Football | 9/14/2022 2:19:00 PM
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The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team will face its first nationally-ranked opponent of the season on Saturday when it hosts No. 13 Augustana. Kickoff is set for noon at Scheels Field at Nemzek Stadium in Moorhead.
Live stats and video are available at msumdragons.com
An MSUM win over Augie would...
--give the Dragons their first win over a top-25 ranked opponent in Steve Laqua's coaching tenure
—give their first home win since Oct. 23, 2021
--be Steve Laqua's 50th win as the head coach
--end the Dragons' two-game losing streak to the Vikings
Series History
MSUM and Augustana will meet for an eighth time with the Vikings holding a 5-2 series lead. Augustana has won the past two meetings after MSUM had won two straight games.
Previous Meetings
2021: Augustana 43, MSU Moorhead 17 (in Sioux Falls)
2019: Augustana 48, MSU Moorhead 3 (in Moorhead
2017: MSUM 38, Augustana 7 (in Sioux Falls)
2015: MSUM 35, Augustana 34 (in Moorhead)Â
2013: Augustana 41, MSUM 28 (in Sioux Falls)
2011: Augustana 35, MSUM 3 (in Sioux Falls)
2010: Augustana 47, MSUM 17 (in Moorhead)
The Head Coaches
Steve Laqua is in his 10th season, and 11th year overall as MSUM's head coach with a record of 49-64 at the school. Jerry Olszewski is in his ninth season at Augustana with a record of 58-35.
About MSUM
MSUM evened its mark at 1-1 with a 24-21 road win at Upper Iowa on Saturday. Sophomore quarterback Tommy Falk threw for two scores while sophomore linebacker Josiah Behm had 11 tackles.
Sophomore quarterback Tommy Falk threw for 207 yards and a touchdown in the game.
Falk has thrown for 387 yards and three scores. Sophomore running back Luke Imdieke has rushed for 74 yards.
Redshirt freshman receiver Gage Florence has 11 catches for 137 yards and a score while redshirt freshman Carter Birrenkott has nine catches for 121 yards and a score.
On defense Behm has 19 tackles while senior linebacker James Eggert
had 16. Sophomore linebacker Marcus Gulley has 15 tackles, a sack and interception. Hayden Carr also has a sack.
Junior defensive lineman Jackson Faller and sophomore cornerback Cody Sorenson also have interceptions.
MSUM is averaging 240.0 yards per game of offense and allowing 391.5.
About No. 13 Augustana
The Vikings are 2-0 on the year after edging Bemidji State, 30-29 last Saturday.
The Vikings are scoring 29 points per game and allowing 21.5. They record 356.5 yards per game of total offense and allow 354.5 yards per game on defense.
Sophomore quarterback Thomas Scholten threw for 202 yards and two scores in the win over Bemidji. Jarod Epperson has 194 rushing yards and score to lead the ground game.
Jack Fisher had five catches for 84 yards and thrree touchdowns to lead the receivers.
TJ Liggett has 18 tackles for Augie while Eli Weber has two interceptions.
More about the Dragons
Not Seeing Yellow
MSUM is off to a good start as far as not drawing penalties. The Dragons are second in Division II at fewest penalties per game (2.5) and second in fewest penalty yards per game (20.0). The Dragon are third overall in fewest penalties with five.
Take Your Pick
MSUM finished 10th in all of Division II in 2021 with 17 interceptions, led by four each from Cody Sorenson and Jared Kallenbach. MSUM got off to a good start in that department against Sioux Falls with two picks, as Jackson Faller and Marcus Gulley recorded interceptions. Cody Sorenson recorded the Dragons' third interception of the year against Upper Iowa. Last season the Dragons recorded interceptions in nine of the 11 games.
Happy Returns
Sophomore Kolby Vander Wal returned a fumble 12 yards for a touchdown off of a bad punt snap in the win over Upper Iowa. The score tied the contest at 14-14 and was part of 24 unanswered points for the Dragons. It was the Dragons' first fumble return for a touchdown since Carson Zarak did so against Minnesota Crookston in 2019.
Young Receivers Emerge
Redshirt freshmen receivers Gage Florence and Carter Birrenkott have combined for 20 catches for 258 yards and two touchdowns through two games. Florence leads with 11 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown while Birrenkott has nine catches for 121 yards and a score. Florence hauled in a 66-yard score against Upper Iowa for the Dragons' longest play this season.
Week 3 Under Laqua
MSUM is 5-5 in the Laqua era during Week 3 games including a 24-17 win over Northern State in 2019 and a loss at Augustana 43-17 in 2021. The Dragons saw a Week 3 three-game winning streak end at Winona State in 2017, 42-14. The previous streak included a 23-21 win over Upper Iowa in 2016; a 35-34 win over Augustana in 2015. In 2014, the Dragons held off Wayne State, 40-36. Previously, MSUM lost to Winona State, 65-21 in 2013, to Upper Iowa, 51-33 in 2012 and fell to Upper Iowa, 45-31, in 2011 which was Laqua's first season.last season.
