The Lindenwood Lion defense will face a stiff test when it plays its first road game of the 2021 season Saturday afternoon against nationally-ranked South Dakota State. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

Lindenwood Football – Gameday Info
Game No. 2 – Lindenwood (0-1) at #3 South Dakota State (1-0)
Date/Time – Saturday, September 11 – 6 pm
Location – Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium – Brookings, SD
Broadcast – GoJacks Sports
Live Stats – StatBroadcast

by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor

After opening the 2021 fall season with a rough and tumble 40-20 loss to Angelo State last week, the Lindenwood football team will be back in action Saturday afternoon in Brookings, S.D., with a game against NCAA FCS powerhouse South Dakota State.

The Jackrabbits made it to the FCS national championship game last year and are coming off a sensational 42-23 win over NCAA Division I-FBS opponent Colorado State.

The two games were almost exact opposites, as Lindenwood fell behind early and tried to rally late, while South Dakota State jumped on Colorado State quickly and then held on to win. The victory was South Dakota State’s second over an FBS oppenent since joining the FCS in 2014.

Saturday’s meeting will be the first ever between the Lions and Jackrabbits.

Players to Watch: Lindenwood is led by its quarterback, 2019 Great Lakes Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Cade Brister. Last week, Brister threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw an interception and was sacked eight times.

Brister’s top receivers in the opener were seniors Alex Faddoul and Tyson Chandler, who combined for 107 receiving yards and scored a touchdown each.

Drew Seers, the 2019 GLVC Defensive Player of the Year, looked like his old self despite the two years off. The senior middle linebacker had a game-high 13 tackles, two for loss, and an interception to lead the Lion defense.

Fellow seniors Arsante Conners and Tre’ Hendon also played well for Lindenwood. Each had 1.5 sacks and a number of quarterback pressures on the night.

South Dakota State was led by its senior running back Pierre Strong, who had 138 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Teammante Isaiah Davis added 84 rushing yards and a touchdown of his own, as the Jackrabbits totaled 242 yards on the ground.

Quarterback Chris Oladokun, playing his first game at South Dakota State after transferring from Samford, was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference co-Newcomer of the Week, after passing for 224 yards, throwing two touchdown passes, and scoring on a touchdown run.

Next Up: Lindenwood will be back home next week, when it hosts its GLVC opener Saturday, September 18, against Kentucky Wesleyan. Kickoff at Hunter Stadium that night is scheduled for 7 p.m.

South Dakota State will have an open week, next week. But the Jackrabbits will be back in action in two weeks, when it goes on the road for its MVFC opener on Saturday, September 25, at Indiana State.

Probable Starters
Lindenwood Offense                         Lindenwood Defense
QB – 4 Cade Brister – Jr.                  DE – 8 Moses Ale – So.
RB – 3 Nash Sutherlin – Sr.              DT – 99 Tayvian Weary – Jr.
WR – 10 Alex Faddoul – Sr.               DT – 90 Dwight Dantzler– Sr.
WR – 17 Payton Rose – Jr.                DE – 92 Arsante Conners– Sr.
WR – 19 Glen Gibbons – Sr.              LB – 1 Tre’ Hendon – Sr.
LT – 76 Blake Rogenhofer- Jr.           LB – 5 Drew Seers – Sr.
LG – 72 Logan Wright – Jr.              LB – 20 C.J. McClure – Sr.
C – 51 Connor Mazzotta – Jr.            CB – 15 Keith Beverly – R/Sr.
RG – 52 Asa Baker – So.                   S – 14 Grady Daniels – Sr.
RT – 74 Ethan Johnson – Fr.            S – 7 Lloyd Lockett – Sr.
TE – 16 Clint Sigg – Sr.                     CB – 6 Jordan Perry – Sr.
PK – 98 Logan Siebert– Sr.                P – 91 Jared Stangler – Sr.

South Dakota State Offense            South Dakota State Defense
QB – 6 Chris Oladokun – Sr.            DE – 97 Reese Winkelman – Sr.
RB – 20 Pierre Strong – Sr.               DT – 99 Caleb Sanders – Sr.
WR – 4 Canyon Bauer – So.              DT – 91 Xavier Ward – Sr.
WR – 9 Jadon Janke – Jr.                 DE – 48 Quinton Hick – Jr.
WR – 10 Jaxon Janke – Jr.               LB – 29 Graham Spalding – So.
LT – 71 Aron Johnson – Sr.              LB – 32 Adam Brock – So.
LG – 60 Mason McCormick – Jr.       LB – 12 Logan Backhaus – Sr.
C – 77 Wes Genant – Sr.                   CB – 21 Don Gardner – Sr.
RG – 56 Eagan Lickiss – Sr.              S – 3 Joshua Manchigiah – Sr.
RT – 74 Garret Greenfield – Jr.         S – 6 Michael Griffin II – Sr.
TE – 87 Zach Heins – Jr.                  CB – 5 Dyshawn Gales – Jr.
PK – 97 Cole Frahm – Sr.                  P – 10 Hunter Dustman – So.