Football | 10/30/2019 1:41:00 PM

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The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team aims for its second straight win this Saturday at Minot State. Kickoff is 2 p.m. at Herb Parker Stadium in Minot.

MSUM is 4-4 overall and 3-1 in the NSIC North while Minot State is 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the NSIC North.

Live stats, video and live audio broadcast with Steve d'Eustachio and Donn Groth can be found at msumdragons.com

An MSUM win over Minot  would...
—give the Dragons seven straight wins over the Beavers
--give the Dragons a second straight road win
--improve MSUM to 4-1 in the NSIC North

Series History
MSUM and Minot State will meet for a 15th time with the Dragons leading the series 10-4. The Dragons have won the past six meetings.
2018: MSUM 51, Minot State 26 (in Moorhead)
2017: MSUM 22, Minot State 16 (in Minot)
2016: MSUM 42, Minot State 24 (in Moorhead)
2015: MSUM 30, Minot State 20 (in Minot)
2014: MSUM 52, Minot State 7 (in Moorhead)
Last Minot win: Minot 31, MSUM 10 (2012)

The Head Coaches
Steve Laqua is in his ninth season as MSUM's head coach with a record of 41-56 at the school. Mike Aldrich is in his third season as Minot State's head coach with a record of 7-23.

About MSUM
MSUM ended a three-game losing streak with a 23-14 road win at Southwest Minnesota State. It was MSUM's first win over the Mustangs since 2007.  Junior running back Ty Jochim rushed for 98 yards while freshman quarterback Matthew Plasterer threw for a touchdown and ran for one. On defense junior defensive tackle Jordan Magnuson had 14 tackles, including six for loss, along with three sacks.

MSUM averages 25.5 points per game and 310.4 yards per game of total offense. Jochim leads the ground game with 358 yards and three scores while freshman quarterback Matthew Plasterer has completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 1,313 yards and seventouchdowns; he's been intercepted seven times.  Junior receiver Grady Bresnahan has 46 catches for 588 yards and four scores to lead the receiving corps.

On defense senior cornerback Deiondre Taylor and Magnuson lead with 51 tackles each. Taylor has a team-best eight pass breakups. Magnuson had 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Junior defensive end Darius Woods-Steichen has 11 tackles for lsos and six sacks.   Sophomore defensive back Deontre Wade and freshman defensive back Parker Syverson each have two interceptions. Vedaa and Woods-Steichen have two forced fumbles apiece.

MSUM is allowing 28.9 points per game and 374.2 yards per game of total offense.

About Minot State
The Beavers are 3-5 on the year after falling to Augustana, 51-6 last week in Sioux Falls.  The Beavers fell behind 30-6 at halftime and got no closer.

Ali Mohamed leads the Minot ground game with 578 yards and three touchdowns while Ben Bolinske has 397 yards and four scores.

Bolinske has completed 108-of-188 passes for 1,220 yards and seven scores. He has been intercepted six times. Lavante Bushnell leads the Beavers with 31 catches for 442 yards and three scores.

Minot State scores 17.4 points per game and 310.5 yards per game of total offense.

Isaiah Bigby leads the defense with 49 tackles and two interceptions. Matthew Ackerman has 41 tackles. Tamrick Ross has 2.5 sacks. The Beavers allow 32.88 points per game and 477.8 yards per game of total offense.

More about the Dragons
Ground Game Shines
MSUM rushed for a season-high 214 yards on 40 carries in the 23-14 win at Southwest Minnesota State. It was the Dragons first 200-yard rushing game of the season.  Junior running back Ty Jochim rushed for 98 yards to lead the attack.
Jochim has rushed for 199 yards in the past two games and was MSUM's first 100-yard rusher of the season vs. Augustana on Oct. 19. He leads the team with 358 rushing yards.

NSIC Player of the Week x2
Junior defensive lineman Jordan Magnuson had a big day in the Dragons' 23-14 win at SMSU. He had a career-high 14 tackles, including six tackles for loss, along with a career-high three sacks. Magnuson was named the NSIC Player of the Week on Monday to become the second Dragon to earn the honor this season. Junior receiver Grady Bresnahan earned the honors after the Dragons' Week 3 win at Northern State.

Week 9 Under Laqua
The Dragons are 4-4 in Week 8 games under Laqua after losing to Sioux Falls 55-21 in 2018. That includes 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.

National Rankings
The Dragons, individually and team-wise, are ranked in the top 35 nationally:
--Carter Blackwell is tied for fourth in the national with two blocked punts
--Grady Bresnahan is 27th with 5.8 receptions per game
Team-wise, MSUM is ranked
--fourth in fewest penalty yards per game (40.6)
--fourth in fewest fumbles lost (four)
--ninth nationally with five blocked kicks
--seventh in the nation with fewest lost fumbles (two)
--25th in completion percentage (60.5)
--30th in third-down conversion defense (31.2)

Home Grown
MSUM has placed an emphasis on recruiting local talent, and this year's roster has 38 players from Minnesota and 38 from North Dakota.