BROOKINGS, S.D.
— In an impressive display of skill, Amar Johnson rushed for 157 yards and scored two touchdowns, leading South Dakota State to a commanding 41-10 victory over Southern Illinois on Saturday.

Currently holding a record of 9-2 and 6-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, South Dakota State is ranked third in the FCS coaches poll. The Jackrabbits have been on a roll, winning their last four games following a narrow 13-9 defeat to North Dakota State, the conference leader and top-ranked team, earlier this month.

With this victory, South Dakota State finds itself in a three-way tie for second place alongside Missouri State and South Dakota. In the upcoming week, the Jackrabbits will take on Missouri State, while North Dakota State will face South Dakota as both teams wrap up their regular seasons.

During the game, Amar Johnson made a notable impact by scoring a 9-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter. He later extended the lead for the Jackrabbits with a 3-yard touchdown run, making the score 41-0 with six minutes remaining in the third quarter.

In addition to Johnson’s contributions, Angel Johnson, Mark Gronowski, and Kirby Vorhees also registered touchdown runs for South Dakota State. The team displayed remarkable offensive prowess, scoring on five of their first six drives and amassing a total of 288 rushing yards and 503 yards of offense overall.

On the opposing side, Michael Lindauer passed for 145 yards and threw a touchdown in the third quarter for Southern Illinois, which currently holds a record of 3-8 with a 1-6 conference status.