Football | 10/17/2018 5:03:00 PM

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The Minnesota State University Moorhead begins a two-game homestand this week against the University of Sioux Falls. Kickoff is 2 p.m. on Saturday at Scheels Field at Nemzek Stadium.

MSUM is 5-2 for the first time since 1999 while the Cougars are 4-3, with the three losses coming by a combined eight points.

The game will be broadcast live on WDAY'Z Xtra at msumdragons.com. Live video, stats and audio can be found at msumdragons.com.  

An MSUM win over Sioux Falls would...
— give the Dragons their first 6-2 start since 1999
— give the Dragons their first-ever win over USF
— give the Dragons a 3-1 mark against NSIC South teams this season

Series History
MSUM and USF will meet for a fourth time in a series that began in 2012. The Cougars have won all three meetings, including a 42-21 victory in 2016, which was the last meeting between the two teams.

Previous meetings:
2016-USF 42, MSUM 21 (in Sioux Falls)
2014-Sioux Falls 70, MSUM 21 (in Moorhead)
2012-Sioux Falls 45, MSUM 10 (in Moorhead)

The Head Coaches
Steve Laqua is in his eighth season as MSUM's head coach with a record of 34-50 at the school. Jon Anderson is in his second season as the USF head coach with a record of 13-6.

About MSUM
MSUM earned a 28-22 overtime win at Wayne State on Saturday to improve to 5-2 on the year. A pair of sophomores, quarterback Jakup Sinani and receiver Jake Richter, connected on an 18-yard touchdown in overtime to provide the winning score. Sinani threw for a pair of scores while Richter caught passes for 102 yards and a score.

Sophomore running back Zach Simons has rushed for 381 yards and seven touchdowns for the Dragons while sophomore Denver Colgrove has rushed for 248 yards and a score. Sophomore quarterback Jakup Sinani has thrown for 1,334 yards and 10 scores while only being intercepted twice. Sophomore receiver Grady Bresnahan has 49 catches for 447 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Jake Richter has 40 catches for 642 yards and seven touchdowns. MSUM scores 28 points per game and records 387.6 yards per game of total offense.

MSUM allows 27.9 points per game and 399.1 yards per game of total offense.  Senior safety Aaron Doan has 56 tackles, including a team-high 30 solos. Junior cornerback Deiondre Taylor has 44 tackles, including four tackles for loss, to go with three interceptions and eight pass breakups, all team highs. Sophomore Darius Woods-Steichen has six sacks to lead the team. Senior linebacker Michael Strand has 48 tackles, including 4.5 for loss.

About Sioux Falls
The Cougars fell to 4-3 with a 30-27 home loss to St. Cloud State on Saturday in Sioux Falls.  USF lost despite 161 rushing yards and a touchdown from Gabriel Watson.

USF scores 33.7 points per game and records 461.7 yards per game of total offense. Watson leads the NSIC at 1,197 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. Colton Myles has rushed for 531 yards and three scores. Junior quarterback Caden Walters has thrown for 1,211 yards and 10 scores. Michael Maxwell leads the Cougar receiving corps with 21 catches for 370 yards and two scores.

The Cougar defense allows 20.4 points per game and 359.6 yards per game of total offense. Brody Grantham leads with 43 tackles while Michael Enalls has 38. Ryan Nieman and Parker Gregston each have two interceptions while seven players have one sack.

More about the Dragons
Working Overtime
Prior to last week's win over Wayne State, MSUM had not played an overtime game since 2011.  Ironically the 2011 game was tied at 22-22 — the same score as the MSUM-WSC game. The 2011 game saw MSUM beat Minnesota Crookston, 29-22. The Dragons are now 2-0 in overtime in Steve Laqua's coaching tenure.

Well Taken Care Of
MSUM's two quarterbacks — sophomore Jakup Sinani and junior Bryce Meehl — have down a good job protecting the football this season. Sinani has started five games and has thrown for 1,334 yards and 10 scores — with just two interceptions. Meehl is 19-of-36 for 257 yards and two scores with no interceptions.  MSUM is fourth in the nation in fewest passes intercepted.

National Rankings
MSUM ranks in the top 40 in several categories as a team and individually:
Team
—Fourth in the nation in the fewest passes intercepted (two)
—19th in Division II in fewest penalty yards per game at 47.0 yards per game, which is also third best in the NSIC
—The Dragons are 30th in punt return defense, allowing 4.33 yards per return
—The Dragons are 36th with eight tackles for loss per game
Individuals
—Sophomore receiver Grady Bresnahan is fourth in the nation at 8.2 receptions per game
—Sophomore receiver Jake Richter is 17th in the nation with seven receiving touchdowns and is 25th in receiving yards and 29th in receiving yards per game
—Sophomore quarterback Jakup Sinani is 25th in the nation at 19.83 completions per game
—Junior cornerback Deiondre Taylor is 19th in the nation at 1.6 passes defended per game
—Zach Simons is 31st with seven rushing touchdowns
— Sophomore defensive tackle Darius Woods-Steichen is 30th in sacks per game at 0.83.

Fast Start
MSUM started 5-2 on the season for the first time since 1999. It is the best start in the Steve Laqua era. If MSUM is able to beat USF on Saturday, it will be 6-2 for the first time since 1999.

Doan Gets It Done on D
Senior safety Aaron Doan tied a career-high 14 tackles in the win at Upper Iowa, and leads the Dragons with 56 tackles on the season. He is 10th in the NSIC at 8.0 tackles per game. His 30 solo stops also lead the Dragons.

Grady's Grabs
Sophomore receiver Grady Bresnahan has climbed to into the top five of the nation in receptions per game. He had a career-high 13 catches for 103 yards in the win over Wayne State.  He leads the NSIC at 8.1 receptions per game, which is also fourth-best in the nation, and leads the Dragons with 49 on the season (he missed Week 2 with an injury).

Woods-Steichen Sack Party
Sophomore Darius Woods-Steichen added another sack in the win over Upper Iowa and now has a team-best six on the season. Woods-Steichen's sack total is tied second-most in the NSIC this season. He leads MSUM with 8.5 tackles for loss.

Simons Says
Sophomore Zach Simons was recruited to MSUM as a quarterback but made the switch to running back last season and has been an important part of the MSUM ground game this season. He leads the Dragons with 381 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

Deiondre's Defense
Junior cornerback Deiondre Taylor is off to a strong start for the Dragon defense. He leads the team with three interceptions, including a key one in the end zone to end a Northern scoring threat in Week 3, and is tied for fifth in the NSIC in that category.  He also leads the team with eight pass breakups.

Week 8 Under Laqua
The Dragons are 4-3 in Week 8 games under Laqua, including a 49-7 win over Minnesota Crookston in 2017 and a 47-16 win over U-Mary in 2016.. In 2011, they lost at Augustana, 35-3 and in 2012, they lost at Mary, 23-7. In 2013 they beat Mary, 48-41 and in 2014, they lost at Mary, 52-45. MSUM got a win in 2015 with a 30-20 victory at Minot State.