MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State Moorhead football will host its 2025 home opener on Saturday, September 13 in a titl with Winona State. Kickoff from SCHEELS Field at Alex Nemzek Stadium is scheduled for noon. 

Live stats and video will be available at msumdragons.com. Fans can also listen to the game live on AM 1100/FM 92.3 with 'Big Game' James McCarty and Jace Denman on the call. 

Matchup History...The Dragons and Warriors have split the prior two meetings with the home team claiming each. Winona State controlled the ball in last season's meeting, eventually winning 33-6 in Winona. In 2023, the Dragons got the better of WSU by a 20-17 final score. Prior to the victory in 2023, Winona State had claimed seven of eight matchups with the Dragons. In the 76 games between the two programs all-time, MSUM narrowly leads the series 38-37 (with one tie). The teams first met during the 1932 season with the Dragons winning, 14-13. 

The Book of Laqua...In Moorhead's 51-3 victory over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday, head coach Steve Laqua earned his 67th career victory at MSUM. The win is a milestone for Laqua as he now sits tied with Moorhead luminary Alex 'Sliv' Nemzek, who won 67 games as head coach  of the Dragons (1919, 1923-40). The two are tied for the second-most wins all-time by a head coach in program history.   Ross Fortier holds the program's record for coaching wins, having won 152 games from 1970 until 1992. 

Tally It Up...After passing for 319 yards and five touchdowns in the first half against Southwest Minnesota State last Saturday, quarterback Jack Strand eclipsed 10,000 career passing yards. Strand accomplished the rare feat in just his 33rd career game. Additionally, Strand surpassed 10,000 total yards for his career. In NSIC games alone, Strand has passed for 9,243 yards in his career. For his efforts against the Mustangs last week, Strand was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week. 

More Like Kallen-ballhawk...Redshirt junior safety Adam Kallenbach was all over the ball in MSUM's win over Southwest Minnesota State. The Jamestown, N.D., native stalled a successful Mustang drive with an interception in the first quarter. He would jump another route later in the game for his second pick. After missing the entire 2024 season due to injury, Kallenbach has registered eight tackles so far in 2025.

Wait A Minute, That's Gavin Lill's Music!...Redshirt freshman tight end Gavin Lill proved to be a favorite target of Strand's against SMSU. Lill caught three passes for 77 yards and two scores, one of which was a 55-yard pitch and catch. It is the first time a Dragon tight end has scored two or more touchdowns in a game since Myles Montplaisir rushed for two scores against Minnesota Crookston on October 19, 2013. 

No Run Zone....MSUM's defense was stout on Saturday as SMSU would finish the game with minus-two rush yards. It is the lowest total allowed by a Dragon outfit since September 9, 2006. On that day, MSUM held Mayville State to minus-five rush yards.

Bird and BP's Big Score...Senior wide receivers Carter Birrenkott and Brady Perryman were vital to MSUM's success against the Mustangs. Birrenkott made three catches for 101 yards and a pair of scores. After missing the 2024 season due to injury, the scores were Birrenkott's first since October 2023. Perryman also reeled in two touchdowns, pushing his career total to 28, just three shy of tying the school record held by Adam Jiskra.

Steve Laqua is in his 15th season as MSUM's head football coach.