Football | 9/21/2022 2:43:00 PM
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Live Stats
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The Minnesota State University Moorhead football team is on the road for the next two games, starting this Saturday at Winona State.
Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winona, Minn.
Live stats and video are available at msumdragons.com
An MSUM win over Winona State would...
--give the Dragons their second straight road win
—end a three-game losing streak to the Warriors
--be Steve Laqua's 50th win as the head coach
--be just MSUM's second win in the last 19 meetings against the Warriors.
Series History
MSUM and Winona State will meet for a 75th time with the Dragons leading the series 38-35-1. The Warriors have won the last three meetings.
The last Dragon win came in 2015 when the Dragons beat the Warriors, 42-17 at the grand opening of Scheels Field.
Previous Five Meetings
2021: Winona State 27, MSU Moorhead 13 (in Moorhead)
2019: Winona State 28, MSU Moorhead 26 (in Moorhead)
2017: Winona State 42, MSU Moorhead (in Winona)
2015: MSUM 42, Winona State 17 (in Moorhead)
2013: Winona State 65, MSU Moorhead 21 (in Winona)
The Head Coaches
Steve Laqua is in his 10th season, and 11th year overall as MSUM's head coach with a record of 49-65 at the school. Brian Bergstrom is in his first season at Winona State with a record of 2-1.
About MSUM
MSUM fell to 1-2 with a 31-7 loss to No.13 Augustana at home last week. Redshirt freshman receiver Gage Florence had eight catches for 105 yards for his first 100-yard receiving game of his career. Sophomore linebacker Josiah Behm had 12 tackles for the Dragons.
Sophomore quarterback Tommy Falk has thrown for 582 yards and three touchdowns to lead the passing attack. Sophomore running back Luke Imdieke has rushed for 85 yards.
Florence has 19 catches for 257 yards and a score while redshirt freshman Carter Birrenkott has 11 catches for 133 yards and a score.
On defense Behm has 31 tackles while senior linebacker James Eggert
had 27. Sophomore linebacker Marcus Gulley has 22 tackles, a sack and interception. Hayden Carr leads at 1.5 sacks.
Five different Dragons have recorded interceptions this season.
MSUM is averaging 247.3 yards per game of offense and allowing 412.0.
About Winona State
Winona State suffered its first loss of the season at Bemidji State, 34-24 last week to fall to 2-1 on the season.
Ty Gavin has rushed for 333 yards and a touchdown to lead the Warrior ground game. Trevor Paulsen is 36-of-70 passing for 401 yards and two touchdowns.
Cooper Nelson has nine catches for 104 yards and a score to lead the receiving corps.
Winona State scores 24.3 points per game and records 310.7 yards per game of total offense.
Clay Schueffner lead the Warrior defense with 37 tackles while Mitch Snitker has 21. Carter Duxbury has 3.5 tackles for loss.
Winona State allows 20.3 points per game and allows 326.6 yards per game of total offense.
More about the Dragons
Not Seeing Yellow
MSUM is off to a good start as far as not drawing penalties. The Dragons are fifth in Division II at fewest penalties per game (3.7) and fourth in fewest penalty yards per game (20.0). The Dragon are ninth overall in fewest penalties.
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 and Jared Kallenbach and Jake Bettcher had interceptions in the loss to Augustana. The Dragons are ninth in the nation with five interceptions so far.
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 30 catches for 390 yards and two touchdowns through two games. Florence leads with 19 catches for 257 yards and a touchdown while Birrenkott has 11 catches for 133 yards and a score. Florence hauled in a 66-yard score against Upper Iowa for the Dragons' longest play this season.
Week 4 Under Laqua
MSUM is 5-5 in the Steve Laqua era during week 4 games, including a
33-28 win over Upper Iowa in 2021. The Dragons beat UMary 47-32 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.
