November 15, 2025
MADISON, S.D. – (RV) Dakota State closed out its regular season Saturday afternoon, rolling past MSU-Northern 50-3 behind a dominant defensive performance and a six-touchdown day through the air. The Trojans racked up 322 total yards and forced four turnovers, finishing the regular season 8-2 overall and 5-1 record in the Frontier East.
Dakota State matched the most wins for the first time since the 2017 season where they finished 8-3 overall record, including an appearance in the final NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 national rankings. The Trojans finished second in the Frontier East Division, despite suffering their only setback to Montana Tech. It was the fourth time in the last five seasons that DSU produced a winning record season.
The Lights (1-10 overall record, 0-6 Frontier East), meanwhile, were held to just 88 total yards on 61 plays, including nine rushing yards and only 79 passing yards, and did not reach the end zone.
DSU scored their single game high points and the most points scored at Brian Kern Family Stadium, which made debut in 2024. The Trojans finished their home schedule undefeated with a 5-0 record and raised their all-time home record at Brian Kern Family Stadium to 8-2.
It was the second time since 2021 that DSU went undefeated at home during conference action (former North Star Athletic Association in 2021 with a 4-0 home record).
Dakota State won their fifth consecutive game and their seventh win in the last eight games. It was the third time in the last five games that the Trojans held their opponents to single digits in scoring.
DSU averaged 39.8 points per game during their five-game winning streak to their opponents 11.2 points per game.
First Quarter Highlights
Dakota State seized control immediately with a surprise onside kick recovery on the opening kickoff. Two plays later,
Preston Iverson burst 12 yards up the middle for a touchdown—his sixth rushing score of the season—as DSU grabbed a 6-0 lead just 50 seconds into the game.
After a defensive stand, DSU marched 63 yards in eight plays.
Tray Hettick connected with tight end
Lane VanderWal on a 20-yard touchdown strike at the 8:31 mark, extending the lead to 13-0.
Moments later, the Trojans capitalized on a Lights fumble deep in MSU-Northern territory. On the next snap, Hettick hit
Melek Ford on an 8-yard touchdown pass, pushing the margin to
20-0 with 5:38 left in the opening period.
Second Quarter Highlights
Northern pieced together its lone scoring drive of the afternoon early in the second quarter, moving 35 yards on 10 plays before Tate O'Ne knocked through a 22-yard field goal with 8:46 remaining.
DSU's defense forced consecutive turnovers late in the half, and the Trojans cashed in just before the break. After recovering a fumble at the MSUN 16-yard line, Hettick hit Ford again—this time from nine yards out—with 38 seconds left, stretching the lead to 26-3 heading into halftime.
Third Quarter Highlights
Dakota State's special teams added to the advantage midway through the third.
Adrian Villanueva, who also handled kickoffs, connected on a
42-yard field goal at the 3:53 mark to push the lead to
29-3.
The DSU defense continued suffocating MSU-Northern, holding the Lights to just four yards on their next two possessions and grabbing their second interception of the day.
Fourth Quarter Highlights
Dakota State blew the game open in the final quarter, scoring
21 unanswered points.
Kacey Cauley entered and led a 44-yard scoring drive capped by a
2-yard touchdown pass to VanderWal with 14:26 left, making it 36-3. Cauley struck again minutes later—after a 90-yard march—with a
3-yard tossing touchdown to Caleb Dwyer, who lined up as an eligible receiver to push the lead to 43-3 at the 7:27 mark.
Just 92 seconds later, following a defensive stop inside the MSU-N five-yard line, Hettick returned and tossed his fourth touchdown of the day—his third to Ford—on a 4-yard strike with 5:55 remaining, closing out the scoring at
50-3.
DAKOTA STATE OFFENSE – Efficient, explosive
Quarterbacks
Receiving
Team totals
- 322 yards (241 passing, 81 rushing)
- 24 first downs
- 7-of-10 red-zone scoring
Dakota State Defense
The Trojans produced one of their most overwhelming defensive efforts:
- 88 total yards allowed
- 1.4 yards per play allowed
- 9 rushing yards allowed on 38 MSUN attempts
- 4 sacks for 44 yards lost
- 2 interceptions (Deveon Moses 36-yard return; Michael Foster)
- 2 fumble recoveries
- 6 pass breakups
- 6 tackles for loss
Top Defenders
MSU-Northern finished with
-8 rushing yards by their quarterback and did not advance past the DSU 35-yard line in the second half.
MSU-Northern Highlights
- Ethan Maroni: 8-for-22, 79 yards, 2 INT
- Jameson Stephen: 14 carries, 42 yards
- Defense: Spencer Lehnerz and Giomani Enea with 7 tackles each
- Only score: 22-yard FG by Tate O'Ne
The Lights were held to
0 points over the final 38 minutes.
UP NEXT
Dakota State awaits to see if they have enough to secure an at-large invitation to the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) playoffs to extend their 2025 season. The NAIA Selection Show will announce the teams who qualified for the national playoffs Sunday evening at 6 p.m. via NAIA's YouTube page.
