Football | 9/22/2021 5:22:00 PM
Game notes (pdf)
Live Stats
Live Video
The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team is back at home this week when it hosts Upper Iowa for a noon contest on Saturday at Scheels Field.
The Dragons (1-2) enter the game having lost two in a row. Upper Iowa enters the contest at 0-3.Â
Live stats and video are available at msumdragons.com
An MSUM win over Upper Iowa would...
—give the Dragons their third straight win in the series with Upper Iowa
--end a five-game losing streak at home
--even the Dragons at 2-2 for the season, all against NSIC South teams.
Series History
MSUM and Upper Iowa are tied at 4-4 in the all-time football series.
Previous meetings:
2018-MSUM 17, Upper Iowa 13 (in Fayette)
2016-MSUM 23, Upper Iowa 21 (in Moorhead)
2014-Upper Iowa 44, MSUM 36 (in Fayette)
2012-Upper Iowa 51, MSUM 33 (in Moorhead)
2011-Upper Iowa 45, MSUM 31 (in Fayette)
2010-MSUM 28, Upper Iowa 24 (in Moorhead)
2007-MSUM 31, Upper Iowa 28 (in Moorhead)
2006-Upper Iowa 36, MSUM 13 (in Fayette)
The Head Coaches
Steve Laqua is in his ninth season, and 10th year overall as MSUM's head coach with a record of 44-59 at the school. Jason Hoskins is in his first season as the Upper Iowa head coach with a record of 0-3.
About MSUM
MSUM fell to 1-2 on the year with a 43-17 road loss at Augustana last Saturday. MSUM was within 24-17 at halftime but was outscored 19-0 in the second half. Ryan Bieberdorf and Ryan Harvey-Turner hauled in touchdown passes for the Dragons.
Freshman quarterback Tommy Falk has completed 77-of-122 passes for 998 yards and seven touchdowns while senior receiver Grady Bresnahan has 31 catches for 380 yards and three scores. Sophomore receiver Ryan Bieberdorf has 19 catches for 303 yards and two scores.
On the ground freshman running back Luke Imdieke has 88 rushing yards.
MSUM scores 21.0 points per game and records 386.3 yards per game of total offense.Â
Jared Kallenbach has 25 tackles and two interceptions to lead the defense while senior defensive back Shad Vedaa has 24 tackles. Freshman cornerback Cody Sorenson has two interceptions as well.
The Dragons allow 24 points per game and 320.5 yards per game of total offense.
About Upper Iowa
The Peacocks are 0-3 after losing at home to Northern State, 40-22 last Saturday at home. Upper Iowa was ahead 16-0 early in the second quarter but was outscored 40-6 the rest of the way.
Willy Camacho has 282 rushing yards to lead the Peacocks. Marcus orr has completed 29-of-52 passes for 290 yards and two scores. DJ Emsweller has seven catches for 113 yards and a score.
Upper Iowa is scoring 14 points per game and recording 304.7 yards per game of total offense.
On defense the Peacocks allow 35 points per game and 439.7 yards per game on defense.
Erik Hansen leads the Upper Iowa defense with 21 tackles and four sacks. Brody Bazile has 19 tackles, including five for loss.
More about the Dragons
Well Received
The MSUM receiving tandem of Grady Bresnahan and Ryan Bieberdorf is off to a great start in 2021. The two have combined for 50 catches for 683 yards and five touchdowns through five games. Bresnahan is third in receptions per game nationally (10.3) and eighth in receiving yards (126.7 per game). Bresnahan is now second all-time in receptions at MSUM with 210 and trails all-time leader Jabari Taylor by just four heading into this week's game.Â
Take Your Pick
MSUM has intercepted seven passes through three games which is best in all of Division II. MSUM added three more interceptions in the loss at Augustana. Sophomore Jared Kallenbach and freshman Cody Sorenson each have two interceptions; both are tied for ninth in the nation at 0.7 interceptions per game. Freshman linebacker Josiah Behm, sophomore Jake Bettcher and senior Darius Woods-Steichen also have interceptions this season.
Tommy's On Target
Freshman quarterback Tommy Falk has only made three collegiate starts but looks like a seasoned veteran. He is sixth in the nation in passing yards per game at 332.7 and 16th in total offense at 312.0 yards per game. He is eighth in completions per game at 25.7
Week 4 Under Laqua
MSUM is 4-5 in the Steve Laqua era during week 4 games, including a 47-32 win over UMary in 2019 in the Battle for the Paddle. MSUM ended a five-game losing streak on Week 4 with a 21-20 win over Concordia-St. Paul in 2017 and in 2018 won at UMary, 48-20. The Dragons had lost five straight week 4 games, including a 36-34 loss to Concordia St. Paul in 2013 and a 28-14 loss to Minnesota State last season. MSUM lost to Southwest Minnesota State 48-9 in 2015. In 2014, MSUM lost to Sioux Falls 73-21. In 2012, they lost to Minnesota State 24-0.
