DULUTH — The Duluth, Minn., football team stormed past Southwest Minnesota State University on Saturday. The Mustangs lost 62-0 to Duluth’s 48 points in the first half, and SMSU fell to 0-4 on the season and in Northern Sun University Conference play.
The game got off to a rocky start for the Mustangs, who got off to a false start on their first play from scrimmage. Three plays later, SMSU quarterback Kendon Krogman’s pass attempt was intercepted by Jacob Mogensen, giving the Bulldogs a 5-0 lead.
The Bulldogs forced a three-and-out on SMSU’s next possession and scored on a 66-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Walljasper to Dashaun Ames. SMSU’s defense improved the remaining quarters, but two field goals gave Duluth a 20-0 lead on its first goal.
Krogman completed 7 of 19 attempts for 58 yards and was drafted by the Mustangs. He was sacked three times and rushed seven times for two yards before being relieved by true freshman Drew Kluder. In his first college game, Kruder was sacked six times while completing 3 of 10 passes for 15 yards. He gained -19 yards on eight rushes.
Minnesota Duluth scored in the first three minutes of the second half on an 11-yard run by Aiden Williams and a 64-yard touchdown pass by Wall Jasper, making the score 34-0. They sent off the Dogs from there and brought in the substitutes, but they kept scoring. Quarterback Jacob Eggert completed a 50-yard punt return from Jimmy Durocher to the SMSU 11-yard line for a 5-yard touchdown. He then completed a 53-yard touchdown pass with Chuck Gilbert III and returned to the locker room with the score 48-0.
Walljasper completed 5 of 6 attempts for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Eggert completed 3 of 4 attempts for 60 yards and 1 touchdown. did. AJ Boreman and Austin Randall also attempted passes for UMD in a lopsided win.
Jacob Honstetter led SMSU in scrimmage yards, carrying the ball 11 times for 14 yards and catching two passes for 28 yards. Tryg Outen also caught three passes for 27 yards, and Xander Wolfe was the Mustangs’ second-leading rusher with eight yards on six carries.
Duluth scored on its first drive of the second half with Ben Valavski running for a 61-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs added another point in the fourth when Ben Lindley ran for a 44-yard touchdown on his first possession of the quarter.
Valavski was the game’s leading rusher, gaining 124 yards on seven attempts, averaging 17.7 yards per carry. Lindley also gained 63 yards on 10 attempts, and Alex Riley ran six times for 38 yards.
Still, Ames was the leader in scrimmage yards for the game, gaining 138 yards on just three receptions.
For SMSU, Avery Johnson had two sacks of 18 yards and Josiah Hedensten had another sack of 5 yards. Hedensten’s five solo tackles, eight total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss were all team-highs. Logan Booth, Connor Shelton, Carter Schmitz and Johnson each recorded three solo tackles, with Booth ranking second on the team with four total tackles.
For Duluth, Blake Gaudet led the team with 2.4 sacks. Allen Pearson Jr. had 1.5 sacks, and Carter Landon, Drew Hennessy, Gavin Skelton, Preston McQueen and David Gauderman each had one sack.
SMSU will look to find its rhythm on offense as it hosts its first-ever home matchup against Nebraska and Kearney on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Lopers are 2-2 so far this season, but their last two games against No. 17 Central Oklahoma State and No. 12 Central Missouri State, both of which have lost.