Minnesota State University Moorhead will have little time to savor last weekend's 16-6 season-opening victory over Valley City State University with nationally-ranked Wayne State College on the immediate horizon. The Dragons and Wildcats open Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Alex Nezmek Stadium.

GAME # 2- - - Minnesota State University Moorhead vs. Wayne State College on Saturday, September 5, at 1 p.m. at Alex Nemzek Stadium in Moorhead.

RECORDS- - - MSU Moorhead is 1-0 overall and 0-0 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Wayne State, ranked 21st on the latest USA Today poll, is 1-0 overall and 0-0 in the NSIC.

STAFF- - - Damon Tomeo, in his fourth season as head coach at MSU Moorhead, is 13-21 overall and 0-1 vs. Wayne State. Varsity assistants include Robin Abraham (runningbacks), Joel Beard (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks), Mike Haynes, Jr. (wide receivers), Mike Khoshkbarrie (tight ends), Mike Lango (defensive line), Brandon Lemer (defensive coordinator/inside linebackers), Ben Olson (offensive line), Cale Peterson (outside linebackers), Erik Peterson (video coordinator) and Jake Purrier (offensive assistant).

BROADCAST- - - Dragon football games are broadcast over ESPN Radio 1660 AM. Steve d'Eustachio returns for his 12th season as play-by-play announcer while Mike Larson will provide commentary. All Dragon games are also available at www.msumdragons.com.

SERIES- - - MSU Moorhead and Wayne State meet for the 20th time on Saturday in a series that dates to 1960. MSUM holds a 12-7-0 advantage.

LAST MEETING- - - Wayne State quarterback Silas Fluellen pitched four touchdown passes and generated 315 passing yards to spark the Wildcats to a 28-21 victory over touring Minnesota State Moorhead in the 2008 NSIC opener at Wayne, NE. Craig Kutz completed 23 of 50 passes and tossed TD passes to Bruce Green, Tyrone Small III and Nick Scharpf. The Wildcat defense limited MSU Moorhead to 215 yards of total offense, including a mere 28 yards rushing. The Wildcats sprinted to a 21-7 halftime cushion, but MSUM scrambled back into serious contention with a pair of second half touchdowns.

LINEUPS- - - THE DRAGONS' PROBABLE STARTING OFFENSE:

LT 79 Zach Tourangeau (Apache Junction, AZ), So., 6-3, 310
LG 53 Zane Ziebell (Winona), Fr., 6-2, 280
C 66 Terrell Crawford (Los Angeles, CA), Jr., 6-0, 300
RG 70 Ben Condon (Maple Grove), So., 6-3, 290
RT 65 Taylor Jahn (Baraboo, WI), Fr., 6-4, 265
TE 43 Josh Pieper (Watertown, SD), So., 6-4, 270
QB 14 Zach Fry (Milton, WI), Fr., 6-3, 220
TB 20 Tim Hanson (Upland, CA), So., 5-9, 195
FB 30 Tommy Gochis (Glenview, IL), So., 5-10, 235
WR 2 Tyrone Small III (Bellflower, CA), Jr., 6-4, 195
WR 10 Nick Scharpf (Horicon, WI), Jr., 6-0, 180
SB 17 Joe Johnson (Moorhead), Sr., 5-10, 195


THE DRAGONS' PROBABLE STARTING DEFENSE:

OLB 41 Logan Werlinger (Moorhead), So., 5-11, 205
DT 3 Jon Swart (Fargo, ND), Sr., 5-11, 275
DE 46 Robert Wilhelm (Anchorage, AK), Sr., 6-0, 265
DE 93 Max Pryor (Eden Prairie), So., 6-0, 260
OLB 40 Joey Dawson (Fargo, ND), Jr., 5-11, 205
ILB 36 Jake Larsen (Waupun, WI), Jr., 6-1, 215
ILB 15 Jeff Schuette (Plymouth), So., 6-1, 215
CB 8 Harrison Dotson (Long Prairie), Sr., 5-10, 180
CB 24 Andy Joyce (Plymouth), So., 5-11, 165
S 11 Brandon Larson (Fargo, ND), Jr., 5-11, 205
S 4 Dan Meyer (Chanhassen), Fr., 6-0, 175

DRAGON SPECIALTY:

S 19 Bryson Pluta (Winnipeg, MAN), So., 6-3, 260
H 18 Tim Zander (Howard Lake), Jr., 5-11, 180
P 6 Patrick Haynes (Pardeeville, WI), Fr., 6-0, 165
PK 35 Jimmie Mattson (Eleva, WI), Fr., 6-1, 170
R 17 Joe Johnson (Moorhead), Sr., 5-10, 195
20 Tim Hanson (Upland, CA), So., 5-9, 195

LAST WEEK- - - Sophomore Tim Hanson rushed for a game high 118 yards while freshman Zach Fry completed 14 of 24 passes for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his debut to spark Minnesota State Moorhead to a 16-6 non-conference victory over Valley City State in front of an announced crowd of at Alex Nemzek Stadium. Tommy Gochis and Shawn Marlowe caught TD passes for MSUM while Jake Larsen produced nine tackles.

CAT TRACKS- - - The Wildcats return a corps of seasoned starters, including senior quarterback Silas Fluellen, 6-0, 210, the NSIC South Division Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year. Sophomore tailback Mario Melvin, 5-8, 190, will provide plenty of rushing support. Melvin carried nine times for a career-high 135 yards in a 21-16 victory over Nebraska-Kearney last weekend. Fluellen is also certain to lean on a dangerous receiving corps that includes senior wide receiver Logan Masters 6-3, 185, senior tight end Aaron Nielsen, 6-2, 235, and junior wideout Frederick Bruno, 5-8, 210. A dangerous special teams player as well, Bruno scored on a 90-yard kickoff return against UNK. . . . . The Wildcat offensive line is anchored by senior center Jake Runyon, 6-4, 315, junior tackles Nehemiah Blackburn, 6-4, 270, and Shane Winter, 6-7, 295, junior guard Joe Bundy, 6-6, 305, and sophomore guard Mike Scherer, 6-3, 295. . . . WSC defensive strongholds include senior linebackers Kyle Gardner, 6-1, 225, and Ryan Reeves, 6-3, 245, senior end Darnell Lee, 6-2, 240, senior strong safety Matt Greenway, 6-0, 200, senior cornerback Robert Manuel, 5-10, 180, junior tackle Mark Janssen, 6-4, 265, junior noseguard Kirkland Grant, 6-1, 280, junior end Cody Swanson, 6-2, 240, junior cornerback Cole Fischer, 5-10, 190, and junior free safety Ryan Molacek, 5-11, 205. Reeves was credited with 15 tackles in the win over UNK.

FRY GETS QB NOD- - - Freshman Zach Fry (Milton, WI) survived his first test as the Dragons' starting quarterback, completing 14 of 24 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns in the 16-6 victory over Valley City State. Eric Schaumburg was the last freshman to start at QB on opening day for MSUM in 2005.

SPECIALTY- - - A pair of freshmen have been entrusted with kicking duties at MSU Moorhead this fall. Patrick Haynes (Pardeeville, WI) will handle the punting and Jimmie Mattson (Eleva, WI) will fill the placekicking role.

FRESHMAN FOCUS- - - Four freshmen---quarterback Zach Fry, offensive tackle Taylor Jahn, offensive guard Zane Ziebell and safety Dan Meyer---landed opening day assignments.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE- - - Daily practice sessions are scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

BY THE NUMBERS- - - The Dragons' pre-camp invitation list included 26 lettermen and eight incumbent starters.

SENIORS- - - The latest MSU Moorhead roster includes seven seniors---cornerback Harrison Dottson (Long Prairie), runningback Enol Gilles (West Palm Beach, FL), inside linebacker Philip Pryor (Victoria), defensive end Gary Richards (Moorhead), noseguard Jon Swart (Fargo, ND) and defensive end Rob Wilhelm (Anchorage, AK).

FOR STARTERS- - - The Dragons retain eight starters from last year's club that finished 2-9-0 overall and 2-8-0 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, including senior runningback Enol Gilles (West Palm Beach, FL), junior wide receiver Tyrone Small III (Bellflower, CA) and sophomore tackle Zach Tourangeau (Apache Junction, AZ) on offense. MSUM returns senior tackle Gary Richards (Moorhead), senior noseguard Jon Swart (Fargo, ND), senior tackle Robert Wilhelm (Anchorage, AK), junior inside linebacker Joey Dawson (Fargo, ND) and junior strong safety Brandon Larson (Fargo, ND) on defense.

LAST YEAR- - - MSU Moorhead finished 2-9-0 overall and 2-8-0 in the NSIC in 2008.

NSIC POLL- - - Reigning NSIC champion University of Minnesota Duluth has been installed as the pre-season favorite in the 2009 NSIC Coaches' poll. MSU, Mankato finished second on the 14-team ballot while MSU Moorhead was 12th. UMD was third on the AFCA Division II national poll as well.

NSIC TODAY- - - St. Cloud State visits University of Maine, Minnesota, Crookston travels to Mayville State and Minnesota Duluth hosts Central Washington in Thursday night affair. On Saturday Winona State invades Northern State, Augustana College hosts Emporia State, Concordia University visits Minot State, Upper Iowa is at University of Mary, MSU, Mankato entertains Bemidji State and Blacks Hills State has a non-conference date at Southwest Minnesota State.

HOME, SWEET HOME?- - - MSU Moorhead opens with a three-game homestand against Valley City State, Wayne State and Concordia University.

NEXT WEEK- - - MSU Moorhead hosts NSIC rival Concordia University on Saturday, September 12, at 2 p.m.