Football | 10/27/2021 8:47:00 AM

The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team plays host to Northern State on Saturday. Kickoff is at noon at Scheels Field at Nemzek Stadium.

MSUM is 4-4 and 2-2 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North after a 35-31 comeback home win over UMary while Northern State improved to 6-2 and 2-1 in the north with a 38-17 win at Concordia-St. Paul. 

Live stats and video are available at msumdragons.com

An MSUM win over Northern State would...

—give the Dragons their third straight win over the Wolves

--improve Dragons to 3-2 in NSIC North

--improve home record to 3-2

Series History

MSUM and Northern State will meet for a 57th time with the Wolves leading the all-time series 31-24-1. The Dragons have won two in a row in the series. 

Last five meetings:

2019: MSUM 24, Northern State 17 (in Aberdeen)

2018: MSU Moorhead 42, Northern State 28 (in Moorhead, Minn.)

2017: Northern State 28, MSUM 20 (in Aberdeen, S.D.)

2016: MSUM 48, Northern State 33 (in Moorhead, Minn.)

2015: Northern State 48, MSUM 26 (in Aberdeen)

The Head Coaches

Steve Laqua is in his ninth season, and 10th year overall as MSUM's head coach with a record of 47-61 at the school. Mike Schmidt is in his first season as the Northern head coach with a record of 6-2.

About MSUM

MSUM evened its mark at 4-4 with a 35-31 win over UMary on Saturday. Junior fullback Hayden Boll rushed for two touchdowns, including the winning touchdown with 10 seconds left, while sophomore receiver Ryan Bieberdorf caught two scores.

Freshman quarterback Tommy Falk has completed 175-of-300 passes for 2,201 yards and 15 touchdowns while senior receiver Grady Bresnahan has 57 catches for 768 yards and six scores. Sophomore receiver Ryan Bieberdorf has 45 catches for 614 yards and four scores.

On the ground freshman running back Luke Imdieke has 218 rushing yards.

MSUM scores 25.0 points per game and records 342.8 yards per game of total offense. 

Senior linebacker Matt Schoh leads the defense with 65 tackles while freshman linebacker Josiah Behm has 64. Senior defensive end Darius Woods-Steichen leads with three sacks while freshman cornerback Cody Sorenson and sophomore safety Jared Kallenbach lead with two interceptions.

The Dragons allow 26.9 points per game and 402.3 yards per game of total offense.

About UMary

Northern State ran its record to 6-2 with a 38-17 win at Concordia-St. Paul. The Wolves were down 17-10 at half but outscored CSP 28-0 in the second half. 

Brett Brenton has rushed for 342 yards and three scores while senior quarterback Hunter Trautman is 179-of-291 passing for 2,401 yards and 27 touchdowns. Dewaylon Ingram has 47 catches for 793 yards and 10 scores while Dakota Larson has 50 catches for 640 yards and nine scores.

The Wolves score 39.1 points per game and allow 29.4. 

On defense Chase Teiken has 58 tackles while Chance Olson has 54 tackles and five interceptions. Northern State leads the nation in interceptions with 15.

UMary gives up 36 points per game and allows 442 yards per game of total offense. 

More about the Dragons

Big Day for Blackwell

MSUM senior cornerback Carter Blackwell had a big day in the Dragons' 35-31 win over UMary. He returned a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter and also recorded an interception. Blackwell was named NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday becoming the first Dragon to earn a weekly honor this season.

Grady Grabs Record

Senior Grady Bresnahan became MSUM's all-time leader in receptions dagainst Upper Iowa.  Bresnahan has 236 career receptions at MSUM.  Bresnahan is eighth in receptions per game (7.2) and 16th in receiving yards per game (96.8).

Take Your Pick

MSUM has intercepted 14 passes through eight games which is tied for second-best in all of Division II. Nine different Dragons have recorded an interception this season.

Touchdown Block Party

MSUM  blocked punts in back-to-back games, both of which were returned for touchdowns. Against Minot on Oct. 9, freshman defensive lineman Thomas Myers blocked a punt and freshman defensivew back Joey Hughes returned it 29 yards for a score. A week later at Bemidji State, freshman defensive lineman Caleb Doeden blocked a punt that Myers returned for a touchdown. 

Sorenson Steps Up

Freshman defensive back Cody Sorenson returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown in the first half of the 29-17 win over Minot State. Sorenson leads MSUM with three interceptions. It was MSUM's first pick six since Deiondre Taylor returned an interception for a score against Minot in 2019. Sorenson is tied for 16th in the nation in passes defended per game at 1.4.

Week 9 Under Laqua

The Dragons are 5-4 in Week 8 games under Laqua after beating Minot State in 2019 and 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. 

National Rankings

MSUM is ranked in the top 25 in several team and individual stat rankings

Team

--tied for second in passes intercepted (14)

--sixth in turnovers gained (18)

--15th in punts blocked (two)

Individual

--Jared Kallenbach is tied for seventh in fumbles recovered (two)

--Grady Bresnahan is eighth in receptions per game (7.2) and 16th in receiving yards per game (96.8)

--Cody Sorenson is 16th in passes defended (1.6 per game)

--Tommy Falk is 17th in completions per game (22.0) and 18th in passing yards per game (276.6)