Takeaways, players of the week from DII football's first-ever Week 0

Week 0 is in the books and we were treated to some great DII football to open the 2024 season. Minnesota State and Pittsburg State look much like the teams they were at the end of last season, while there were also some pleasant surprises, big-time comebacks and huge statistical days.

Because Week 0 is new and not a full slate of teams played — including defending national champion Harding or national runners-up Colorado School of Mines — the Power 10 rankings will skip this week and return after the completion of Week 1 for the remainder of the season. 

For now, let's take a look at some standout performances from the weekend that was:

🏈 DII FOOTBALL CENTRAL 🏈

📊 Preseason Power 10
🏆 Potential Harlon Hill winners
🏈 Most championships in DII football history

Impressive starts to the DII football season

Minnesota State makes opening day statement. A top-25 victory already in the books? Check. Achieving that on the road in one of the toughest stadiums to play in DII? Check. The Mavericks came out ready for the DII football season in this top-25 matchup, and that was fully on display in the first half. 

Minnesota State rumbled out to a 22-0 lead after the first 30 minutes — with all three touchdowns coming from quarterback Hayden Ekern — while its defense held the new-look Bearcats' offense to just 95 yards and four first downs. Kudos to the Bearcats for not relenting and actually outscoring the Mavericks in the second half 22-14. However, the Mavericks quickly forced the Bearcats to abandon the run game and allowed -17 yards rushing all day. Led by Cody Brown's two sacks, the Mavericks recorded four on the day while that hefty offensive line, led by preseason All-American Marshall Foerner, allowed nary a one, giving Ekern the time and space to total five scores (four rushing, one passing) in the balanced attack. Now, the Mavericks head into NSIC play with its second top-25 showdown in as many weeks when Bemidji State comes to town.

Gorillas thrive in The Jungle. Ferris State went on the road to Carnie Smith Stadium to face the Gorillas in the first Power 10, top-5 battle of the season. The Bulldogs had no answer for the Gorillas' defense, as Pittsburg State walked away victorious, 19-3. 

The Gorillas' D was swarming all night, allowing just one first-half first down, forcing four turnovers, and getting to the quarterback four times — with Zach Coenen recording 1.5 sacks to start his season. It was the first time Ferris State hadn't scored a touchdown in a game since 2017. The game wasn't all defense, however. Kicker Austin Schmitt tied the school single-game record with four much-needed field goals in a game where scoring was hard to come by and quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. improved to 24-3 as the Gorillas starter, going 22-1 in the regular season over that span. Ferris State, which was held to just 38 rushing yards and 171 total yards, will look to rebound quickly in another non-conference matchup against Lake Erie. 

Delta State remains king of the road. The Statesmen became a playoff team the past two seasons by being remarkably strong on the road. Dubbed the DII road warriors, they have not lost on the road since Nov. 13, 2022. Delta State extended that road-winning streak to 13 games with a decisive 47-16 win over Mars Hill.

All-Conference and Region quarterback Patrick Shegog is gone, but many of the top targets are back. It took a little bit to settle in, but once they did, the Statesmen were sharp, reeling off 37 second-half points. Cole Kirk found Jaylen Green for 88 yards and two receiving touchdowns while incumbent running back Kelvin Smith also found paydirt. It's just one game, but the newish-look Delta State offense sure looked similar to the old one.

Cougars down the FCS. DII football programs defeating FCS schools is not uncommon. However, Sioux Falls romping St. Thomas (MN) — which has gone 27-7 since jumping from DIII to FCS in 2021 — was an absolute stunner. It was St. Thomas' first home loss in 31 games, making the 34-13 victory even more fascinating. 

The defense stepped up, holding the Tommies to 172 yards. Matt Goehring led the way with seven tackles while Andy Henson and Alex Macksam each recorded a sack. The Cougars gained more yards on the ground (204) than the defense allowed in total, punching in four scores from the running game. The win should give the Cougars a lot of momentum heading into NSIC play next week as the conference looks to be one of the toughest in DII this season.

Missouri Western's impressive comeback. This was a wild up-and-down game. The Griffons and Northeastern State went back and forth in the first quarter, ending the first 15 minutes tied at 14. The RiverHawks then scored 17 straight points to lead 31-14 at the half. The Griffons defense forced four-straight turnovers to start the second half and turned the tide, storming back and topping off the come-from-behind 33-31 victory with a 67-yard touchdown run by running back Brandon Hall. 

Virginia State hands Benedict first regular-season loss in two years. Benedict has swept through the SIAC the past two seasons, earning the No. 1 seed in the stacked Super Region 2 each season. Virginia State, the preseason favorite in the CIAA, didn't seem to be intimidated, as the Trojans reeled off a commanding 23-7 victory in a game that aired on the NFL Network. The Trojans used a pair of exciting game-breaking touchdowns — a 51-yard touchdown pass from Romelo Williams to Kevin Gayles and an 82-yard scamper from Jimmyll Williams — to tie the game and then put it out of reach. Virginia State looks to take down another big opponent next week against FCS Norfolk State.

Wayne Cavadi's DII football stars of the week

Each week, I'll pick five players at each of the key offensive positions (quarterback, running back, receiver) that stood out to me. CSU Pueblo's dynamic duo of Devin Larsen and Reggie Ratzlaff lit it up to top the charts in Week 0 and were the first two players to make the list after they stuffed the box score Thursday night. Larsen threw for 508 yards and five touchdowns, while 241 of those yards and three of those scores went to his trusty wide receiver, Ratzlaff. 

Let's not forget William Jewell's Keaundre McCullough set the Cardinals' single-game rushing record with a 400-yard, five-touchdown day. He fell just 23 yards short of the DII record of 425 set by Connor Silveria of South Dakota Mines in 2018. There were plenty of stats to go around. 

Here's a look at the rest of this week's stars.