BROOKINGS, S.D. – The No. 11/12 University of the Incarnate Word put up a fight against No. 1 South Dakota State on Saturday night in Brookings, S.D. The Cardinals and Jackrabbits battled for the lead through the first three quarters until SDSU came out on top with a 45-24 victory.

Zach Calzada threw for 351 and three touchdowns, while leading the Cardinals on the ground with 43 rushing yards.

Jalen Walthall and Roy Alexander paced the receiving core with three total TDs on the night. Walthall finished with 137 yards and two touchdowns, while Alexander put up 128 yards and one touchdown.

Darius Sanders totaled nine tackles on the night, while Mason Chambers added seven tackles and one interception. 

The Cardinal defense held off a Jackrabbit touchdown on the opening drive, stopping SDSU short at the 20-yard line. The Jackrabbits went for a 37-yard field goal that hit the right upright, sending the Cardinal offense to the field.

UIW capped of its first drive of the game with a 37-yard FG from Brack Peacock to jump to an early 3-0 lead, which they took into the second quarter.

An untimely Cardinal targeting gave the Jackrabbits a first down at the UIW35 to end the first and SDSU capitalized on the possession with a 30-yard field goal to tie the game up 3-3 to start the second quarter.

The Jackrabbits continued this momentum with a first down on the 43-yard line following a UIW unsportsmanlike conduct call before Gronowski threw a deep 41-yard touchdown pass to claim the lead for SDSU (10-3).

Alexander had a highlight reel catch over two defenders down the middle to set up the Cardinals for a 5-yard touchdown pass from Calzada to Walthall late in the second quarter to tie the game back up at 10.

SDSU squeezed in another score at the end of the quarter to take back the lead at 17-10. The Jackrabbits threatened to score again just before the half, but a Chambers interception at the 1-yard line gave the ball back to the Cardinals.

Walthall leaked out for 69-yards to the house in the beginning of the third as the Cardinals refused to back down knotting the game at 17.

The Jackrabbits capped off an 11-play, 69-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown to bring the score to 24-17. A 61-yard SDSU pass set up another touchdown with four minutes left in the third and the largest lead of the game thus far (31-17).

UIW had a look at the red zone with a 46-yd haul from Calzada to Walthall, but unnecessary roughness pushed the Cardinals back to the UIW29 and the Cardinals were unable to score. They recovered by finding the end zone early in the fourth with a 35-yard TD pass from Calzada to Alexander (31-24).

The Jackrabbits scored two more touchdowns before the end of the game to secure the 45-24 victory.

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