Football | 9/23/2015 5:38:00 PM

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The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team is aiming for its first 4-0 start in 30 years when it plays at Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday. Kickoff is 6 p.m. in Marshall, Minn.

Dragon broadcasters Steve d'Eustachio and Larry Scott will have the call, which can be heard at msumdragons.com.  Live online audio, video and live stats can be accessed there as well.  

Both teams enter the game at 3-0.

Beating SMSU on Saturday means:
—MSUM would have its first 4-0 start since 1987
—would be the first Dragon win over SMSU since 2007
—the Dragons' seventh consecutive win, dating back to last season
—MSUM would be the lone unbeaten team in the NSIC North Division
—would keep the Dragons in a tie for first in the 16-team league
—an unbeaten month of September for the Dragons.

Series History
This week's game will mark the 45th meeting between MSUM and SMSU in football, with the Dragons holding a 27-17 series lead. SMSU has won the last five meetings dating back to 2008, including a 27-20 win in the rain on Sept. 14, 2013 in Moorhead.

Previous five meetings:
Sept. 14, 2013: SMSU 27, MSUM 20 (in Moorhead)
Oct. 8, 2011: SMSU 45, MSUM 13 (in Moorhead)
Oct. 9, 2010: SMSU 49, MSUM 14 (in Marshall)
Nov. 7, 2009: SMSU 52, MSUM 10 (in Marshall)
Nov. 8, 2008: SMSU 22, MSUM 8 (in Moorhead)
Last MSUM win - Nov. 10, 2007, 41-27 in Minneapolis, Minn.

The Head Coaches
Steve Laqua is in his fifth season as MSUM's head coach with a record of 14-33, while Cory Sauter is in his sixth season at SMSU with a record of 24-35.

About MSUM
MSUM improved to 3-0 with a nail biting 35-34 home win over Augustana on Sept. 19.  Sophomore quarterback Demetrius Carr threw for 446 yards and four scores the win, while senior receiver Adam Jiskra hauled in three touchdown receptions.  Senior running back Zayne Medhaug caught five passes for 109 yards while junior receiver Cory Ambrose had four catches for 114 yards. Redshirt freshman safety Michael Strand had two interceptions in the win while junior linebacker Aaron Bohl had a team-high nine tackles.

Senior quarterback Jake Hodge has thrown for 547 yards and seven touchdowns in two games while rushing for 124 yards. Carr, who made his first start of the season against Augustana, has thrown for 446 yards. Medhaug has rushed for 214 yards and three scores. Jiskra leads the receiving corps with 17 catches for 241 yards and five scores, while sophomore Damon Gibson has nine catches for 264 yards and three scores.  MSUM averages 35.7 points per game on offense and posts 494.0 yards per game in total offense. The Dragons rush for 163.0 yards per game and throw for 331.0 yards per game.

On defense, Strand and Bohl lead with 24 tackles each. Sophomore safety Abe Roehrich has 18 tackles while sophomore defensive tackle Jake Busse leads with 2.5 sacks. Strand and senior corner Chris Binford both have two interceptions. MSUM allows 26.3 points per game and allows 162.7 yards per game on the ground. Teams are throwing for 306.5 yards per game against the Dragons this season and are compiling 408.7 total yards per game.

About SMSU
Southwest Minnesota State is 3-0 for the first time in 24 years. The Mustangs edged St. Cloud State, 21-20 on the road last week. Ashanti Payne rushed for 106 yards while quarterback Blake Gimbel threw for 182 yards and a touchdown. SMSU's three wins have come by a combined six points.

The Mustangs average 25.3 points per game and are putting together 425.0 yards of total offense per game.  Davontay Stevens has rushed for 342 yards and four touchdowns while Gimbel has thrown for 656 yards and five scores. Ty Steffensen leads the receiving corps with 19 catches for 173 yards and a score. SMSU has three players with 11 catches or more.

On defense, SMSU surrenders 23.3 points per game and 384.0 yards of total offense per game. Caleb Leichtnam has a team-high 31 tackles through three games, while AJ Page has a team-best four sacks.

The Mustangs were picked to finish 11th n the NSIC preseason coaches poll.

More about the Dragons
NSIC Player of the Week — x 2 QB
MSUM has had two NSIC Offensive Players of the Week so far in 2015 — and both players are quarterbacks. Senior Jake Hodge was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 7 after throwing for five touchdowns in the win over Winona State.  Sophomore quarterback Demetrius Carr earned the honors on Sept. 21 after throwing for 446 yards and four touchdowns.

Strand Steps Up Big
Redshirt freshman safety Michael Strand had a big game in the 35-34 win over Augustana on Sept. 19. The Barnesville, Minn., native intercepted two passes — including the game-clincher in the final minute — to help MSUM secure the win. For his efforts, Strand was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week. Strand shares the MSUM lead with 24 tackles and shares the NSIC lead with two interceptions.

Starting on the Right Foot
The Dragons' 3-0 start is significant for two reasons. It is the first time since 1987 that they have started a season at 3-0, and it is the first time since 1996 MSUM has started 3-0 in the NSIC. MSUM is seeking its first 4-0 start since 1985.

Air Travel
MSUM's passing game has clicked during the first three games. MSUM ranks first in the NSIC in pass efficiency (195.3), first in passing touchdowns (11) and second in passing yards per game (331.0).  Dragon quarterbacks have not thrown an interception this season.

That's a Top 10 play…
The dramatic finish of the Dragons' 30-28 win over Concordia-St. Paul on Sept. 12 brought national attention for the MSUM program.  Junior Cory Ambrose hauled in a tipped pass in the end zone to give the Dragons a dramatic 30-28 win. The play made ESPN's Sportscenter Top 10 plays for Saturday, coming in at No. 2 on the rankings.

Week 4 Under Laqua
MSUM is 1-3 in the Steve Laqua era during Week 4 games. The Dragons lost to Sioux Falls, 73-21 in 2014.  Previously, lost to Minnesota State, 24-0 in 2012 and Concordia-St. Paul, 36-34 in 2013. MSUM's win came in 2011, when the Dragons downed Minnesota Crookston.

Medhaug Climbing the Scoring Ladder
Senior running back Zayne Medhaug has been very familiar with the end zone during the past two seasons. He scored two touchdowns in the 30-28 win over Concordia-St. Paul on Sept. 12. Medhaug now has 216 career points and is just two points away from fifth in all-time scoring at MSUM. He is ranked 16th in NSIC history with 216 points.

NSIC Rankings
The Dragons rank in the top five individually and team-wise in the NSIC statistics:
Team
—Scoring offense (35.7, 3rd)
—Total offense (494.0, 2nd)
—Pass offense (331.0, 2nd)
—Turnover Margin (+3, 3rd)
—Pass efficiency (195.3, 1st)
—First Downs (73, 3rd)
Individual
—Total Offense - Jake Hodge (332.5, 3rd)
—All Purpose - Zayne Medhaug (153.7, 2nd)
—Passing Offense - Jake Hodge (273.5, 3rd)
—Pass efficiency - Demetrius Carr (260.91, 1st)
—Scoring - Adam Jiskra (30 points, tied for 1st)
—Interceptions - Michael Strand/Chris Binford, 2 (tied for first)
—Tackles for loss - Jake Busse (1.83 average, tied for 2nd)
—Forced Fumbles - Drew Lingle (1, tied for 4th)

Jiskra Sets Record, Chases Another
Senior Adam Jiskra already has his name in the record books at MSUM. He is the all-time leader in receiving yards (2,882) and receiving touchdowns (29). Now, the Grafton, N.D., native is chasing another school record — total receptions. Jabari Taylor currently leads with 214, with Jiskra second at 193.  A two-time All-NSIC North Division First Team selection, Jiskra also is climbing the conference charts; he currently ranks fifth in all-time receptions at 193, trailing the all-time record of Brian Jark of Northern State (210).

Stalwarts Up Front
Seniors Bennen Bierman (left tackle) and Troy Peterson (right tackle) have each started all 36 games over the past three seasons on the offensive line -- combining for 72 starts in their careers.. The offensive line play is among the keys to the Dragon offense's growth over the past two seasons.