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South Dakota State roughs up D-I newcomer Long Island
BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) — Kanin Nelson threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score and South Dakota State welcomed Long Island to Division I play with a 38-3 victory on Saturday afternoon.
Nelson staked the Jackrabbits (1-1), ranked third in the FCS coaches' poll, to a 7-0 lead with a 2-yard scoring run in the first quarter.
Long Island (0-1), which will play in the Northeast Conference, got on the scoreboard for the first time as a D-I school when Briant DeFelice kicked a 27-yard field goal to cap a 12-play drive, pulling the Sharks within 7-3 with 6:50 left in the second quarter. Jaxon Janke returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown to put the Jacks up 14-3 with 2:47 remaining before halftime. SDSU added another score after Clay Beathard sacked Sharks QB Quinton Hicks and recovered a fumble at the Long Island 31-yard line. Pierre Strong Jr.'s 1-yard run capped a six-play drive and gave the Jackrabbits a 21-3 lead.
SDSU put the game out of reach in the third quarter on Mikey Daniels' 1-yard TD run and a 34-yard scoring strike from Nelson to Blake Kunz. Chase Vinatieri, the nephew of the NFL's all-time leading scorer, kicker Adam Vinatieri, booted a 22-yard field goal in the final quarter to wrap up the scoring.
South Dakota State held the Sharks to 123 yards of offense, including just 52 yards rushing on 32 carries.
