Big Second Quarter for UWL Proved to be Too Much for DSU

A week after opening up their season at home with a win, the Trojans went to Wisconsin La Crosse and were unable to overcome a huge second quarter from the Eagles.

Neither team in the first quarter was able to get much going offensively, and after a big third down stop against the Eagles in the red zone, followed by a blocked field goal, it seemed as if the game would be a strong defensive game for both sides. 

However, the Eagles went off in the second quarter, scoring five total touchdowns in the quarter. 

The Eagles got on the board first early in the quarter on a seven-yard pass from Cade Garcia to Cam Sorenson. After a special teams error resulting in UWL getting the ball inside the Trojans 15 yard line, the Eagles capitalized with another touchdown, this time Garcia connected with Max Stubbendick for 13 yards in the endzone.

Charlie Kramer then picked off Trojans QB Zach Brooks and returned it for a touchdown on the next DSU drive, and it seemingly just continued to snowball for the Trojans from there. 

UWL  scored two more touchdown passes before the intermission, and DSU continued to have no answers, going into the half down 35-0. 

The Trojans scored their lone touchdown in the fourth quarter, after the Eagles had already added one more in the third quarter, when Trojans QB Cameron McKeon threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dajshon  Keel.

McKeon finished the day leading the Trojans in passing after coming in for Brooks in the fourth quarter, going 7 of 8 and 58 yards with a touchdown. Meanwhile, Brooks only had 28 passing yards. RB Tyce Ortman carried the ball 13 times for 56 yards, and WR Cooper McDermott led DSU in receiving with five catches for 32 yards. 

Garcia finished 11 of 14 for 189 yards and four touchdowns for the Eagles. RB Joey Stutzman finished the afternoon leading the game in rushing with 100 yards on 16 carries. Jack Studer led in receiving, going for 129 yards on three catches, while also scoring two touchdowns, both in the second quarter (31 yard TD and 56 yard TD). 

The loss drops Dakota State to 1-1 on the season after losing with a final score of 42-7

DSU will have a week off before playing their next game when they travel to Waldorf on Saturday, September 17th at 4pm.