August 29, 2026
MADISON, S.D. — NAIA's nationally ranked No. 25 Dakota State (S.D.) erupted for 429 passing yards (fifth most single-season team record) and built a 21-point halftime lead Saturday evening, holding off Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 35-27 in the 80th all-time meeting between the longtime rivals at Brian Kern Family Stadium on Blankley Field. The Trojans held off the Tigers second-half comeback, despite being outscored 27-14 in the final twenty minutes of the game.
The Trojans reclaimed the Chamber of Commerce Traveling Trophy after the Tigers had taken it back to Mitchell last season. Dakota State improved to 1-0 overall, while Dakota Wesleyan fell to 0-1. DSU trimmed DWU's all-time series record with 41-38-1.
DSU had won seven times in the last nine meetings in the annual Chamber of Commerce Traveling Trophy. Dakota State also earned their fifth straight home victory over Dakota Wesleyan since the Chamber of Commerce Traveling Trophy began in 2017.
The Trojans also extended their winning streak to six games, dating back to last season where they closed the season with a five-game winning streak. It marked the first time since 1991 season that Dakota State had won six consecutive games (defeating St. Paul College 43-0, Martin Luther 39-0, Mt. Senario 14-0, Black Hills State 31-21, Huron 30-8, and SD tech 14-13).
DSU also improved to 9-2 record at Brian Kern Family Stadium since its inception in 2024.
How it happened
Dakota State needed less than two minutes to find the end zone on its opening possession.
After
Maddox Kihne returned the opening kickoff 23 yards to the DSU 26-yard line,
Tray Hettick connected with
Melek Ford for a 64-yard completion on third-and-9 to move the Trojans to the Tiger 9.
Two plays later, Hettick found
Tim Halbur for a 9-yard touchdown with 12:58 remaining in the opening quarter.
Malte Hamann added the point-after kick for a 7-0 DSU lead.
Dakota Wesleyan responded with a 61-yard drive, but the Trojan defense stopped the Tigers on downs.
Neither team scored again during the opening quarter.
Dakota State put together a lengthy scoring drive midway through the second quarter. The Trojans marched 51 yards in 11 plays and took 6:30 off the clock, finishing the drive when Hettick connected with Ford for a 1-yard touchdown with 5:03 remaining in the half.
Hamann's PAT extended DSU's lead to 14-0.
The Trojans struck again before halftime.
Starting from their own 30-yard line with 2:32 remaining, Dakota State needed just four plays to travel 70 yards. Hettick found Kihne for a 30-yard touchdown pass with 1:28 left, followed by Hamann's extra point for a 21-0 advantage.
Dakota State took the three-touchdown lead into halftime.
The Tigers began their comeback during the third quarter after Trevor Sladky intercepted Hettick and returned it 64 yards to DSU's 43 yard line.
Dakota Wesleyan capitalized four plays later when Jed Jenson connected with Caleb Kilbride for a 38-yard touchdown with 11:05 remaining in the third. The extra-point attempt failed, trimming Dakota State's lead to 21-6.
The Trojans pinned Dakota Wesleyan at its own 3-yard line later in the quarter, but the Tigers responded with a 97-yard touchdown drive.
Jenson completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Gus Scott with 1:22 remaining. DWU's two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful as DSU maintained a 21-12 lead.
Dakota Wesleyan outscored Dakota State 12-0 in the third quarter.
The Trojans immediately answered the Tigers' momentum.
Dakota State drove 77 yards in four plays spanning the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth. Hettick capped the drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to
Jovi Wolf with 14:10 remaining.
Hamann's PAT pushed DSU's lead back to 28-12.
Dakota Wesleyan refused to go away, answering with a seven-play, 60-yard drive. Jenson connected with Kilbride for their second touchdown of the game, this time from 15 yards with 10:47 remaining.
Jenson followed with a successful two-point pass to Steven Christion, cutting Dakota State's lead to 28-20.
The Trojan defense produced one of the game's biggest turnovers on Dakota Wesleyan's next possession.
Tamareon 'Frosty' Foster intercepted Jenson and returned the ball seven yards to the DWU 39. Dakota State needed only two plays to turn the takeaway into points.
Hettick found Ford for a 30-yard completion on the first play before the duo connected again for a 9-yard touchdown with 7:51 to play. Hamann converted his fifth PAT of the night as Dakota State rebuild its advantage to 35-20.
The Trojans' defense continued to create turnovers down the stretch.
Michael Foster intercepted Jenson with 4:46 remaining, stopping a DWU drive at the Tiger 11.
Dakota Wesleyan eventually got the ball back and pulled within one possession when Jenson connected with Christion for a 15-yard touchdown with 1:43 remaining. Joel Hallgren's extra point trimmed Dakota State's lead to 35-27.
The Tigers received one final opportunity after DSU punted the ball to the DWU 1-yard line with 48 seconds remaining after a 48-yard punt by
Sam Marcus.
Dakota State needed just two plays to finish the game.
Senior safety
Aidan Jahns intercepted Jenson with 37 seconds remaining, giving the Trojans their third interception of the night and allowing the offense to run out the clock.
Dakota State regained possession of the Chamber of Commerce Traveling Trophy with the eight-point victory.
Inside the box score
Quarterback
Tray Hettick fueled the Trojan offense with a career night, completing 23-of-32 passes for career-highs 429 yards (fourth most single game in DSU football school record book) and five touchdowns (tied fourth most single-game touchdown passes). He connected with four different receivers for touchdowns.
Melek Ford was Hettick's primary target, hauling in nine receptions for a whopping career-high 242 yards (second most single-game receiving yards in DSU football school record book). and two touchdowns, averaging 26.9 yards per reception. He had the 64-yard reception during DSU's opening touchdown drive and later caught touchdown passes of 1 and 9 yards.
Halbur added five receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown. Kihne had two catches for 43 yards and a touchdown, while
TC Charles finished with three receptions for 34 yards.
Preston Iverson caught two passes for 32 yards, Wolf had one reception for 25 yards and a touchdown, and
Samuel Livingston added one reception.
The Tigers limited Dakota State's rushing attack to 33 yards.
Trajan Davis led DSU with 23 yards on seven carries, including an 11-yard run. Iverson rushed 10 times for 18 yards, while Livingston added 14 yards on four attempts.
Josiah Perez led Dakota State's defense with
nine tackles and added a pass breakup.
Kaden Van Otterloo and
Hayden Westman each collected eight tackles. Van Otterloo also registered a quarterback hurry.
Tamareon 'Frosty' Foster finished with six tackles, four pass breakups and an interception. Jahns added six tackles, an interception and a tackle for loss.
Michael Foster recorded DSU's other interception.
Kai Rigdon and
Lamarcus Osborne each recorded a sack for Dakota State. Osborne finished with two tackles for loss, while Rigdon, Jahns,
Jacob Imdieke and
Elliott Devries also registered tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
Imdieke added a blocked kick.
Dakota State finished with six tackles for loss, five pass breakups and three interceptions.
Sam Marcus punted five times for 205 yards, averaging 41.0 yards per punt. Four of his five punts landed inside the Dakota Wesleyan 20-yard line, and his longest punt traveled 53 yards. His highlight came with his last punt of the game where it was landed on DWU's 1-yard line with less than a minute to go in the game.
Hamann was perfect on all five extra-point attempts and handled six kickoffs.
Kihne totaled 55 yards on three kickoff returns with a long return of 23 yards.
Jenson completed 20-of-38 passes for 226 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions for Dakota Wesleyan. He also rushed nine times for 28 yards.
Landon Iverson led the Tigers' rushing attack with 75 yards on 14 carries, highlighted by a 39-yard run. Scott added a 39-yard rush.
Chase McGillivary led DWU with seven catches for 73 yards. Kilbride caught four passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns, while Scott added two receptions for 25 yards and a score. Christion caught a 15-yard touchdown.
Defensively, Jestin Bayer and Reed Rus each recorded eight tackles. Rus was involved in three sacks, while Bayer had one. Sladky finished with five tackles and a 64-yard interception return, while Jackson Jarding added five tackles and an interception.
Dakota State finished with 462 total offensive yards despite being limited to 33 rushing yards. The Trojans averaged 7.7 yards per play and converted 7-of-12 third-down opportunities.
Dakota State outgained Dakota Wesleyan 462-376 in total offense. The Trojans accumulated 429 passing yards and 33 rushing yards, while the Tigers finished with 229 passing yards and 147 rushing yards.
DSU recorded 21 first downs compared with 18 by DWU. The Trojans converted 7-of-12 third downs (58.3 percent), while the Tigers finished 5-of-14. Dakota Wesleyan was 3-of-4 on fourth-down conversions.
The Trojans possessed the ball for 30 minutes, 16 seconds compared with 29:44 for DWU.
Dakota State's passing game averaged 13.4 yards per attempt and 18.7 yards per completion. The Trojans averaged 7.7 yards on their 60 offensive plays.
DSU committed nine penalties for 68 yards, while Dakota Wesleyan was flagged three times for 25 yards.
The two teams combined for five interceptions. Dakota State intercepted three passes, while Dakota Wesleyan picked off two.
Up next
Dakota State heads on the road next Saturday as they visit NCAA Division II Black Hills State (S.D.). Both teams were former members of the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference (SDIC) and Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC).Â
Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. (Central Time)/1 p.m. (Mountain Time) at Lyle Hare Stadium in Spearfish, S.D. It will mark the first meeting for both teams since Oct. 2, 2010, where BHSU won by a slim score of 14-9.
