MOORHEAD, Minn. - Defending national champion Minnesota Duluth awaits Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday night when the Dragons and Bulldogs collide at 6 p.m. at James Malosky Stadium in Duluth.
 
The major power broker in the NSIC with three consecutive league titles and two national championships since 2008, Minnesota Duluth brings a 3-1 overall record and a 2-1 mark into the reunion with MSU Moorhead. The Dragons balanced their overall mark at 2-2 and hiked their NSIC slate to 1-2 with a 29-22 overtime victory over Minnesota, Crookston last Saturday while the Bulldogs posted a 26-23 bounce back victory at Bemidji State.
 
Minnesota Duluth was ambushed 7-0 at Wayne State in September, snapping the Bulldogs' 17-game winning streak and injecting new life into the NSIC title chase. Still, UMD, well stocked with proven veterans, remains a solid favorite. Minnesota Duluth is ranked 10^th on the latest NCAA II national poll and draws much of its offensive energy from junior quarterback Chase Vogler, 6-1,195. Vogler has completed 60 of 90 passes for 664 yards and three touchdowns in four starts. Freshman Brian Lucas, 5-11, 200, headlines a balanced running game with 50 carries for 236 yards while Zach Zweifel leads the Bulldogs in receiving with 16 catches for 160 yards.
 
The UMD offensive line is anchored by senior tackle Cory Flesch, 6-4, 275; senior guard Francis Herzog, 6-5, 295, and junior guard Garth Heikkinen, 6-4, 305. UMD defensive strongholds include senior outside linebacker Rob Huberty, 6-1, 225; senior strong safety Cody Eich, 6-1, 205; sophomore cornerback Kenny Chowa, 5-9, 180; sophomore inside linebacker Colby Ring, 6-1, 220, and sophomore noseguard Chris Vandervest, 6-1, 265.
 
Last weekend Minnesota State Moorhead celebrated Homecoming with a 29-22 overtime victory over Minnesota, Crookston. Offense took center stage much of the afternoon, but it was a defensive stop that turned the tide. Jeff Schuette would finish with 16 tackles, but none bigger than the final play, a forced fumble near the goal line that Tyler Brody recovered. It marked the second overtime in the history of Dragon football, and MSU Moorhead struck first in the extra session on a 3-yard touchdown run by E'Boni Lucious-West. The Golden Eagles responded with a scoring threat but Schuette popped the ball from the grasp of Golden Eagle quarterback A. J. Barge. Kevin Koch completed 16 of 30 passes for 215 yards for MSUM, including scoring strikes of 13 yards to Kendall Hendon and 15 yards to Alex Leach. Lucious-West supplied 103 yards rushing on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns. Hendon had five catches for 71 yards while Alex Pearson and Brandon Thompson had four receptions each. Lezan Tahir booted a 21-yard field goal in his first varsity appearance.

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