SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The start of Minot State University's first playoff game since 2002 was a nightmare.
It didn't get much better after that.
The Beavers gave No. 1 ranked and defending NAIA national champions University of Sioux Falls short fields heading into a stiff south wind and the Cougars made MSU pay.
"They took advantage of everything they got," MSU senior linebacker Martel Pope said. "You can't give a team that good that many chances."
Sioux Falls scored on its first seven possessions and none took more than six plays as the Cougars ran out to a 49-0 lead and never looked back winning it's 36th straight game 63-21 in an NAIA first round game Saturday at Bob Young Field.
"We put ourselves in way too many bad situations, and you can't do that," Beavers head coach Paul Rudolph said.
Rudolph made the decision to try to navigate into a stiff wind in the first half as Sioux Falls won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half. After the Beavers' punter Nico Youngren was tackled and fumbled on MSU's first possession and USF's Dan Schmeichel scored on a 10-yard fumble recovery, it looked like a bad decision.
"It was something we stewed about all week," Rudolph said of what to do at the start of the game. "We talked about it. You don't want to give a good team like that the ball twice."
Compounding MSU's inability to punt the ball - the Beavers had a fumble in punt formation, one blocked and another travel 8-yards in the first quarter alone - was MSU's short drives. MSU picked up just two first downs in the first quarter and couldn't sustain a drive into the wind.
"Our inability to punt the ball and get first downs was the difference," Rudolph said.
"We knew coming in it was going to be windy and wanted to take advantage and get up on them early," USF running back Ryan Lowmiller said.
Lowmiller was key for the Cougars, especially with the wind and all of the attention paid to USF quarterback Lorenzo Brown. Lowmiller scored on runs of 9 and 45 yards and finished with 136 yards on 10 carries.
"It was part of the game plan," Lowmiller said of concentrating on the run. "We saw some places that we thought we could take advantage. The coaches told us all week to not overlook (MSU). Yeah, they are the 14th seed, but if we overlook them and get beat, it's over."
Sioux Falls (12-0) ran just six offensive plays in the first quarter and led 35-0.
"We felt we settled in and made some plays after the first quarter, but you can't dig that big of a hole against a good team," Pope said.
The Beavers (8-3) put together their first solid drive to end the first half and start the second as Nico Youngren capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard run early in the second half.
"We made some plays and it felt like we belonged on the field," Rudolph said. "I didn't see much defense in the first quarter, but I didn't think we tackled very well."
The Cougars answered with their best drive of the game with a six-play, 60-yard drive that finished with Brown throwing his second TD of the game and his second to Scott LeBrun.
MSU got a fourth quarter TD pass from Jon Meier to Bryan Boychuk and an 86-yard punt return from Johnny Lester.
"It was a successful year overall," Rudolph said. "We certainly are disappointed with how we finished out there today. We are losing some quality players, but we have some quality ones returning."
Brown was efficient as he connected on 5-of-7 passing with two TDs and a pick - a great individual effort from Pope - for 57 yards and added 50 yards rushing. The Cougars outgained MSU 318-35 on the ground as the Beavers were held to just 35 yards rushing on 40 carries. Lester was the Beavers' leading ground gainer with 23 yards while Youngren added 22 yards on 20 carries.
Meier was 19 of 42 with a touchdown and an interception throwing for 191 yards. Zac Rudolph was his favorite target with 102 yards receiving on seven catches. Lance Hollinger finished with five receptions for 51 yards.
