It was far from the start to the season the USF Cougars wanted last Thursday against Black Hills State, and the team entered the weekend aiming for a rebound.

The Cougars made the trek North on Saturday to take on NSIC-newcomer Jamestown, and they certainly came to play.

It was a clean game for the Coo, who capitalized on four total Jimmie turnovers to earn their first win of the season.

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Per USFCougars.com:

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – The University of Sioux Falls football team put together a complete performance Saturday afternoon, shutting out Jamestown 31-0 at Charlotte & Gordon Hansen Stadium to pick up its first win of the 2026 season.

The Cougars (1-1, 1-0) scored 14 points in the opening quarter and never looked back, finishing with 392 yards of total offense while holding the Jimmies (0-2, 0-1) to just 176. USF forced four turnovers, including three interceptions, and did not commit a turnover of its own.

First Half Recap

Sioux Falls established itself early, moving the ball 41 yards on its opening possession before being stopped on fourth down at the Jamestown 34. The Cougar defense answered with a fourth-down stop of its own, giving the offense the ball back at the USF 40.

The Cougars took advantage on their second possession. Bennett Brueck connected with Mark-hel Joinville and Hank Brown Jr. before finding Adonis Hutchinson for a 19-yard gain to move USF into the red zone. Brueck finished the seven-play, 60-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Daevion Simonsen, his first career score, putting the Cougars ahead 7-0 with 1:43 remaining in the opening quarter.

USF needed just 47 seconds to strike again. Starting from its own 20, Brueck helped move the Cougars to the Jamestown 38 before connecting with Bubba Tann III for a 38-yard touchdown as time expired in the first quarter. The score capped an 80-yard drive and gave Sioux Falls a 14-0 advantage.

The Cougar defense created the game's first turnover in the second quarter when James Woodward forced a Jacob Mattick fumble and Denim Blackstad recovered it at the Jamestown 38.

USF added to its lead on its final possession of the half, putting together a 13-play, 65-yard drive. Brueck connected with Dahlton Wood for 18 yards and Brown for 12 during the march before Scott Dickson knocked through a 35-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining, sending Sioux Falls into halftime with a 17-0 lead.

Second Half Recap

Jamestown put together its best scoring opportunity of the afternoon midway through the third quarter, driving 62 yards and reaching the USF 14. The Cougar defense ended the threat when Garret Hoffman intercepted Mattick at the goal line and returned it 18 yards, preserving the shutout.

The defense continued to take the ball away in the fourth quarter. On Jamestown's first play of the period, Peyton Marceau intercepted Cole Hentges at the USF 45 to give the Cougar offense another opportunity.

USF turned that takeaway into points with a nine-play, 55-yard drive that took five minutes off the clock. Brueck found Joinville for 21 yards on third-and-eight before later connecting with Hutchinson for a 17-yard touchdown, extending the Cougar lead to 24-0 with 9:42 remaining.

The defense struck again on Jamestown's next possession. Woodward recorded an 11-yard sack to force a fourth-and-17 before Isaac Rudningen intercepted Hentges and returned it 23 yards to the Jamestown 46.

Four plays later, Gaven Dean broke free for a 34-yard touchdown run to cap the scoring at 31-0. The Cougars controlled the final minutes from there to complete the shutout and secure their first victory of the season.

Sioux Falls returns to Bob Young Field on Saturday, Sept. 12, when the Cougars host MSU Moorhead for the USF Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Coo Back Coo Game presented by Pepsi.

Source: USF Cougars