Football | 10/14/2015 1:23:00 PM

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The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team will entertain Bemidji State in its 2015 Homecoming game on Saturday at Scheels Field at Nemzek Stadium. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.

The game is the Battle for the Axe in a rivalry that dates back to 1929. The Axe is the second-oldest traveling trophy in Division II. MSUM has won the game the past two years and is in current possession of the Axe.

The game will be televised live on WDAY'Z Xtra, with Dragon broadcasters Steve d'Eustachio and Larry Scott on the call. Live video, stats and audio can be heard at msumdragons.com.  

MSUM is 3-3 overall and 0-2 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division; Bemidji State is also 3-3 overall and 2-0 in the NSIC North.

A win over Bemidji State would…
—be the Dragons' third straight win over the Beavers
—would match the MSUM win total from 2014
—move MSUM to 3-1 at home this season, ensuring a winning home record in 2015
—snap a three-game MSUM season losing streak
--be their first homecoming win since 2011

Series History
Saturday's game will be the 82nd meeting between MSUM and Bemidji State in a rivalry that dates back to 1929. MSUM has won the last two meetings, including a thrilling 27-21 win over the Beavers in the snow in Bemidji last season. The Dragons lead the all-time series 45-33-3.

Previous five meetings:
2014: MSUM 27, Bemidji State 21 (in Bemidji)
2013: MSUM 35, Bemidji State 17 (in Moorhead)
2012: Bemidji State 35, MSU Moorhead 25 (in Bemidji)
2011: Bemidji State 35, MSU Moorhead 10 (in Bemidji)
2010: Bemidji State 14, MSU Moorhead 6 (in Moorhead)

The Head Coaches
Steve Laqua is in his fourth season as MSUM's head coach with a record of 14-36 at the school, while Jeff Tesch is in his 20th season as Bemidji State's head coach with a record of 122-90.

About MSUM
MSUM is 3-3 on the year after suffering a 48-26 loss at Northern State on Saturday. Sophomore quarterback Demetrius Carr threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another to pace MSUM. Zayne Medhaug rushed for 125 yards to lead the ground attack.

The Dragons average 26.0 points per game and record 396.3 yards per game in total offense.  Senior running back Zayne Medhaug has rushed for 329 yards and four touchdowns to lead the ground game, while Carr has thrown for 862 yards and eight touchdowns in four starts. Sophomore Damon Gibson leads the receiving corps with 20 catches for 381 yards and four touchdowns. Junior Cory Ambrose also has four touchdown receptions this season. Senior receiver Adam Jiskra, who is out with an injury, has 19 receptions in four games.

Aaron Bohl leads the defense with 39 tackles while Michael Strand has 37.  Strand and Chris Binford have two interceptions each while Steve Schutz has blocked three kicks. MSUM allows 37.0 points per game and 472.0 yards of total offense per contest.

About Bemidji State
Bemidji State enters the week on a three-game winning streak. The Beavers rolled to a 41-7 road win over Minnesota Crookston on Oct. 10. Quarterback Jordan Hein threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to pace the Bemidji State offense.

Bemidji State averages 31.3 points per game and posts 403.8 yards per game in total offense. Tahl Nomane leads the Beaver offense with 453 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Hein has thrown for 1,277 yards and 12 touchdowns while Juwaan Richard has 30 catches for 296 yards. Vince Dinkel has five touchdown receptions.

Bemidji State allows 18.3 points per game and 323.5 yards of total offense.  Kaleb Olszewski leads with 48 tackles and two interceptions while Colton Blascyk has 41 tackles and three sacks.

Jeff Tesch, the longest-tenured football coach in the NSIC, is a Moorhead State graduate and was inducted into the Dragon Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
 
More about the Dragons
Century Mark
Senior running back Zayne Medhaug rushed for a season-high 125 yards on 23 carries against Northern State on Oct. 17. It was Medhaug's second 100-yard rushing game of the season and eighth 100-yard game of his career.  Medhaug also has 222 career points, putting him fifth all-time in MSUM school history. He has rushed for 2,105 yards and 29 touchdowns in his Dragon career.
 
Opening Act
True freshman Evan Moore made his collegiate debut at receiver against Northern State. He caught four passes for 40 yards and shared the team lead in receptions with four.

Gibson's Grabs
Sophomore receiver Damon Gibson has emerged as a go-to threat as part of the Dragon passing game. The Beardsley, Minn., native leads MSUM in receptions (20) and yards (381) to go along with four touchdowns.
 
Homecoming Under Laqua
The Dragons are 1-3 in homecoming games under Head Coach Steve Laqua. In 2011, the Dragons beat Minnesota Crookston, 29-22 in overtime, and in 2012, fell to Northern State, 45-7. In 2013 MSUM lost a heartbreaking 36-34 game to Concordia-St. Paul. A year ago, MSUM fell to nationally-ranked Sioux Falls 73-21.

Week 7 Under Laqua
The Dragons are 1-3 in Week 7 games under Laqua. They lost to Bemidji State, 35-10 in 2011, beat Minnesota Crookston, 35-13 in 2012 and lost to Minnesota Crookston on the road, 20-14. Last season the Dragons fell to St. Cloud State, 55-27.
 
Beilke's Big Day
Junior safety Jesse Beilke had one of the best days of his Dragon career in the loss to Minnesota Duluth. The Buffalo, N.D., native had a career-high 14 tackles and a sack against the Bulldogs.  The 14 tackles were the most by a Dragon player this season. Beilke is tied for third on the Dragon defense with 28 tackles. He also has a sack and an interception this season.

Schutz Blocks Another
Senior defensive lineman Steve Schutz has shown a knack for blocking extra points and field goals during his career. The Kimball, Minn., native blocked a field goal against Minnesota Duluth for his third blocked kick of the season. In 2013 Schutz also blocked two field goals, giving him five blocks for his career with six regular-season games remaining this year. Schutz is tied for fifth in the nation in blocked kicks.

Jiskra Surpasses 200
Senior receiver Adam Jiskra had two catches for 14 yards against SMSU before leaving the game with an injury that has left him out indefinitely. Those two catches put him at 201 for his career, making him just the second Dragon receiver to surpass 200 receptions for his career. Jiskra is also one of three players in NSIC history with 200 receptions or more. The Grafton, N.D., native already holds MSUM records for receiving yards (2,925) and receiving touchdowns (31).

Starting on the Right Foot
MSUM's 3-0 start was the Dragons' first since 1987. Those three wins — all coming against NSIC South Opponents — came against teams picked to finish ahead of the Dragons in the preseason poll - Augustana (4th), Winona State (6th) and Concordia-St. Paul (eighth).
 
Stalwarts Up Front
Seniors Bennen Bierman (left tackle) and Troy Peterson (right tackle) have each started all 38 games over the past three seasons on the offensive line -- combining for 78 starts in their careers.. The offensive line play is among the keys to the Dragon offense's growth over the past two seasons.

Team captains
Junior linebacker Aaron Bohl and senior running back Zayne Medhaug were selected as MSUM's 2015 team captains. It is the third straight year Bohl has served as team captain.