South Dakota State 58 Eastern Illinois 10
BROOKINGS -- Zach Zenner ran for 295 yards and three touchdowns Saturday to lead South Dakota State to a 58-10 win over Eastern Illinois in the first round of the FCS playoffs.
The Jackrabbits (9-3), who had six rushing TDs, next face Missouri Valley Football Conference rival North Dakota State (10-1) on Saturday in Fargo, N.D.
Zenner, who carried 33 times, scored on runs of 68, 4 and 7 yards as South Dakota State hosted its first postseason game and won for the first time in three playoff games. Reggie Gandy ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns for SDSU and Cam Jones also scored twice, one on a pass from Austin Sumner.
Jake Walker ran for 125 yards and the only touchdown for Ohio Valley Conference champion Eastern Illinois (7-5). Erik Lora caught 12 passes for 133 yards for the Panthers.
North Dakota State won the national championship last season and is the top seed in this tournament. The Bison beat the Jackrabbits in the regular-season meeting 20-17 in Fargo on Nov. 10.
Minnesota State, Mankato 38
Northwest Missouri State 35 (2OT)
MANKATO, Minn. -- Fifth-ranked Minnesota State, Mankato led 13th-ranked Northwest Missouri State 21-0 at the half in its NCAA second round playoff game at Blakeslee Stadium on Saturday. Little did anyone know that it would take until the second overtime session to decide a winner.
Redshirt freshman defensive back Justin Otto intercepted a pass in the end zone in the second overtime and junior kicker Sam Brockshus booted a 27-yard field goal as Mankato won a thriller 38-35 over the Bearcats moving the Mavericks on to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Football Championship.
The Mavericks picked off Northwest Missouri State quarterback Trevor Adams three times in the first half which helped catapult Mankato to the big halftime lead. The first interception came on the fourth play of the game when junior defensive back Robert Gunderson hauled in an interception on the 22-yard line of the Bearcats. Sophomore running back Andy Pfeiffer took it in from a yard out to give the Mavericks an early 7-0 lead.
Pfeiffer led MSU's ground attack by gaining 120 yards on 25 carries and two scores. The team rushed for 236 yards with quarterback Jon Wolf rushing for 68 yards and a touchdown. Wolf was 10-for-19 through the air for 158 yards and two touchdowns.
The win advances the Mavericks to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Football Championship where they will host Missouri Western State next Saturday at noon at historic Blakeslee Stadium.