Football | 9/4/2019 2:50:00 PM
Game notes (pdf)
Live audio/video
Live Stats
The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team opens the 2019 season on Thursday at Minnesota Crookston. Kickoff is at 7:05 p.m. at Ed Widseth Field in Crookston, Minn. MSUM will look to retain the State Farm Traveling Trophy that is given to the winner of the matchup each year.
MSUM was 8-4 last year while UMC was 1-10.
You can find live stats, audio (with Dragon broadcasters
Steve d'Eustachio and Donn Groth) and video on msumdragons.com; the game will also be televised live on Midco Sports Net with David Brown and Jody Norstedt on the call.
Series History
MSUM and UMC will meet for a 21st time in football with the Dragons leading the series 13-7. The Dragons have won five straight meetings.
Previous five meetings:
2018: MSUM 34, UMC 10 (in Moorhead, Minn.)
2017: MSUM 49, UMC 7 (in Crookston, Minn.)
2016: MSUM 41, UMC 12 (in Moorhead, Minn.)
2015: MSUM 59, UMC 21 (in Crookston)
2014: MSUM 66, UMC 36 (in Moorhead)
UMC's last win was in 2013 by a 20-14 score.
The Head Coaches
Steve Laqua is entering his ninth season as MSUM's head coach with a record of 37-51 at the school. Mark Dufner is in his third season as the UMC head coach with a record of 1-21.
About MSUM
MSUM finished 8-4 last season and qualified for the Mineral Water Bowl for the first time in school history. The Dragons finished 8-3 in NSIC play and in a tie for third. The eight wins were the most for the program since 1991.
MSUM returns 15 starters from a year ago --seven on offense, five on defense and three specialists.
Junior
Jakup Sinani started seven games at quarterback a year ago and threw for a team-best 1,504 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also only threw two interceptions.
The backfield is led by senior
Herman Gray, who rushed for 317 yards and two scores despite missing six games because of injury. Junior
Denver Colgrove rushed for 342 yards and one score.
Grady Bresnahan is back at receiver after a strong sophomore campaign in 2018. He led the team with 80 catches and added 879 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Junior
Jake Richter led the team with 1,113 receiving yards and 10 scores but is out indefinitely with an injury. Senior
Zach Sweep caught 36 passes for 438 yards and four scores as well.
Senior
Nathan Belisle is back on the offensive line after earning second-team All-NSIC North honors a year ago. Junior
Ethan Gerbig and sophomore
Jordan Eckley also return as starters on the line.
On defense, junior
Darius Woods-Steichen is back after earning All-NSIC North first team honors last year. He led the team with 8.5 sacks.
Senior corner
Deiondre Taylor returns after leading the team with three interceptions and 11 pass breakups in 2019. He had 66 tackles. Junior linebacker
Matt Schoh and junior safety
Shad Vedaa each had 65 tackles.
Jordan Magnuson had 49 tackles from his defensive line slot a year ago.
MSUM scored 27.3 points per game and recorded 380.9 yards per game of total offense in 2018. The Dragons allowed 30.2 points per game and 391.0 yards of total offense.
About Minnesota Crookston
The Golden Eagles went 1-10 in 2018 with their lone win coming over Minot State. They return nine starters on offense, led by senior quarterback Jalen Scott, who threw for 1,100 yards a year ago. Sophomore receiver Andy Groebner caught 33 passes for 601 yards and three scores while senior receiver Jonattan Mudd had 23 catches for 279 yards.
On defense, Wagner had 47 tackle and 6.5 tackles for loss while senior defensive back Trevor Long Jr. had 79 tackles and seven pass breakups.
UMC averaged 9.9 points per game a year ago and recorded 229.9 yards per game of total offense. The Golden Eagles allowed 42.5 points per game and 432.5 yards per game of total offense.
More about the Dragons
All-NSIC North Returners
MSUM juniors
Jake Richter (wide receiver) and
Darius Woods-Steichen (defensive line) were named All-NSIC North Division First Team selections in 2019
Richter had a big season for the Dragons, catching 64 passes for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns. Woods-Steichen also picked up his first All-NSIC honor after recording a team-best 8.5 sacks this season.
Senior offensive lineman
Nathan Belisle and junior receiver
Grady Bresnahan s were named to the All-NSIC North Division Second Team selections. Senior defensive lineman
Matthew Domek (40 tackles, 3.5 sacks) and senior cornerback
Deiondre Taylor (three interceptions, 62 tackles) were honorable mention selections.
MSUM head coach
Steve Laqua was named the NSIC Coach of the Year.
All 3 Traveling Trophies at MSUM
For the fourth time in six years, the MSUM football team has the Axe trophy in its possession after the Dragons beat Bemidji State, 31-26 on Nov. 3. MSUM now has all three traveling trophies in its possession — the Axe, the Paddle (with UMary) and the State Farm Traveling Trophy (with Minnesota Crookston) — for the second time, the first coming in 2016.
