With a boatload of winning streaks in tow, the University of Minnesota Duluth will close out a two-weekend homestand Saturday (Oct. 25) when when the Bulldogs host Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division rival Bemidji State University. The opening kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. at James S. Malosky Stadium (4,500 capacity/artificial turf) on the UMD campus.

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THE RECORDS: UMD is off to a 7-0 start this fall (tied for first place in the NSIC standings with Minnesota State University-Mankato and the University of Sioux Falls) while Bemidji State, winners of three straight, owns a 3-4 record (tied for 10th place with St. Cloud State). Both clubs are 3-0 in NSIC North Division play.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Beavers stacked up in this week's American Football Coaches Association Division II and the D2Football.com polls.

           AFCA      D2Football    
UMD     No. 2        No. 3
BSU      NR           NR
        
THE BROADCAST: The UMD-Bemidji State bout will be carried live locally on 1490 The Fan (KQDS-AM) with Jeff Papas handling the play-by-play responsibilities and ex-University of North Dakota offensive lineman Gregg Swartwoudt providing color commentary. The broadcast can also be heard on KQ 105.5 FM in Grand Rapids/Hibbing, Minn.; KQ 106.7 FM in Ely/Virginia, Minn.; Red Zone Sports Radio 1350 AM in Pine City, and KKIN-AM 93 in Atkin, Minn., as part of the Bulldog Radio Network and at: fan1490.com.

For the seventh consecutive year, My9 (KBJR DT 6.2/KRII DT 11.9) is televising all UMD home games, including the one Saturday afternoon against Bemidji State. Northland Newscenter sports director Zach Schneider and former long-time UMD defensive coordinator Vince Repesh will serve as the on-air talent. The telecast, which is also available locally on Charter and Mediacom cable, will be videostreammed as well and can be accessed for free at: portal.stretchinternet.com/umd.

THE COACH: Curt Wiese, who was promoted to the UMD head coaching position on Dec. 21, 2012 after spending the previous five years as its offensive coordinator, is now 18-2 with the Bulldogs. One year ago he guided UMD to an 11-2 overall record, a sixth straight berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs, a sixth NSIC North Division title in as many years and a No. 8 national ranking in the final AFCA Division II poll. Wiese's troops also shined in the classroom last fall as 14 Bulldogs earned NSIC All-Academic Team status, including offensive lineman Andrew Pattock, who was named a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American.

For his exemplary efforts, Wiese was selected the 2013 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winner for Division II,  honor recognizing coaches for their responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship and excellence, on and off the field.

During Wiese's successful five-season run as the team's offensive coordinator, the Bulldogs finished near the top of the NCAA II leader board four times in scoring (third in 2012 with a school-record 46.5 points per game average, fifth in 2008, sixth in 2010 and ninth in 2009) and in 2012 possessed the nation's seventh best rushing attack (after ranking seventh, fourth, and third, respectively, in that department the previous three seasons). The 2012 Bulldogs were also the nation's leader in third down conversions (54.8 percent). In addition, no less than 15 of his pupils landed some kind of All-American recognition, including a pair of Harlon Hill Award finalists -- quarterback Ted Schlafke (2008), the school's career passing and total offense leader, and running back Isaac Odim (2009), UMD's No. 1 all-time ground gainer and scorer and the holder of 17 school records. In addition, his starting offensive guard from 2009-12, Garth Heikkinen, became the school's first recipient of the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year of Award and earned a playing spot in the annual East-West Shrine Game in January 2013.

Since Wiese's arrival at UMD in February 2008, the Bulldogs have gone 80-9 (for a .899 winning percentage while capturing two NCAA II national championships (2008 and 2010) along with five overall NSIC titles while producing two perfect 15-0 seasons.

Wiese, 38, came to UMD following two years of employment as the head coach at NCAA III member Marietta College (Ohio). He compiled a 9-11 career overall record with the Pioneers, including a 6-4 mark in 2006. The Stoughton, Wis., native signed on with the Marietta football program in 2003 when he became the team's offensive coordinator -- a duty he continued to maintain after he was elevated to head coach. In five years of directing the Marietta offense, Wiese helped churn out two All-Americans and 12 All-Ohio Athletic Conference selections and was a finalist for the 2004 AFCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year Award.

Prior to his move to Marietta, Wiese worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, tutoring the tight ends for two years and the offensive line for one season. He entered the coaching arena a little over a dozen years ago on the heels of a four-year collegiate playing career. After three seasons at Minnesota State University-Mankato (1995-97), Wiese transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where as a senior in 1998, he quarterbacked the Pointers to a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.

    WIESE BY THE NUMBERS
Record at UMD (Year): 18-2 (2nd)
Overall Coaching Record (Year):  27-13 (4th)
Career NSIC Record: 17-1
Career UMD Home Record  9-1
Career UMD Road Record    9-1
vs. Bemidji State  1-0

THE SERIES: UMD and Bemidji State will meet for the 54th time ever Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs hold a commanding 42-10-1 lead in the all-time series, which began back in 1931 -- the second year of intercollegiate football at UMD. One year ago (Oct. 26), the Bulldogs rallied from a 21-14 third-quarter deficit by reeling off 17 unanswered points en route to derailing the host Beavers 31-21, Bemidj State did amass 268 yards on the ground -- the most by a UMD opponent during the entire 2013 season -- and 414 yards overall (compared with 440 for the Bulldogs).

LAST WEEK: UMD rode its reliable rushing attack and a shutdown second-half defensive effort to post a 43-30 NSIC North Division victory over Northern State Saturday afternoon before the seventh largest home crowd (5,268) in program history. Junior running back Logan Lauters rushed for a career-high 200 yards and one touchdown on just 15 carries while sophomore quarterback Drew Bauer ran 12 times for 126 yards and two scores. He also threw for 182 yards and one more touchdown while completing 15 of 28 passes. The two clubs combined for 1,039 yards of total offense with the Bulldogs accounting for a 2014 single-game high 567 yards of that total. The Wolves mustered just 52 yards in 31 runs against the NSIC's stingiest rush defense, but did use the right arm of quarterback Jared Jacobson to pile up 408 yards through the air. UMD never trailed the entire afternoon and took a 34-24, lead into halftime.

Like the Bulldogs, Bemidji State also delivered a Homecoming victory last Saturday as quarterback Ryan Shields went 21-of-42 for 317 yards and three touchdowns to propel the Beavers past Minot State University 31-17. Minot State mustered just 21 rushing yards (on 26 attempts), 11 first downs, and 185 yrds of total offense in addition to failing to convert either a third (O-for-13) or fourth down (O-for-2) conversion the entire afternoon.

HIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING: The Bulldogs' team captaincy responsibilities this fall are being shared by a trio of seniors -- defensive end Jacob Brusehaver, linebacker/long snapper Yusef Hassan, and wide out/return specialist Aaron Roth. Roth served in that same role last year and is UMD's first two-time captain since 2008 (quarterback Ted Schlafke).

HIGH EXPECTATIONS, AGAIN: In their annual preseason poll the NSIC coaches picked the Bulldogs to finish first in both the North Division and overall standings this fall. UMD garnered eight first-place votes and 215 points -- three more than Minnesota State University-Mankato, which received seven votes. Winona State University, a member of the South Division, was third with 189 points (and the remaining first-place vote) followed by North Division colleague St. Cloud State (183 pts.), the University of Sioux Falls (147 pts.) and Augustana College (145 pts.). Bemidji State (118 pts.) was projected to place eighth. The Bulldogs, have been tabbed as the overall NSIC preseason favorite during all but one of their previous eight years of league membership (2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2003 -- they belonged to the now-defunct North Central Conference from 2004-07).

ON THE LINE: The following are a few of the victory streaks UMD will put on the line Saturday afternoon when it hosts Bemidji State:

Consecutive Regular Season Wins: 15
Consecutive NSIC Wins: 15
Consecutive NSIC North Division Wins: 16
Consecutive NSIC North Division Home Wins: 22
Consecutive Wins vs. BSU: 12
Consecutive Home Wins vs. BSU: 20

NOT IN OUR HOUSE: Not only are the Bulldogs a perfect 17-0-0 lifetime against Bemidji State at Malosky Stadium (their  football home since 1966), but they haven't lost to the Beavers anywhere in Duluth in over 73 years (34-0 on Oct. 10, 1941). That translates into a 20-game winning streak.

THE PRIDE OF THE NORTH: Since the NSIC instituted divisional play in 2008, the Bulldogs are a sizzling 39-2 in NSIC North Division assignments (22-0 at home) with both of those two losses coming to St. Cloud State (51-49 in 2012 and 35-7 in 2011). They've also gone 26-2 versus South Division opponents over that same period with setbacks to Minnesota State-Mankato (21-17 in Duluth one year ago) and to host Wayne State (7-0 in 2011) being the only two setbacks.

AND THE BEAT GOES ON: The Bulldogs will come into the weekend armed with a 15-game regular season winning streak. That run, which began a week after a 21-17 home loss to Minnesota State-Mankato on Sept. 21, 2013, is the third longest of its kind in program history:

Games    Dates
22        Sept. 12, 2009-Sept. 10, 2011
20        Nov. 3, 1979-Oct. 24, 1981
15        Sept. 28, 2013-present

IN GOOD HANDS: Between them, the standout senior wide receiver tandem of Aaron Roth and Zach Zweifel have caught 266 passes for 3,345 yards and 24 touchdowns since they first emerged on the UMD landscape as true freshman in 2011. Here's where they both stand on UMD's all-time catch charts:

UMD CAREER PASS RECEIVING LEADERS
 

Player (Years)	No.	Yds.	TD
1. Tim Battaglia (2000-03)	189	3,685	38
2. Steve Battaglia (1999-02)	182	3,037	33
3. Greg Aker (2003-06)	178	2,211	25
4. D.J. Winfield (2007-10)	170	2,896	27
5. Zach Zweifel (2011- )	148	2,011	14
5. Tony Doherty (2005-08)	148	1,861	15
7. Aaron Roth (2011- )	118	1,334	10

YOU AGAIN?: The Bulldogs have faced Bemidji State on more occasions (53) than all but two lifetime opponents -- Minnesota State University-Moorhead (56) and the University of Wisconsin-Superior (55), which no longer sponsors intercollegiate football.

WHAT A RUSH: Through seven games, the Bulldogs find themselves in familiar territory -- leading the NSIC in rushing offense. UMD is averaging 307.7 yards per game on the ground (the seventh best figure among all NCAA II schools) and a 6.4 yards a carry thus far in 2014. The Bulldogs have been outrushed by an opponent only once since the 2012 opener -- a stretch of 32 games -- and that was at Bemidji State on Oct. 10, 2013 (258 yards to 203).

WHAT A RUSH II: Austin Sikorski is now within  easy striking distance of moving into second place on UMD's all-time rushing charts. The 2014 NSIC North Division Preaseason Offensive Player of the Year has now run for 3,164 yards (only six active NCAA II combatants have more), putting him 64 yards behind the No. 2 occupant on that list, Dave Rufledt (2001-04). Sikorski, a two-time All-NSIC honoree (first team in 2013 and second team the previous year) leads all active Bulldogs in 100-yard rushing days with 14, including three this fall.

UMD CAREER RUSHING LEADERS
 

Player (Year)	Att.	Yds.	Avg.	TD
1. Issac Odim (2008-10)	589	4,242	7.2	72
2. Dave Rudledt (2001-04)	648	3,228	5.1	47
3. Austin Sikorski (2011- )	546	3,164	5.8	44

WHAT A RUSH III: Junior Logan Lauters continues to pace the 2014 Bulldogs in rushing yards with a career-high 895 and is averaging a staggering 8.9 yards per touch this fall. He's now rolled up 2,345 yards on the ground as a collegian and his 7.1 yards per carry average takes a backseat only to three-time All-American Isaac Odim's 7.2 clip (2008-10) among all-time Bulldogs with 2,000 or more rushing yards. Lauters also has registered ten 100-yard outings in a UMD uniform -- five in 2014 alone. Last week against Northern State, he became the 13th different Bulldog to reach the 200-yard run barrier.

TIGHT ON THE TURNOVERS: UMD has turned the ball over just four times thus far in 2014 (tops in the NCAA II ranks), getting picked off twice and losing a pair of fumbles. The Bulldogs are a plus-10 in turnover ratio -- the ninth best mark in the nation.

QUITE A RUN: Going back to the start of the 2008 season, no NCAA II outfit in the country has produced a better winning percentage (.899) than UMD. In terms of victories over that stretch, the Bulldogs (80) is second only to defending national champion Northwest Missouri State University (81).
   

Team	W-L	Pct.
1. UMD	80-9	.899
2. Northwest Missouri State	81-12	.823
3. Bloomsburg	65-14	.823
4. Minnesota State-Mankato	65-15	.813
5. Grand Valley State	68-18	.791
6. Colorado State-Pueblo	60-16	.789
7. Shepherd University	57-18	.760
8. California U. (Pa.)	63-19	.760
9. Pittsburgh State	57-21	.731
10. West Texas A&M	61-22	.726

YOUNG PUPS: Of the 106 individuals who comprise the 2014 Bulldog roster, only 26 are either juniors (12) or seniors (14). There are 20 sophomores, 22 redshirt freshmen and 38 first-year rookies.

WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Nearly 60 percent of the current crop of Bulldogs are from Minnesota -- some 63 in all -- and another 38 UMD players are Wisconsin natives. Indiana (2), Washington (2), and Illinois (1) are home to the remaining five Bulldogs.

GET IN THE ZONE: UMD has come away with points (including 25 touchdowns) in 34 of its 41 red zone visits this season (82.9 percent). Three of these seven times it failed to score was due to the half running out.

SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY ... : Former Bulldog All-American linebacker Robbie Aurich (2006-10) is in his first year of assistant coaching duty at Bemidji State

BULLDOG BITS: UMD has won 29 of its last 31 games at Malosky Stadium ... In last week's 43-30 triumph over the Wolves, junior cornerback Darion Fletcher became the fourth Bulldog to crack the career 100-tackle mark this season. He joined senior inside linbacker Gavin Grady (129 stops), junior outside linebacker Nathan Zibolski (114) and junior free safety David Boegel (106) ... Sophomore quarterback Drew Bauer has spread his 76 pass completions this fall amongst 10 receivers. He also has one reception to his 2014 credit which he parlayed into a second career touchdown against Southwest Minnesota State (Sept. 20) ... Nine different Bulldogs have scored offensive touchdowns in 2014 ... The Bulldogs have intercepted four passes this season, with two of those thefts fallin in the hands of second-year sophomore strong safety Hunter Malberg in UMD's 63-21 thrashing of Minnesota State-Moorhead three weeks ago. Senior cornerback Daryl Brown, who is sidelined for this Saturday's game with a shoulder injury, and sophomore defensive end Tim Sommer have the two other interceptions ... UMD has outscored the opposition 57-17 in the third quarter this fall... Senior wide out and return specialist Aaron Roth is the lone Bulldog who has played in all 46 games over the past four seasons In the fourth quarter against Northern State, Roth may have pulled off a college football first when, just four plays after he sacked Wolves quarterback Jared Jacobson and stripped the ball loose (which resulted in a Bulldog fumble recovery), he hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Drew Bauer... Cornerback Dillon Martinez, who is expected to make his second collegiate start this Saturday and punter Shawn Magee are the lone two first-year freshmen to see playing time thus far in 2014.

UP NEXT: The Bulldogs will hit the road for a NSIC North Division engagement with the University of Minnesota Crookston on Nov. 1.