MEMORABLE HOBO DAY GAMES Hobo Day has been a tradition at South Dakota State University for nearly 100 years, with the Jackrabbits holding a .617 winning percentage in their annual homecoming game. The following is a recap of 10 of the most memorable Hobo Day games in Jackrabbit football history. 10. 2006: Another comeback victory The 2006 Jackrabbit football team made a habit of winning close games, and the Hobo Day game was no exception. Trailing UC Davis 21-10 entering the fourth quarter, the Jackrabbits’ late-game heroics continued as Dusty Snyders scored on a 9-yard pass from Andy Kardoes with 1:08 left in the game. The Jackrabbit defense came up big late in the third quarter as Jeff Hegge dragged down an Aggie ball carrier at the 1-yard line and Eric Schroeder later blocked a short field goal attempt. 9. 1989: Two days of Hobo heroics Day I: In a game that really could have been remembered as the 76th and 77th edition of Hobo Days, the Jackrabbits scored twice in the second half and hung on for a 13-12 win against Morningside. The game covered a two-day span after lightning caused the game to be suspended. Morningside got on the board with two first-half field goals to take a 6-0 halftime lead. SDSU came firing out of the locker room after halftime and scored when a fumbled punt was pounced on by D.J. Wessel in the end zone to tie the game at 6. SDSU later pulled ahead when Shane Bouman and J.D. Berreth hooked up on a 78-yard pass play to put the Jacks up 13-6. The game was suspended by lightning, but the coaches, by mutual agreement, decided to finish the suspended game the following day. Day II: SDSU and Morningside resumed the game with 9:01 remaining in the contest. Morningside would score a touchdown on Day II, but Doug Miller blocked the extra point attempt that would have tied the game, preserving a wild 13-12 SDSU victory. 8. 1975: Game-winning field goal It was a game of missed opportunities as the Jacks could have blown the game open in the second half, but had to rally in the closing seconds to win a nailbiter over the University of South Dakota, 24-22. Leading 21-14 early in the fourth quarter and the Jacks driving for another score, USD’s Gary Culver picked off SDSU’s Greg Hart’s pass in the end zone and gave the Coyotes new life. It was the second costly turnover on the day for the Jacks as they had earlier fumbled into the end zone for a touchback. USD quickly capitalized on the interception, scoring a touchdown and a two-point conversion with 5:35 left in the fourth quarter to put the Coyotes up 22-21. The Jacks were able to recover as they mounted a 14-play drive that was capped by Dan DeLaHunt’s game winning 25-yard field goal with eighteen seconds left. 7. 1956: Sweetening a sour season With the pain of a one-point loss to Augustana the week before and a 60-0 pasting by Arizona
earlier in the year still fresh in their minds, the Jackrabbits took to the field on Oct. 9, 1956, for a classic Hobo Day game. The Jackrabbits would come out on top this day, winning a squeaker over the University of North Dakota, 14-13. Earlier in the year this game was seen as a game by two of the toughest teams in the nation, but a rash of injuries caused this game to lose some of its luster—at least on paper. SDSU, the defending league champion, was still smarting from early-season injuries going into the game. Despite not having running back Bill McDonald in the lineup, the Jacks unleashed a lethal ground attack, racking up 261 yards, led by Bob Betz’s 122 yards. The Jacks’ pass defense was the real story on the day, picking off four passes. 6. 1998: A double-overtime thriller Unlike all previous Hobo Day games, the 1998 Hobo Day game took longer than sixty minutes to decide. Playing the first overtime game in school history, the Jackrabbits defeated Nebraska-Omaha 3027 in double overtime. The Jacks broke a tie in the fourth quarter on Andy Rennerfeldt’s 68-yard pass to Steve Heiden. UNO answered right back to knot the score at 24. With 51 seconds left, UNO was whistled for an illegal motion penalty as the Mavericks set up for a 36yard field goal attempt. The ensuing 41-yard field was no good, sending the game into overtime. In the first overtime, SDSU’s Brett Gorden and UNO’s Paul Kosel traded long field goals to send the game into a second OT. UNO took possession first, but Kosel fell victim again, missing a 42-yard field goal all but sealing the deal for the Jacks. Gorden’s 23-yard field goal sailed through the uprights to send the Jackrabbits to victory for the seventh time in their last eight Hobo Day games. 5. 1963: Running roughshod over USD In the largest margin of victory ever on Hobo Day, the Jackrabbits pounded USD 61-0 en route to the North Central Conference championship. On the day, eight different Jackrabbits found the end zone with running back Reed Sanderson scoring twice. The Jackrabbits added four secondquarter touchdowns to go up 34-0 at the half, out-rushing USD 137-11. The second half was more of the same as SDSU scored four more touchdowns and outmanned the Coyotes 516-74 in total offense for the game. 4. 1997: Hail Mary delivers victory In one of the best Hobo Day finishes ever, South Dakota State defeated St. Cloud State, 21-16. The Jacks carried the lead going into the fourth quarter up 13-0. With 6:20 remaining in the game St. Cloud State tied the game at 13-all, but the Huskies were flagged for excessive celebration after the touchdown. With the extra point attempt moved back 15 yards, St. Cloud State’s try for the lead sailed wide keeping the score knotted at 13. St. Cloud State took a 16-13 lead on a field goal with 3:39 remaining. SDSU got the ball back with 23 seconds left to go in the contest. SDSU’s Noel Bouché proceeded to
loft a 47-yard Hail Mary to Brock Beran in the end zone to put SDSU ahead for good with only a few seconds remaining on the clock. 3. 1979: Tripping the U in playoff year The Jackrabbits were outplayed by USD for the first three quarters but managed to win a close one to keep their playoff dreams alive with a 26-21 win. SDSU scored a second-quarter touchdown and Tony Harris added a field goal to put the Jacks up 10-7 at the half. Harris added another chip shot in the third as SDSU went into the final quarter up by six. The fourth began with USD striking first, going in from two yards out. SDSU would answer right back with two consecutive touchdowns with one coming from Lionel Macklin and the other coming from Jerry James with 6:40 remaining in the game. 2. 1950: Offsides call provides second chance In what will go down as one of the craziest endings in Jackrabbit football history, SDSU took on the University of North Dakota and ended dead even at 21-21 after four hard-fought quarters. It was the only game the 9-0-1 conference champs from Brookings didn’t win that season. Trailing 7-0, SDSU senior Warren Williamson put the Jacks on the board when he swept around the right side and brought the Jacks within an extra point of tying the game. UND would score two more times on the day and take a 21-7 lead into the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter was dominated by the 5-foot-9 Williamson, who finished the quarter with a touchdown reception and ran for another. But it was on the last touchdown from Williamson and the extra point that followed that makes this game one for the ages. With the score 21-20 in UND’s favor and SDSU’s George Medchill digging in for the PAT, UND blocked the kick to give UND an apparent win on this Hobo Day. However, the officials ruled UND offsides and gave Medchill another chance. Medchill redeemed himself, knocking it through the uprights, securing a 21-21 tie. Williamson would later say that he didn’t really remember the end of the game because he had gotten hit so hard on his touchdown run. 1. 1985: Jacks knock off No. 1 USD On an absolutely perfect day to watch football a then-record crowd of 16,193 showed up to watch SDSU avenge an earlier loss and crush previously undefeated and No. 1 ranked South Dakota, 24-12. SDSU had earlier lost to the Coyotes 33-18. SDSU scored the first 22 points of the game and never looked back as K.C. Johnson kicked three field goals and Mike Busch threw for a touchdown and ran for another to put the Jacks ahead. The Jackrabbit defense, led by Brian Sisley and Bruce Klostermann, allowed only two fourth-quarter touchdowns well after the issue was decided. SDSU put the final touches on the upset when the Jacks recorded a safety in the end zone to slam the door shut on USD. With the win, SDSU erased USD’s 11-game winning streak and went on to have a 7-2 record in conference play, finishing tied for second-place in the North Central Conference race.
2012 JACKRABBIT FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE
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