21 of 30 for 352 yards and added 81 more on the ground.

On the receiving end of those yards were sophomore Will Powell and sophomore Tom Flanagan. Powell racked up 156 yards and two scores on eight catches while Flanagan added five for 59 yards. The win was Ed Meierkort’s 100th of his coaching career.

Defensively, Shane Potter had 10 tackles and Adam Broder had 1.5 tackles for loss. Linebacker Shea Williams ,a Hanson graduate, and Darius Hogans each recovered fumbles.

Northwestern Oklahoma State is receiving votes in the NAIA coaches poll and has a history of winning behind it, capturing the 1999 national championship and finishing runner-up in 2000 and 2003. The Rangers lost their first game of the season to Colorado-State Pueblo 55-13. They’re led by sophomore quarterback Kyle Jech who struggled in the loss, completing just 13-of-31 passes for 148 yards and one TD. He’s a returning all-conference performer.

This is the first meeting between the two teams.

By The Daily Republic
http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/event/article/id/46100/group/Our%20Towns/