MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State Moorhead football will look to get back on the winning trail at home this weekend. The Dragons play host to 13th-ranked Minnesota Duluth on Saturday beginning at noon. 

Live video and stats will be available at msumdragons.com. Midco Sports Plus will be the official streaming home of MSUM athletics with Steve d'Eustachio doing play-by-play and Chase Montplaisir on color commentary. 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. MSUM fell in NSIC action last week to 20th-ranked Augustana. 

Matchup History...The Dragons and Bulldogs have split the last two matchups with one another. Minnesota Duluth claimed last season's meeting, 28-14. However, the season prior, Moorhead would capture a dramatic 30-29 win in Duluth. A late two-point conversion proved to be the difference for MSUM on that day. The victory was MSUM's first over the Bulldogs since October 2, 1999. At the time, Minnesota Duluth was ranked 19th in the country, marking the first ranked victory in the tenure of Steve Laqua. The all-time series has been commanded by the Bulldogs, who hold a 43-18-4 record against the Dragons since 1932. Minnesota Duluth won the very first meeting on October 8, 1932, defeating Moorhead, 7-6. The meeting was also the first conference game for MSUM as a member of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC). 

Tyson Trots On In...Senior running back Tyson Brandt was again a major piece to MSUM's offense against #20 Augustana. Brandt rushed for 68 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown scamper. The run was the longest of Brandt's collegiate career. 

Dragons Against The Ranks...This week, Minnesota Duluth  is ranked 13th in the AFCA Coaches' Poll and 12th in the D2Football.com Media Poll. Moorhead has earned a ranked victory in each of the last three seasons. The Dragons capped the 2025 season with a resounding win over then 14th-ranked Minnesota State. In 2024, MSUM earned its first-ever ranked win in Steve Laqua's tenure, defeating 19th-ranked Minnesota Duluth, 30-29 (9/5/24). The Dragons also defeated a ranked Augustana outfit that same season. 

Whole Lotta Gannon...Sophomore linebacker Gannon Bolgrean continues to lead the Dragon defense in a multitude of facets. Bolgrean made a team-high eight tackles against Augustana on Saturday. This included a pair of tackles for loss, one of which being a 10-yard sack. Bolgrean currently leads the Dragons with 27 total tackles (20 solo) and total tackles for loss (5). The Barnesville, Minn., native's five tackles for loss have combined for 28 lost yards for opposing offenses. 

Kelly Scores...Senior wide receiver Kelly Johnson has had a nose for the endzone so far in 2026. Against Augustana on Saturday, Johnson made three receptions for a team-high 40 yards. This included a 19-yard touchdown reception, moving his total to five for the season. Johnson has made 21 receptions for 230 yards in 2026 as well. 

They Want More...Moorhead's defensive unit continues to rack up tackles for loss and sacks. Against Augustana, MSUM combined for five tackles for loss and two sacks. The Dragons also had three pass breakups in the contest. So far this season, Moorhead has logged 25 total tackles for loss, resulting in 132 lost yards. The Dragons have 11 sacks as a team this season.

Quick Scout...Minnesota Duluth has relied on quarterback Jacob Eggert and running back Derrick Johnson, who have combined for 78 percent of UMD's total offense so far this season. The Bulldogs are averaging 225 yards on the ground.

Steve Laqua is in his 16th season as MSUM's head football coach.