GAME SIX || SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2014 || 6:00 PMMARSHALL, MINN. || MATTKE FIELD AT THE SCHWAN REGIONAL EVENT CENTERUPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY AT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
LIVE OPTIONSWEBCAST || LIVE STATS || NSIC SCORES || AM 950 KOEL
WEEKLY NOTESUPPER IOWA || SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE || NORTHERN SUN || TWO DEEPS
THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... The Peacock football team comes into week six a perfect 5-0 for the first time since 1964 when UIU reached a 6-0 mark and finished the season 8-1. Upper Iowa is coming off a defeat of Augustana College for the first time in eight tries. UIU rallied from a 26-16 deficit a minute into the final quarter scoring the final fifteen points and intercepting the Vikings' final pass in the endzone to hold on for the Homecoming win. The Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State have had the Peacocks number over the last decade winning eight of the ten match ups, but the last three have only been decided by an average of three points. Upper Iowa will look to ride the third-best scoring offense in Marshall this weekend, while the Mustangs will hope to ground the Peacocks. The Mustangs offense is led by quarterback Charlie Kern and the tandem running backfield of Tyler Tonderum and Davontay Stevens. Kern is throwing for 209.6 yards a game, while the trio is combining for 129.8 yards on the ground.
THE SERIES... Southwest Minnesota State leads the series 8-2 having won the last six match ups. The last three games, two played in Marshall, Minn., were decided by just nine points combined. The Mustangs won 28-24 in 2011 and 38-37 in 2012 before holding off a first and goal for UIU with under a minute to play to claim a 52-48 win in Fayette. The Peacock wins in the series came in 2004 (28-16) and in 2007 (39-27).
LAST YEAR'S INSTANT CLASSIC... SMSU and UIU combined for 1198 yards in total offense to hit the century mark on the scoreboard last October. The Peacocks trailed 52-42 with 3:41, but the home team used a 3-play, 72-yard drive that took 26 seconds and was highlighted by a 51-yard touchdown pass from Cole Jaeschke to Lucas Hefty. After a missed extra point, UIU trailed 52-48. The Peacock defense came up big with a three and out and then Josh Lechtenberg blocked the Mustang punt to set Upper Iowa up at the SMSU 33-yard line with two and a half minutes to play. Upper Iowa got the ball down to the 6-yard line, but a false start pushed the ball back to the 11 for the fourth down play. UIU's final pass attempt was intercepted in the corner of the end zone to end the Peacock threat.
"CHRIS"-CROSSING DEFENDERS... Senior
Chris Smith rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns including a 61-yard run to surpass the 4,000-yard mark in his career in Peacock blue and white. Smith now has 4,040 in 31 games (130.3 yards/game). The nation's leader in rushing touchdowns now has 15 (41 in his career) and is averaging three trips over the goal line per game. Smith has carried the ball 118 times for 837 yards in 2014. UIU's historic running back is second in the country in rushing yards and yards per game (167.4), and is also ranked 6th nationally with 184.6 all-purpose yards per game. He is fourth all-time in Northern Sun Conference history in career rushing yards and needs 789 yards to become the all-time leader in NSIC history (131.5 yards per game). Smith is led to the defense by his offensive line which is anchored by the left side's senior tandem of tackle
Casey Beck and guard
Nathan Cato.
"COLE"-ECTING RECORDS… Senior quarterback
Cole Jaeschke is now just 187 yards short of the 10,000-yard mark as he enters the final six games of his final season with UIU. The Moorland, Iowa product has thrown for 9,813 yards in his career including 9,680 in 37 conference games, which is the most of any quarterback in Northern Sun Conference history. With 33 more yards of total offense (passing yards plus rushing yards) he move into second on the all-time NSIC's list as well. Jaeschke has thrown for the 5th most completions in the nation and most among NSIC QB's with 134 and is connecting with his receivers at a completion percentage of 65% (22nd NCAA/2nd NSIC). His 1,449 passing yards are ranked 14th among NCAA DII signal callers and 2nd in the NSIC, while his 1,479 yards of total offense are 26th best in the country and 3rd in the conference. His 11 touchdown passes (27th NCAA/4th NSIC) add on to his program record for scores thrown in a career; he now has 73 through the air and has added 7 on the ground.
INC-"RED"-IBLE... The Peacock offense is the nation's leader in redzone efficiency. Upper Iowa is the only team to remain perfect inside the 20-yard line. UIU has scored on all 19 possessions in the redzone with 17 touchdowns and 2 field goal. On defense, Upper Iowa is ranked 11th in the country and 1st in the NSIC in redzone defense holding opponents to a 55.6% success rate. Upper Iowa has held their opponents to just ten scores (4 FG/6 TD) in eighteen trips into the redzone. UIU has made stops when it counts as opponents have only converted 5 of 19 fourth down attempts resulting in a fourteen turnovers on downs.
BEHIND ENEMY LINES... Redshirt juniors
Alex Wahl,
Tyler Fisher and
Jevell Rollins are leading the Peacock front line defense. The Peacock defense has registered 34 tackles for loss (80th NCAA/7th NSIC). Wahl's 59 tackles (15th NCAA/3rd NSIC), 35 solo stops (9th NCAA/1st NCAA) and 3 forced fumbles (3rd NCAA/1st NSIC) lead the team, while Fisher is second on the team in tackles with 47 (6th NSIC) and solo tackles with 24 (10th NSIC). Rollins' 8 tackles for loss are the 6th highest total in the NSIC.
PASSERS BEWARE... Last week, the Peacocks picked off six passes bringing their season total of interceptions to 10, which ties Sioux Falls for the fourth highest count in the country and largest tally in the NSIC.
Chayz Holt leads the team with 4 (8th NCAA/2nd NSIC), while reigning NSIC Defensive Player of the Week
Javon Moore's 3 picks last week rank him 20th in the nation and 4th in the NSIC.
Jeff Arends has two interceptions to tie for 6th in the Northern Sun, while safety
Paul Yokas pulled in the remaining takeaway. Holt is also ranked third in the nation and first in the NSIC in passes defended with 11.
FOUR LANE HIGHWAY... Quarterback
Cole Jaeschke has a wealth of weapons around him including four solid targets as the team enters week six. Seniors
Shay Gutman,
Lucas Hefty and
Derek Giesking remain in the forefront, while
Trey MacTaggart has filled in for
Keaton Hosch and the offense hasn't missed a beat. Hosch went down during a long punt return at Minot State, and MacTaggart has taken over his duties in the return game and the offense. Gutman has pulled down 33 catches (26th NCAA/ 5th NSIC) for 485 yards (26th NCAA/5th NSIC) and five scores (24th NCAA/3rd NSIC). The Cedar Rapids product has caught 161 passes for 2,443 yards in his career. He is currently fourth on the all-time receptions list trailing the leader Dwayne Croker (2004-07) by 33 and the all-time receiving yards list behind the record holder Jackie Bridges (1989-92) by 199 yards. Hefty has pulled in 31 catches 35th NCAA/4th NSIC) for 312 yards (12th NSIC) and two scores. Giesking, who missed the first game, has caught 28 balls for 276 yards and 2 touchdowns. His 7 receptions per game are 17th in the NCAA and 2nd in the NSIC, while his yards per game (69) are 9th best in the conference.
